Sacred Birth Midwifery


			Tanya Rapinchuk Kirsten Lane Lucinda McGovern Katie Rubinstein Midwifery is an art form — combining the arts of nurturing and guidance with current knowledge, science and evidence-based care. Our practice is based on the belief that the woman is the central decision maker in matters regarding her birth and her baby. Because of this, we respond to a mother as her caring and collaborative partner. We provide comprehensive prenatal visits — each appointment is one hour long, skilled guidance during labor and birth, and complete postpartum care for mother and baby. But what makes homebirth midwifery truly special is the value we place on connecting with a woman and her family to offer a deeper level of care. We recognize that each birth is a unique opportunity for a family to gently bring another person into the world. By doing so, supported in their own homes, we help families make the world a little bit more peaceful — one baby at a time. Families come to choose homebirth for a variety of reasons. For some it is a deeply held belief in the naturalness of birth — a choice made long before the pregnancy even occurred. For others it is a desire for a change — a chance to heal from a previous birth experience or have the birth they have been told they cannot achieve in the hospital. Others still discover somewhere during their pregnancy a desire for a different kind of care — one that honors their unique desires and needs as a birthing family. However you have come to consider a homebirth, we look forward to meeting you and discussing all the options available to you. We provide holistic, full-scope midwifery care to families in Western Massachusetts, Southern Vermont, and Northern Connecticut. Home Birth Comprehensive prenatal / postpartum care Well-woman care Pregnancy nutrition counseling Breastfeeding counseling Newborn screening exams for homebirth clients Continuous hospital support if transport is necessary VBAC and Waterbirth Breech and twin births Pregnancy tests, lab work, & diagnostic referrals Cervical cap fitting / contraception counseling

			TANYA RAPINCHUK, Midwife, CPM, Vermont LM Tanya has been practicing midwifery for nearly 15 years. She began her journey as an apprentice in British Columbia. After the homebirth of her first child, she returned to the Pioneer Valley where her family lives. She continued working with other midwives in the area and at the same time completed the Massachusetts Midwives Alliance Midwifery Program. She went on to student teach in the program following her completion. Shortly thereafter she completed a clinical intensive at Casa de Naciamento, a busy maternity center on the Mexican border, in El Paso, Texas. When she returned from El Paso she gave birth to her second child at home and later that year opened Sacred Birth Midwifery. She has been in continuous practice now for 9 years.

			Kirsten Kowalski Lane, Midwife Kirsten Kowalski Lane has been involved in the world of birth for the last five years. After completing her Master's in Public Administration at the University of Massachusetts she gave birth to her first child with the assistance of certified nurse midwives. She went on to have a homebirth with her second child. She has completed Stepping Stones to Midwifery with BJ MacKinnon, CNM, CPM as well as Barefoot Midwifery/Hands of Light Traditional Midwifery Program. She has also worked as a birth doula (ALACE trained) for the last five years. She apprenticed with Sacred Birth Midwifery from the fall of 2005 - October 2006. In October 2006 she completed a clinical intensive in Belize through the Arizona Midwifery Institute and upon reaturning joined Sacred Birth Midwifery as a partner.

			Lucinda McGovern, Midwife Assistant Lucinda McGovern has been involved in midwifery for more than 13 years. She apprenticed with Mary Lawler, CPM for many years and has also completed the Massachusetts Midwives Alliance Midwifery Program as well as a clinical intensive at Casa de Naciamento. She is the mother of two grown sons and a teenage daughter, all born at home. She currently works as a professional midwife's asistant/birth doula working both with Sacred Birth Midwifery and several other midwifery practices in southern, VT.

			Katie Rubinstein, Apprentice Katie began her journey toward becoming a midwife while pursuing a degree in Women's Studies at Smith College where she designed a major in the politics of women's biology and birth. Upon graduation, she continued her studies in BJ MacKinnon's Stepping Stone's to Midwifery Program where she became an ALACE-trained doula. In 2005, Katie participated in the Barefoot Midwifery program before giving birth to surprise twins at home. She currently works as a doula with Harvest Moon Birth Support Services and began her apprenticeship with Sacred Birth Midwifery in the fall of 2007.

	All midwives maintain current certifications in Adult/Infant CPR and Neonatal Resuscitation. They regularly attend workshops, conferences and training in midwifery and related areas in order to remain current on research and protocols as well as skills. In the media: BIRTHING AT HOME by MAUREEN TURNER, Special to Valley Kids.