Blessed Births and Beyond, LLC

03/13/2026

First Homebirth Express Class is in the books! It was so much fun! Students were engaged and asked such great questions. Next class is April 23rd. There are 3 spots remaining! Contact me to sign up today.

03/05/2026

What I call the “rest and be thankful” stage is real and needs to honored as a normal phase of birth. Sometimes birth is a nice steady pace but often it has twists and turns, speedy and then slow with lulls. Honor the mom and baby and let them go at the pace that is right for them unless an intervention is absolutely necessary.

The review's authors questioned whether studies establishing norms for labor progress conducted at hospital births—where results would be affected by labor management policies and study participants experience varying degrees of medical intervention—represented true physiologic norms. To answer that question, they compiled the findings of 43 studies of midwives’ reports of non-linear labor progress, i.e., “labor slows, stalls, pauses, or even reverses, but later resumes naturally,” in which these phenomena were considered to be physiologic and normal. They found that such occurrences were common, could occur at any point in labor, lasted from a few minutes to more than two hours, and could occur multiple times in the same labor.

The midwife authors believed labor lulls to be not just normal but functional. They served purposes such as protecting against fetal distress and uterine muscle fatigue by allowing mother and baby to regulate the intensity of labor, permitting recovery from the demands of the dilation phase before embarking on the expulsion phase of labor, and permitting the baby to shift into a more favorable position for birth. One event, labor reversal, in which the cervix closes back down, they attributed to a reaction to interruptions or to agitation arising in the laboring woman or birthing person.

Regardless of whether lulls have the benefits claimed for them, these reports establish that obstetric expectations of how normal labor progresses don’t match reality and that, as the study concludes: “Research on physiological labor patterns, including plateaus, is a matter of some urgency as it is a necessary precursor to efforts aimed at reducing unnecessary and harmful interventions.”

https://bit.ly/4r1pa0B

03/04/2026

The next class is a week from tomorrow! There is still space so sign up today!

02/28/2026

Motherhood doesn’t come with a manual — but it should come with support.

Join us for Balanced Beginnings, our postpartum and feeding support group at Balance Chiropractic & Wellness.

We offer free weighted feeds, basic breastfeeding guidance, and a welcoming space for connection. Whether you are breastfeeding, pumping, combination feeding, or formula feeding, you are invited and supported here.

📅 Thursday March 5, 2026 | ⏰ 12-1:30pm
📍102 SE 30th St Suite 3 Ankeny IA

02/21/2026

In a different space today since construction is going on at the birth center. So thankful for other providers willing to open their space to having a Hypnobabies Childbirth class! Thank you !

02/21/2026

Having a trusted midwife on your birth team, as well as a doula 😊, will set you up for a confident and physiological birth.

When midwives are by women's side through pregnancy and birth, health outcomes improve & women are happier with their care. They are more likely to have:

👩🏻 Positive birth experiences
💕 More natural births
✂️ Fewer medical interventions

To improve the health of mums & babies, WHO urges countries to invest in lifesaving midwifery models of care.

bit.ly/4kShgEQ

02/17/2026

02/17/2026

02/07/2026

We had such a fun Valentine’s party at Mom’s Social Hour on Friday! Join us on the 1st and 3rd Fridays!

And yes, I’m horrible at taking selfies 😂

01/20/2026

I’m excited to announce a new class offering! Homebirth Express Childbirth Class. A one time class tailored to those having a homebirth! Sign up by calling or messaging me. Class size is limited so sign up soon.

01/17/2026

Ready for Hypnobabies Hypnobirthing students in the new class space! It may be cold outside but it’s warm and cozy at the birth center!

01/14/2026