Southern Illinois Midwifery, LLC

05/19/2026

Want to learn more about breastfeeding your infant? Still time to register for this Saturday, May 23rd Breastfeeding Class. You can use the link below to register.

https://events.sih.net/en/5f6MqdI7/g/birthingcenter/breastfeeding-a-great-start-4a2nPQqzaT/overview

05/14/2026

One small step for the medical community, a giant step for womankind!!! PCOS finally is being recognized as a metabolic syndrome, not just a cyst problem. Here is a good place to start for information. PMOS polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome affects the whole body, not just the ovaries. As a CNM who specializes in hormones, I want to see so much more but this is a great place to start!!

Podcast Episode · The Dr. Brighten Show · May 14 · 38m

05/13/2026

Has somebody told you this?
That AMH and antral follicle count actually work like this? 👀

Look at this picture 👇

On the left you see lots of tiny red dots.
These are your **smallest follicles**.
They are the ones that produce **AMH**.

We measure AMH with a **simple blood test**.

In the middle you see green circles of different sizes.
These are called **antral follicles**.
The number of these we can see on a scan is your **Antral Follicle Count** (AFC).

**AMH + Antral Follicle Count together tell you about your ovarian reserve** — how many eggs are still left in your “bank”.

**The antral follicle count specifically tells you how the o***y may respond** to IVF medicines.
The more good-sized green follicles you have, the better your ovaries are likely to respond to stimulation.

That’s what we are actually measuring.

Save this post 💾
It explains everything so simply!

Drop a ❤️ if this made sense to you.
Tag someone who needs to see this.

05/08/2026

Excellent Mother’s Day sale from one of our favorite doulas!!!

05/07/2026

D&C After Miscarriage Rarely Causes Fertility Problems – Huge 59,000-Woman Study Shows Just 0.8% Risk!

After a miscarriage, many women worry: will a D&C cause scar tissue in the uterus and hurt my chances of getting pregnant again?
Older small studies suggested high risks of 20–40%, which worried a lot of couples.
A large new American study followed nearly 59,000 women who had at least one D&C over ten years. The result? Only 0.8% (about 1 in 125) developed significant scar tissue.
That’s much lower and far more reassuring.
Important detail: one D&C is very low risk, but two D&Cs raised the chance about four times, and three or more increased it twelvefold. Repetition is what matters most.
This gives clear, honest numbers so women can feel more hopeful about future pregnancies while knowing when to be extra careful.


Contact Information:
For any inquiries or questions, please email clinic@fertilityplus.org.uk

Scientific Reference:
Chen S, et al. Incidence and Risk Factors for Intrauterine Synechiae in Women Undergoing Dilation and Curettage: A Large Retrospective Cohort Study. Fertility and Sterility, 2024 (cumulative incidence 0.8% in 58,607 women).

05/06/2026

Happy International Day of the Midwife to all our sisters out there doing the thing!! Striving to make this world a better place, one birth at a time!

05/03/2026

By around 18 weeks a developing baby can detect sound and by 25 weeks research shows the brain is actively responding to the mother's voice in measurable ways. Neuroscientists using prenatal imaging have observed increased fetal brain activity during vocal stimulation, particularly when the voice belongs to the mother. That response is not random. It is the earliest form of emotional recognition a human brain produces.

Talking, reading, or simply narrating daily life during pregnancy does something that silence cannot. It begins wiring familiarity, safety, and connection into a brain that arrives at birth already knowing who you are. Studies show newborns consistently orient toward their mother's voice over all others within hours of being born, a preference built entirely inside the womb.

Bonding does not begin the moment you hold them. It begins the moment you speak.

04/27/2026

Understanding your AMH levels is key to reproductive health! 🌸

AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) is produced by the small follicles in your ovaries and provides insight into your ovarian reserve — essentially, how many eggs you have left. 🥚✨

Here are some important facts:
- AMH reflects quantity, not quality. It doesn’t predict fertility success or natural conception chances.
- AMH levels typically decline from your mid-twenties onward.
- At 25: ~3.2 ng/mL
- At 30: ~2.4 ng/mL
- At 35: ~1.3 ng/mL
- By 40: ~0.7 ng/mL
- By 45: close to undetectable.

Knowing your AMH early gives you more options for family planning. It’s not about fear; it’s about empowerment through knowledge! 💪❤️