Refuge Midwifery

Refuge Midwifery ๐Ÿณ IUI & Fertility Support ๐Ÿ“š Provider Education ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ Homebirth Midwives: Philly, South Jersey & SE Pennsylvania ๐Ÿ“ refugemidwifery.com ๐ŸŒˆ babymakingforeverybody.com

๐Ÿ’› Sweet review from a recent repeat client. We love hearing how our care has made a difference for you. Have you worked ...
03/31/2026

๐Ÿ’› Sweet review from a recent repeat client. We love hearing how our care has made a difference for you. Have you worked with us in the past year? Leave us a Google Review to help other families find us!โฃ

Photo of google review saying:

Victoria and Ray at Refuge are stellar birth workers. My first birth (at Lifecycle Woman Care) was quick. So when my husband and I were thinking about options for baby #2, we explored home birth because I didnโ€™t want to have an accidental home birth or get stuck in the car without assistance. After interviewing a few midwives in the area, we knew Ray and Victoria were the right fit for us.

The care I received was thoughtful and evidence-based. I felt safe and heard and was lucky to have a beautiful, โ€œuneventfulโ€ home birth. The minute I knew I was pregnant with my 3rd, I emailed them to see if we could work together again! I knew this baby would be our last, and I felt more anxious and emotional.

Our appointments always left me feeling supported and like I had gone over all my worries without being rushed. That birth was slightly more eventful and baby had a shoulder dystocia. They were calm and firm as they coached me through position changes and baby was out in no time. Because of their experience and energy, what could have been a traumatic event in any other setting ended up feeling like a small hiccup in our birth. I would choose Refuge over and over again. Thanks Victoria and Ray for holding so much for so many.

๐Ÿ’› In two weeks, please join us for our next Q***r & Trans trying to conceive, pregnant, and new baby meetup.โ€‹If you have...
03/28/2026

๐Ÿ’› In two weeks, please join us for our next Q***r & Trans trying to conceive, pregnant, and new baby meetup.
โ€‹
If you have Q***r friends who are also trying to conceive, currently pregnant, or who have new babies โ€” please extend the invite to them as well!

๐Ÿ—“๏ธSaturday, April 11th
โฐ๏ธ2-4pm
๐Ÿ“Clark Park (43rd & Chester) near the playground

๐ŸŒŸ We will bring blankets, plates, flatware, napkins, a table and a few chairs, and bubbly water. Bring some light snacks to share, blankets and chairs if you'd like, or just bring yourselves! ๐Ÿคฒ๐Ÿป๐Ÿงบ๐ŸŒฑ

๐Ÿฉบ Concerns about a growing โ€œfertility crisisโ€ are on the rise โ€” in media and political rhetoric. These claims of rising ...
03/18/2026

๐Ÿฉบ Concerns about a growing โ€œfertility crisisโ€ are on the rise โ€” in media and political rhetoric. These claims of rising infertility are used to justify policy changes, or framed as evidence of social decline in need of traditional family values.

In the next installment of our quarterly series "Q***r Fertility Masterclass," weโ€™ll ask and answer:

โœจIs Infertility Rising? (Or Is This a Right-Wing Hoax?)
โœจHow Do Q***r People Fit Into the Data?
โœจHow Does This Influence LGBTQ+ Family Building Decisions?

๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Sunday April 12th from 11amโ€“1pm EST

This class is for Midwives, OB/GYNs, family medicine providers, doulas, public health professionals, LGBTQ+ health providers, and Q***r people who want to know how their own experience fits into larger public health data.

๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿซ Join us live online to learn and participate in a Q&A at the end of the lesson. When you sign up, youโ€™ll gain lifetime access to the class whether youโ€™re able to join us live or not.

๐Ÿ“ฒ Sign up here: https://refuge.thinkific.com/products/live_events/infertility

๐ŸŒŸ We know that all of our younger selves would be so proud of all of the ways that we're showing up for and supporting f...
03/16/2026

๐ŸŒŸ We know that all of our younger selves would be so proud of all of the ways that we're showing up for and supporting families

๐Ÿ’› Save the date and please join us for our next Q***r & Trans trying to conceive, pregnant, and new baby meetup.โ€‹If you ...
03/14/2026

๐Ÿ’› Save the date and please join us for our next Q***r & Trans trying to conceive, pregnant, and new baby meetup.
โ€‹
If you have Q***r friends who are also trying to conceive, currently pregnant, or who have new babies โ€” please extend the invite to them as well!

๐Ÿ—“๏ธSaturday, April 11th
โฐ๏ธ2-4pm
๐Ÿ“Clark Park (43rd & Chester) near the playground

๐ŸŒŸ We will bring blankets, plates, flatware, napkins, a table and a few chairs, and bubbly water. Bring some light snacks to share, blankets and chairs if you'd like, or just bring yourselves! ๐Ÿคฒ๐Ÿป๐Ÿงบ๐ŸŒฑ

๐Ÿคฒ๐Ÿป It's our midwife-aversary again! Somehow, time flew by and we've been practicing together for 5 years! We've gone thr...
03/11/2026

