Welcome!
Planning how and where you are going to give birth is a big step in your family’s journey. A journey many attempt without a map. I can help guide you through the process with classes on family planning, childbirth preparation, and writing a birth plan. Online classes are open to anyone, anywhere, planning their birth in any setting. Take a moment to peruse the offerings, and fill out the form below.
Qualifications
Jennifer Courtney is a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), which is the type of midwife that provides home birth in Louisiana. She earned her CPM through the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) in February of 2013 after 5 years of clinical internship and passing the national midwifery board exam. She then qualified for a Louisiana license. She holds NARM’s Midwifery Bridge Certificate which, in addition to the CPM certification, meets the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)’s global standards for midwifery care. She holds an Associate’s Degree of Applied Science (AASM) in Midwifery from the College of Traditional Midwifery in Summertown, Tennessee. She has 16 years of experience in birth work as a doula, childbirth educator, student midwife; 9 as licensed midwife. She obtains a minimum of thirty continuing education hours every two years. She maintains certifications in Basic Life Support and Neonatal Resuscitation.
Philosophy
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Pregnancy is a normal function of the human body. It is not inherently pathological. Complications of pregnancy can arise, and medical care should be readily accessible if needed, but medications and procedures should not be imposed unnecessarily.
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Birth is a normal physiological process, and medical intervention is less frequently needed if it's allowed to start spontaneously and progress uninterrupted.
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Pregnant people are individuals with unique circumstances, beliefs, needs, desires, and philosophies. No practitioner can presume to know what is appropriate for that person. Shared decision making is the only acceptable approach to caring for pregnant individuals and their babies.
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Giving birth cannot and should not be reduced to just a medical procedure. It should be treated as sacred; with reverence, respect, and inclusion of a family’s culture and comforts.
Childbirth Preparation-Online
Online interactive class that gives you a run-down of all the tests and procedures that are part of pregnancy and birth along with risks and benefits associated with each. Information on what your body will be doing during each stage. Strategies for staying comfortable and maximizing bonding and recovery.
Family Planning-Online
A deeper dive into the nuances of your monthly fertility cycle and what options are ideal for you to avoid or achieve pregnancy.
Writing a birth Plan-PDF
FREE PDF intended to help you navigate all the options of care providers, birth locations, pain relief, monitoring, newborn care, and more.
Preparing for Childbirth Retreat (seasonal)- In Person
My full, in-depth childbirth class in a retreat format. Enjoy a supportive and nurturing weekend of relaxation and learning with a small class of expectant parents on location in wild, beautiful Louisiana.