Clarksville Midwifery

09/18/2025

Laboring in water is one of the oldest tools in midwifery care, and for good reason.
Warm water helps reduce tension, improves circulation, and gives the body more flexibility between contractions.

We see people get in the tub and instantly start to move more freely. That movement is what helps labor progress.

That’s why each of our birth suites include a deep, freestanding tub.
When used at the right time, water makes a real difference.

09/16/2025

Labor is hard work. And just like any hard work, it uses up energy.
That is why we encourage eating and drinking throughout labor unless there is a clear reason not to.
Most people do best with small, easy-to-digest foods. Fruit, broth, toast, crackers, coconut water, nut butter. Nothing fancy.
The goal is not to eat a full meal. It is to keep your body fueled and steady as labor continues.
Staying nourished helps you stay strong and keeps things moving.

09/11/2025

Squatting can help labor move forward, especially when we’re in the pushing phase.
It opens the pelvis and gives gravity a chance to do its job.

Sometimes that means sitting on a birth stool, using a rebozo, or just holding on to a partner’s hands for support.

It’s not about getting into one perfect position. It’s about knowing when to try it, and how to support it, so that baby keeps making their way down.

09/09/2025

If you live in Western Kentucky or the rural areas outside Clarksville, you probably already know what a birth desert is.

It means driving hours to the nearest provider. It means fewer options and more pressure to accept care that may not align with what you want.

This birth center changes that.

It lets us safely serve more people, reach farther, and bring midwifery care to families who haven’t had access before.

We’re not just expanding our services. We’re closing a gap that’s needed to be filled for a long time.

09/04/2025

Right after birth, we place your baby skin-to-skin on your chest.

This simple step helps their body adjust in those first minutes. Skin-to-skin helps regulate your baby’s temperature, breathing, and heart rate. It supports stable blood sugar and often leads to easier early feeding.

But it is not just for the baby.

Skin-to-skin helps your uterus contract, supports healthy bleeding patterns, and encourages the hormonal shifts that begin postpartum recovery.
That is why we wait to weigh or measure. Those early minutes matter.
Staying close supports both of you and gives your body time to do what it is built to do.

09/02/2025

Clarksville Midwifery Birth Center is being constructed from the ground up, with every decision centered on how birth actually works. Plumbing is designed for deep labor tubs. Flooring is chosen for comfort and easy cleanup. Layouts are built for both privacy and flow.

We have clinical spaces that support midwifery care and birth suites that support physiologic labor. This is not about decoration. It is about creating a space that functions for real births, with real families, in real time.

08/30/2025

Intrusive thoughts after having a baby are extremely common! But isn’t talked about publicly very much. People feel shame that they are thinking these wild thoughts. They are so common that I guarantee many of the folks who see this article can relate to it. Please know you are not alone! And there IS HELP! But the first step to getting help is telling someone you trust to help you.

We take mental HEALTH very seriously for our clients, we WILL listen to you! And we will help get you plugged into the resources you need.

Have you ever had scary thoughts pop into your head that you just couldn't stop thinking about?

They're called intrusive thoughts, and they are distressing, repetitive and unwanted. They can be triggered by big life changes or mental health issues.

NPR's senior visuals producer LA Johnson, who struggled with these thoughts after giving birth to her second child, talks to mental health professionals about how to manage them. She illustrates her experience and the expert advice in a comic: https://n.pr/4mLaf9q

08/26/2025

Comfort measures are simple tools that can help your body work more efficiently during labor. Things like changing positions, getting in the tub, using a birth ball, or applying heat or counterpressure can make a big difference in how your body moves through labor.

These techniques can help labor progress, support better positioning for the baby, and reduce the need for interventions.
There is no one right way to use comfort measures. The key is having options and using what works in the moment to keep your body supported and your labor moving.

Photo Credit: Planting Roots Birth Services

08/21/2025

A lot of people are surprised to hear that Clarksville Midwifery is building a birth center. They assume midwives only attend births at home. But a birth center gives families another choice. It gives people who don’t want to birth at home, and don’t want to be in a hospital, a third option. That is what this will be for. More access. More support. More freedom to choose what feels right for you.

08/19/2025

Did you know that your baby knows your voice before they even open their eyes?
By the time they are born, babies have been hearing your voice for weeks. That familiar sound is one of the first things that helps them feel calm and connected in the outside world.

It is one of the reasons skin-to-skin time after birth feels so natural. They recognize you. They have been listening. That bond has already started.

08/16/2025

***Shared with Permission***

This family snapped a photo of Dad weighing the baby. Dad was very proud... Student Midwife Savannah L Clark was very SURPRISED.

We didn't get permission to share what he saw, but maybe the Mama will come on and share.

08/14/2025

Laboring in warm water can make a big difference. It helps relax your muscles, soften sensations during contractions, and makes it easier to move your body and shift positions.

Many people find that water offers a sense of calm and control. It can lower the need for other pain relief and sometimes even shorten labor. Being in the tub gives your body more freedom to move in ways that feel good and keep labor progressing.
It’s one of many tools we have available for you.