๐Ÿคฒ๐Ÿป It's our midwife-aversary again! Somehow, time flew by and we've been practicing together for 5 years! We've gone through lots of big changes and still love being work wives. โ 
โ 
๐ŸŒ€ Here is Ray & Victoriaโ€™s story.โ 
โ 
Ray (left) founded Refuge Midwifery in 2017, with the goal of providing care that centers Q***r & Trans peopleโ€™s needs and justice and anti-oppression. After a few sweet years of a small practice in Philly and South Jersey, COVID lockdown happened and the practice doubled, it was getting BUSY.โ 
โ 
That Fall, on a catch up phone call with Ray's old midwifery school friend Victoria (right), Ray asked "any chance you want to leave New Mexico and practice with me?" Victoria, who had a small practice in northern New Mexico, was open to the idea. Two months later, they came out to Philly to do a trial run. โ 

They discovered that they had excellent midwife-ing chemistry and in March of 2021, Victoria moved to Philly. On that first day as midwifery partners/work wives, they went to a birth together.โ 
โ 
In the last five years, they've been through A LOT of life, births, and changes together. Ray had their own baby in 2023 (Victoria caught her baby on the toilet a few hours after midnight on New Year's Day). Parenthood has been a great joy for Ray, but it also made being the kind of midwife she strives to be much harder. About two years postpartum, Ray chose parenting over being on-call.โ 
โ 
In a very tearful conversation with Victoria, to Rayโ€™s delight (and surprise), Victoria wanted to continue attending births as a solo midwife โ€” meaning Refuge families would continue to have their midwifery home after Rayโ€™s retirement. โ 
โ 
๐Ÿ’› Now, Victoria is catching babies with the help of our advanced student Natasha, Ray has taken the lead on caring for our fertility and IUI families, and our teaching offerings are launched!โ 
โ 
Thank you to all of the families who've trusted us to walk the journey to parenthood with you and to all of the providers learning and growing alongside us.โ  ๐Ÿคฒ๐Ÿป๐ŸŒŸ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿซ
โ 
๐Ÿ“ท๏ธ Photo is a throwback from 2014 of Ray and Victoria from a q***r dance party in midwifery school!

๐ŸŒ€ During our last blizzard, while Victoria and Natasha were out of town, our back up midwife () was snowed in at another...
03/08/2026

๐ŸŒ€ During our last blizzard, while Victoria and Natasha were out of town, our back up midwife () was snowed in at another familyโ€™s house. โ„๏ธ

The other Philly area homebirth midwives were all either snowed in or out of town, and our wonderful client and community doula () went into labor at a very unexpected 37 weeks.

Carol and Mayumi of Kindred Spirits Midwifery () luckily braved the snow and were able to support a fast and furious home birth. ๐Ÿ’›

We're so grateful for community midwifery and a strong network of trusted midwives to come in and help when multiple unexpected things are happening at once! ๐Ÿคฒ๐Ÿป

"Iโ€™m looking forward to the next time I get to say yes to a midwife who needs my help ๐Ÿ˜…" - Victoria

photos by

๐ŸŒŸ Ray will be speaking at the 8th annual Midwifery Forward conference presented by the Pennsylvania Affiliate of ACNM (A...
03/06/2026

๐ŸŒŸ Ray will be speaking at the 8th annual Midwifery Forward conference presented by the Pennsylvania Affiliate of ACNM (American College of Nurse Midwives) as a part of the continuing education offerings from 13 different experts in reproductive health.โ 
โ 
๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿซ โ€œFrom Allyship to Action: Centering Q***r and Trans Patients in Midwifery Careโ€โ 
๐Ÿ“‹ Saturday March 7th at 3:45pm

03/04/2026

Calling all future and prospective parents!

Come join us for brunch with our host: Ben and his husband, Kevin!

Great food and company guaranteed.

Email info@phillyfamilypride.org today to RSVP for the address!

We had the sweetest privilege of taking care of this family for a third time! Callie was born in the same bathroom, and ...
03/03/2026

We had the sweetest privilege of taking care of this family for a third time! Callie was born in the same bathroom, and just as quickly, as her big sister.

I will never get tired of watching the babies Iโ€™ve caught turn into hilarious toddlers and pre-schoolers or seeing nervous new parents transform into confident creative seasoned parents.
Best job ever ๐Ÿคฒ๐Ÿผ๐Ÿ‘ถ๐Ÿผ

๐Ÿ’› Our Infant Feeding Support Group w/ Steph Brown, IBCLC .b.ibclc has a NEW TIME โ ๐ŸŒ€ Join us this upcoming Wednesday Marc...
02/27/2026

๐Ÿ’› Our Infant Feeding Support Group w/ Steph Brown, IBCLC .b.ibclc has a NEW TIME โ 
๐ŸŒ€ Join us this upcoming Wednesday March 4th at 1:30pm at โ 
โ 
This group is open to all who are looking for support and community. A scale is available for weighted feeds and check ins. โ 
โ 
Our office is ADA accessible, masks are not required. Come and be held. ๐Ÿคฒ๐Ÿปโ 
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โฐ๏ธ Every other Wednesday from 1:30pm-3pmโ 
๐Ÿ“ Location: West Philly Wellness, 3641 Lancaster Aveโ 
๐Ÿ“… Upcoming Dates: 3/4, 3/18, 4/1

Address

3641 Lancaster Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
19104

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 11am - 7pm
Friday 10am - 6pm

Telephone

+12677972190

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