What’s up?  We really need a place for Christian providers to share.

Northeast Kansas Homebirth Service is operated by Anita Woods, a Christian midwife offering homebirth care to families in Kansas City and northeastern Kansas. I believe in warm, nurturing care that encompasses a woman’s whole being—physically, emotionally and spiritually. I trust in God’s design for birth, and am trained to provide tender, non-interventive midwifery care at home.

Natural childbirth is safest for the vast majority of babies and mothers, and the vast majority of women are fully capable of giving birth naturally, normally, and joyfully if given proper education, strong emotional support, and allowed to labor and birth spontaneously. Because a woman’s body was designed for giving birth in a timely and safe manner, medical intervention is often unnecessary and perhaps even detrimental. As such, I conform to a loving, attentive, “wallflower” style of midwifery, practicing the art of invisibility at birth, avoiding intrusion into a mother’s space, and using prayer, herbs, chiropractic and nutrition for health and healing.

Part of my job is to assist parents in making informed decisions with confidence and parental responsibility. Parents should be empowered to make informed decisions on their child’s behalf and have those decisions respected by their birth team. I promote comprehensive, family-oriented, natural childbirth classes, and further encourage parents to seek out and assemble a birth team who supports these views. I advocate informed decisions throughout the life of the child, including homeschooling, full quiver, extended/tandem nursing, cloth-diapering, non-circumcision and delayed or non-vaccination. If there is anything I can do to help you in these parenting choices, please contact me.

I have completed the application process to become a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) and will sit for the final exam August 2007 as well as graduating Ancient Art Midwifery Institute in 2007. A large portion of my clinical experience was obtained at Mercy Maternity Center, a Christian charity birth center in the Philippines, operated by NewLife International School of Midwifery. Additionally, I apprenticed with Heartland Midwifery, a nurse-midwifery home birth practice, and I am certified in adult/pediatric CPR and neonatal resuscitation from the American Red Cross. I am a two-time cesarean survivor and VBAC mom, sat on the Board of Directors of the International Cesarean Awareness Network for six years, am a current ICAN Professional Subscriber, and have had a home waterbirth VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean).

For your free consultation or for a list of references, please call me at (816)392-2555 or send me an email (above) to schedule an appointment. Thank you, and I look forward to serving you and your family!

This is the story of how the Lord changed my life. When this all began, I had one hope, but in the process of going through this, He touched every area of my life in profound ways.

It began with a wedding 21 years ago, September 30, 1977. Joe and I were so young, but so sure we knew what we wanted. So at the age of 17, the two of us got married. Although I had attended church for many years, neither of us were committed Christians. We never really talked about a family except to say that we both wanted one. And to agree that waiting was probably a good idea. But six months after the wedding, I found myself expecting, even though I had been taking the pill for months. (more…)

The children played with other home educated children, and I enjoyed the company of fellow members of a rare breed indeed…the stay-at-home-mom, who home-schools, and has more than 2.4 children ! As I fellowshiped with these mothers I was encouraged, validated, and reminded that God’s favor and blessings are upon me. (more…)

Saturday May 17, I experienced a retreat at my local church community. As it was the eve of Pentecost, the focus was on the Holy Spirit. The retreat was intended for those of us in ministry or considering ministry. I gained several insights which I think may be relevant to those of us in birth related fields, and I would like to share them with you. (more…)

Vasectomy is a widely used procedure to sterilize human men. The question arises whether it is an appropriate procedure for Christian men. The answer is most probably, no. Consider the following:

Fertility is an intregal part of creation, therefore not up to us to thwart. We were given dominion over the earth, to fill it and subdue it - not dominion over our bodies. Our bodies belong to Christ and to our spouse (1 Corinthians 7:4). Whatever we do to our bodies, we also do to Christ… (more…)

What’s “normal” post partum recovery? How do you know if you’re doing “too much too soon” or if you’re ready to be back to normal?

One of the hardest things after giving birth is the process of healing. Particularly if you’ve had a natural birth, you may feel good very soon, and want to get back to normal quickly. This is even more true if you have older children who need your attention and care. So how do you know when to say when?

The most common advice given by post partum care providers is (more…)

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Phillipians 4:13

(ok, they are not all so obvious) (more…)

I am always amazed as I ponder our Heavenly Father’s grace and mercy, and how it is so evident in the new life He has given me. I am blessed with a beautiful family; a husband and four children, and in spite of all of the turmoil in the world around us, He gives us His joy and peace.

I wish I could tell you that it has always been this way, but it would not be the truth. You see, several years ago, before I had a relationship with the Lord, I was facing a very real battle that threatened to rob me of any hope in life, on earth or in heaven.

At the age of nineteen, I had an abortion, a decision I was later to regret. It was a desperate one, based on fear and misinformation. Like many young women, I had made some very bad choices that led to my crisis pregnancy and when I discovered that I was pregnant, I felt so afraid. (more…)