Little Orchids Birth and Wellness Services

12/01/2025

The reality of motherhood definitely comes with some struggles, but it is still such a beautiful thing 💕

11/27/2025

Thankful for the beautiful families, strong parents, and sweet babies we’ve had the privilege to serve this year. Happy Thanksgiving from our midwifery family to yours. 🧡

11/24/2025

We hope you guys enjoyed our mini common home birth myth series, and maybe even learned something! Let us know in the comments if you'd enjoy more content like that!

Here are some final thoughts to wrap it all up:

Home Birth Can Be a Safe Option with the Right Care Team

The myths surrounding home birth often stem from fear-mongering or simply a lack of understanding of the safety and availability of this option. When attended by trained, experienced midwives, home birth can be just as safe, if not safer, than hospital birth for low-risk pregnancies. Research consistently supports the idea that home birth with professional care reduces unnecessary interventions and provides families with a more empowering, personalized experience.

Ultimately, home birth is a viable choice for many families. Ease of access to midwifery care may vary depending on the state’s regulations and the number of midwives in the area. Still, for those who choose it, the benefits of personalized, supportive, and less intervention-driven care are clear. With the right care team, home birth can be a safe and empowering experience for the entire family. It is important for families to educate themselves, assess their individual health needs, and ensure they have access to the appropriate support. By making informed decisions and understanding the facts, families can confidently embrace home birth as a positive and rewarding option for bringing their child into the world.

11/20/2025

Let's finish up the topic of common home birth myths today!

Myth #4: Home Birth Is Never Covered by Insurance

The Reality: More Insurance Companies Are Covering Home Births

As more families opt for home births, insurance companies are starting to recognize the benefits of this choice. Many insurance providers are beginning to cover home birth with a licensed midwife, and some plans even cover the entire cost of home birth care. It’s important to check with your insurance provider to determine what is covered under your specific plan.

In some states, Medicaid covers home birth services, and more families are taking advantage of these benefits. Families who are considering home birth should speak with their insurance provider to discuss their options, as coverage varies by location and provider.

Even if medical insurance does not cover midwifery care, it often covers labs and ultrasounds done during the pregnancy. Also, the total fee charged by a licensed midwife is often comparable to, or even less than, the out-of-pocket payments charged for a hospital birth.

11/17/2025

Happy Monday! We hope everyone is having a great start to the week.

It's time to discuss the third common myth about home birth!

Myth Number 3: Home Birth is Only for People Who Want a Natural Birth

Reality: Home Birth Can Be Tailored to Your Preferences

Home birth is flexible and can be tailored to the family’s needs and preferences. Many families choose home birth precisely because it allows them to be in a familiar, comfortable environment, but this doesn’t mean that comfort measures or needed interventions aren’t available. If desired, midwives can assist with natural pain relief methods, such as water birth, massage, and aromatherapy, or even provide advice on managing pain without medication.

If the birth takes an unexpected turn and medical interventions are necessary, midwives often have strong working relationships with hospitals and emergency medical personnel to ensure a smooth transfer, ensuring that the birth plan remains as safe and comfortable as possible.

11/13/2025

It's time to share common home birth myth #2! Home Births Are More Likely to Result in Complications

The Reality: Home Births Are Less Likely to Experience Interventions

In fact, the research suggests that home births often result in fewer complications than hospital births. The Home Birth Consensus Statement, a review of multiple studies, reports that planned home births with a midwife have lower rates of unnecessary medical interventions, such as induced labor, episiotomies, and cesarean sections, compared to hospital births. These interventions carry their risks, and the avoidance of unnecessary procedures is one of the key benefits of home birth.

A 2009 study published in The American Journal of Public Health found that while hospital births tend to have higher rates of medical interventions, home births with a skilled midwife were linked to fewer complications, such as postpartum hemorrhage and maternal injury. The study suggested that midwifery care, which emphasizes monitoring, education, and empowering the family, could be a key factor in minimizing complications.

Additionally, research in the Netherlands published in the journal BMJ Open in 2015 revealed that when low-risk women chose home birth, they had lower rates of medical interventions and a significantly lower rate of perineal trauma compared to women giving birth in hospitals. This finding suggests that, in low-risk pregnancies, avoiding unnecessary medical procedures can be beneficial for both the mother and baby.

11/10/2025

Happy Monday! For the next couple of weeks we're going to share several myths about home birth safety!

