Morning Star Birth Center

03/19/2026

On this Feast of St. Joseph

We look to St. Joseph—the gentle, faithful protector of both mother and child. As the foster father of Jesus and guardian of Mary, he was entrusted with a role he did not fully understand, yet he responded with quiet courage and deep trust in God’s plan.

St. Joseph reminds us that we are not always given the full picture… especially in pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. And yet, like him, we are invited to trust.

As you prepare to welcome your baby, ask for St. Joseph’s intercession—that you may have peace in the unknown, confidence in the path set before you, and a deep trust in the way God is working through your birth story.

St. Joseph, protector of families and patron of fathers, pray for us.

03/18/2026

Vitamin K is a nutrient needed to help blood clot properly. Newborns naturally have very low levels of it for the first week of life. In the hospitals vitamin K is routinely given soon after birth to prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) — a rare but serious condition. In midwifery care our approach is to give you full informed consent before you decide on whether or not you want your child to have vitamin K.

03/17/2026

Prayer of St. Patrick’s Breastplate.

St. Patrick, Pray for Us!

03/13/2026

Chiropractor care is something you’ve probably heard your midwife mention whenever you come to her with a common (or uncommon) pregnancy related ache or pain. Webster‑certified chiropractors are specially trained in the Webster Technique — a gentle, pregnancy‑focused form of chiropractic care that helps restore balance to the pelvis and sacrum, reduce tension in surrounding muscles and ligaments, and support optimal pelvic function. By promoting proper pelvic alignment and easing discomfort, they help create a more comfortable pregnancy experience and may support better fetal positioning and a smoother labor process.

It’s important to note you don’t need to be in discomfort before going to see a chiropractor. It’s good practice to start regular chiropractic adjustments early in your pregnancy and to continue them postpartum as well.

03/11/2026

03/09/2026

Fear. Tension. Pain.

Tension. Pain. Fear.

Pain. Fear. Tension.

It’s called the pain tension fear cycle for a reason.
When we are afraid of labor and the intensity of contractions, our bodies react the way they’re designed to — with a stress response. Fear triggers our nervous system to go into “fight or flight,” releasing stress hormones like adrenaline. Our whole body tenses and that tension makes contractions feel harder and more painful, which fuels more fear — and the cycle continues.

During pregnancy it’s important we talk through our fears regarding birth and surround ourselves with the right kind of support. The support that reminds us we are beautifully and wonderfully made, and while birth may seem scary or overwhelming we can prepare for it.

That’s why preparation matters — not to eliminate intensity, but to build confidence and trust in your body and your support team. Talking through fears with your midwife, husband, or doula helps you unpack what you’re afraid of and why.

Education, practicing deep breathing and relaxation techniques, and continuous emotional support help you create a calmer nervous system so your body can work with the physiology of birth instead of against it.

03/07/2026

Saints Perpetua and Felicity — two remarkable women from early 3rd-century Carthage whose story still inspires today. Perpetua was a young, well-educated noblewoman and mother, and Felicity was her close friend and slave.

Both women chose to stand firm in their faith despite facing persecution and imprisonment for refusing to renounce what they believed. Perpetua was just twenty-two and already the mother of an infant, and Felicity was expecting her own child.
In prison, Felicity gave birth to a daughter just days before their ex*****on. And when the day came, they were brought before a crowd and faced martyrdom together. Their courage and faith have made them enduring figures of love, sacrifice, and the strength of motherhood and sisterhood.

Today they are remembered not just for their unwavering faith and courage in the face of death, but also as patron saints of mothers and expectant mothers. We pray that just as Perpetua and Felicity stood firm in courage, hope, and love even in the face of great suffering, we too might be strengthened in our own journeys, especially in the sacred and transformative seasons of motherhood, birth, and family life. May their example inspire us to trust deeply, love boldly, and walk through life’s challenges with gentle courage and unwavering faith.

03/06/2026

We love the idea of a postpartum recovery basket set up and ready to go in your bathroom. Not only is it practical for those first few days after birth, it also gives you something productive to prepare when that nesting urge kicks in — something that will truly benefit you postpartum!

Consider including items like:
•Depends
•Maxi pads
•Ice packs
•Arnica oil
•Aloe
•Tucks pads or witch hazel
•An herbal perineum spray or balm

Having this basket easily accessible — on the back of the toilet or on a nearby shelf — means one less thing to think about once your baby arrives. It also makes it easier for your husband, or care team, help you get what you need quickly without guessing or searching through cabinets. Which means more time focused on healing, bonding, and enjoying those first precious moments with your new little one.

03/05/2026

A beautiful part of out-of-hospital midwifery care is that siblings are invited into the experience, too. We recognize that it’s not just the mother having a baby — it’s the entire family growing and welcoming new life together. Birth becomes something shared and meaningful rather than something that happens “to” someone else.

Whether that’s inviting an older child to help turn on the doppler so they can listen to their little brother or sister’s heartbeat, giving them a calm role in the room during labor, or creating space for them to be present at the very first moments after birth — these are the kinds of experiences that let siblings feel included and connected. And normalizes birth at a young age.

Including siblings during pregnancy, birth or postpartum can be an incredibly powerful way to build connection, reduce fear, and honor every member of your family during this important transition.

02/27/2026

40 weeks.

40 days.

Both are sacred journeys of offering — a time of sacrifice, self-denial, and intentional waiting. 

Just as Lent invites us into deeper prayer, fasting, and conversion in imitation of Christ’s 40 days in the desert, so too does pregnancy draw us into a holy surrender of comfort for love, strength, and new life. 

In both, we are refined, purified, and united in love with the One who gives life itself. And at the end — a beautiful new life, a celebration of hope, and a heart lifted in thanksgiving.

02/26/2026

02/25/2026

✨LOCATION CHANGE✨ Please join us this week and every week after at SS Joachim and Anna Parish