Gentle birth can change the world.

ABOUT THE MIDWIFE

Pamela
Hines-Powell, CPM, LM 

• Birth Doula from 1995 to 1997
  
  
• Attended Birthingway College of Midwifery 1997-2000
  
  
• Four year apprenticeship with area midwife 1998-2002
  
  
• Started primary practice in 2000
  
  
• Obtained CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) credential in 2002
  
  
• Obtained Oregon State License in 2002
  

My path to midwifery began in 1993 when I became pregnant with my first daughter.  Though we initially looked into homebirth, the cost of paying out of pocket vs the cost of an insurance-covered hospital birth was more than we felt we could afford.  It wasn't long before I understood the saying, "You get what you pay for!"

My daughter's birth was fairly typical of a first time mom:  arrive at the hospital too soon, have labor sped up with Pitocin, push on my back for four hours, receive a deep, third degree episiotomy.  After the experience, I felt shellshocked and violated.  Severe postpartum anxiety disorder followed, as well as a turbulent transition to parenting for my husband. 

I now know that I had to experience that birth as  a first step in what was to be a serious calling to midwifery.  My daughter's birth, no matter how painful or traumatic it seemed, was a gift.  A gift that drew me closer to the truth of who I am, of where my place is in this world and ultimately my relationship with God, however each of us defines that.

Many midwives speak of being called  to midwifery - it's not something that people choose as a profession and last long doing.  Being a homebirth midwife is a lifestyle - and that is the true essence of midwifery:  I'm available and accessible to my clients.  They have a direct, personal relationship with me and my assistant midwife.  They know that we will be the ones coming into their home and seeing them through their birth journey, no matter the time of day or for how long.

I am fundamentally - and unapologetically - passionate about gentle, unhindered birth.  We know that when women are given time and privacy they birth safer and have fewer complications.   Some births take hours, others may take days...it is not our role to define what a mother/baby is experiencing and what "should" be happening.  We are  there to hold the space, offer skills and information when necessary, and be witness to an incredible, beautiful miracle.

In my practice, my clients customize their prenatal care and birth.  I do not take a heavy hand in managing or directing them towards certain tests or procedures.  I believe in honest communication about informed choice and personal responsibility.  We use the latest evidence-based research and a mother's intuition throughout our practice, which sets us apart from the medical model.  Rather  than viewing birth with anxiety and fear, we honor the delicate balance of hormones with our knowledge of current research to achieve fewer complications (cesareans, postpartum hemorrhage, shoulder dystocia, etc) than in a hospital setting. 

I enjoy writing about midwifery issues, challenging myself, and witnessing women give birth essentially without assistance from anyone but herself.  I am an adaptable midwife, offering more hands-on care for those that desire it, but am sometimes sought out by people looking for a more autonomous birth experience.  This leads to constant re-evaluation of my practice, what I believe about birth, and how I approach pregnancy and birth in all terms.  The most valuable  education I've received has come from families I serve - whether it's their first baby or their twelfth.

Hoping one day to write an account of my midwifery experience, I keep a midwifery blog documenting beliefs, research and some birth stories (with permission, of course).  I also enjoy speaking at midwifery conferences about evidence-based midwifery practice and unhindered birth. 

When not immersed in business or birth related issues, I'm often found drinking coffee at any number of Salem's independent coffee houses, reading voraciously, knitting or laughing with friends.  I have a soft spot in my heart for vintage furniture, art, Europe, magazines, handbags and (most) any sort of smelly bath product.

I live in South Salem with my daughter.  We are enthusiastic activists for homebirth, waterbirth,  breastfeeding and babywearing.