Myth #1: Home Birth is Dangerous

The Reality: Home Birth Can Be Safe with the Right Care Team

Research consistently shows that home birth can be just as safe as hospital birth for low-risk pregnancies when attended by a qualified midwife. A 2016 study published in the British Medical Journal found that planned home births with a registered midwife result in lower rates of interventions, including cesarean sections, and are associated with equally low rates of perinatal mortality when compared to hospital births. Specifically, the study showed that the risk of perinatal death was low in both home and hospital births, with no significant differences in outcomes.

A 2014 review published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology examined outcomes for planned home births in the U.S. It found that for low-risk women, the outcomes were comparable to those of hospital births, with fewer interventions, lower rates of episiotomies, and lower cesarean rates. This suggests that home birth, when attended by a professional midwife, can be just as safe as a hospital birth for healthy pregnancies.

Additionally, midwives are trained to assess risk factors and recognize complications early. If a situation arises that requires medical intervention, midwives have established protocols for transferring care to a hospital. A 2017 study published in the journal Midwifery found that 90% of home birth transfers occurred for non-emergency reasons, such as the desire for pain relief or a shift in the mother's preferences.

We'll be back on Thursday to share myth #2!

10/28/2025

Are you a first time mom who could use some extra support? Check out this new *free* online support group!

📣 New Support Group: Postpartum Support for First-Time Moms, starting November 3!

Are you a first-time mom navigating the emotional ups and downs of new parenthood? This online support group is just for first-time moms in the postpartum period (up to 12 months postpartum), offering a supportive space to share your experiences, connect with others, and learn helpful tools for navigating this major life transition.

Whether you're dealing with general overwhelm, adjustment to new motherhood, Baby Blues, or postpartum depression and anxiety, this group is here to support you as you navigate this new chapter.

Find all of our free, online support groups at bit.ly/FindSupportGroup

10/17/2025

So interesting!

During pregnancy, fetal cells migrate out of the womb and into a mother’s heart, liver, lung, kidney, brain, and more. They could shape moms’ health for a lifetime, Katherine J. Wu reported in 2024:⁠ https://theatln.tc/W8aBhPp2
⁠
The presence of these cells, known as microchimerism, is thought to affect every person who has carried an embryo, even if briefly, and anyone who has ever inhabited a womb. The cross-generational transfers are bidirectional—as fetal cells cross the placenta into maternal tissues, a small number of maternal cells migrate into fetal tissues, where they can persist into adulthood. ⁠
⁠
Genetic swaps, then, might occur several times throughout a life. Some researchers believe that people may be miniature mosaics of many of their relatives, via chains of pregnancy: their older siblings, perhaps, or their maternal grandmother, or any aunts and uncles their grandmother might have conceived before their mother was born. “It’s like you carry your entire family inside of you,” Francisco Úbeda de Torres, an evolutionary biologist at the Royal Holloway University of London, told Wu.⁠
⁠
Some scientists have argued that cells so sparse and inconsistent couldn’t possibly have meaningful effects. Even among microchimerism researchers, hypotheses about what these cells do—if anything at all—remain “highly controversial,” Sing Sing Way, an immunologist and a pediatrician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, told Wu. But many experts contend that microchimeric cells aren’t just passive passengers. They are genetically distinct entities. And they might hold sway over many aspects of health: our susceptibility to infectious or autoimmune disease, the success of pregnancies, maybe even behavior. ⁠
⁠
If these cells turn out to be as important as some scientists believe they are, they might be one of the most underappreciated architects of human life, Wu writes.

10/08/2025

Just a laugh to help you get through the week! I know I needed it 😂

😭😅🎃

10/03/2025

🚨 Car Seat Recall Alert for Parents 🚨

Evenflo has issued a recall for certain Revolve360 Slim (and Gold Revolve360 Slim) car seats manufactured between Dec 2022 – Dec 2024 (model numbers starting with 3681).

👉 The issue: The foam inside the headrest may become loose, posing a choking hazard.
👉 Crash safety is not affected.
👉 Families will receive a free repair kit to fix the issue.

✅ What to do:

Check the white label on your car seat shell for the model number.

If your seat is included, register it on Evenflo’s website to receive the repair kit.

If the foam is already loose or your child can reach it, stop using the seat and contact Evenflo ParentLink: 1-800-233-5921.

Keeping our little ones safe is always the top priority 💛 Please share this with other parents and caregivers in your community.

09/28/2025