Journey Birth Services

02/18/2026

A big thanks to NPR for featuring an article about a promising candidate for a preeclampsia therapeutic, in development by one of our corporate partners, DiaMedica Therapeutics. While the research is still in early testing, researchers believe the possibilities are promising:

"They were testing a drug for certain types of stroke called DM199 that functioned in a way they thought might also work for preeclampsia. [Dr. Catherine] Cluver was skeptical at first, but on closer inspection, she and her colleagues thought maybe it was worth trying out. "It could potentially work because it's ticking all the boxes of what we would want," she says.

So they began a trial at the hospital for mothers with dangerously high blood pressure and who were scheduled to deliver their babies early. When the 16th patient received the next highest dose, however, 'we literally just opened up this IV infusion and then her blood pressure stabilized,' recalls Cluver. 'We suddenly saw these sky-high blood pressures coming down and we were like, 'We don't believe this. This is impossible!'

'That's actually when the real excitement started,' says Thake. 'Like jumping up and down. I [sent] a gazillion emojis celebrating the blood pressure going down.' And it stayed down. The same was true for subsequent patients with the same or incrementally higher doses.

[. . .] Cluver and her colleagues are hopeful that this might be the first pharmaceutical treatment for preeclampsia."

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2026/02/14/nx-s1-5708744/preeclampsia-pregnancy-complication-treatment

02/17/2026

Many families wonder about water birth. With conflicting information and opinions, many families wonder, is water birth safe?

Some of the key findings:

✅️ No Increase in Serious Neonatal Complications
The study found no increased risk of serious neonatal morbidity or mortality among infants born in water when births were:

Planned
Attended by trained professionals
Limited to low-risk pregnancies
Conducted under established eligibility criteria

✅️ Respiratory Outcomes Were Not Worse With Water Birth

One of the most common concerns about water birth is the risk of neonatal aspiration or respiratory distress. The AJOG study did not find a higher rate of adverse respiratory outcomes in water-born infants compared with those born on land, under proper clinical protocols.

There was a slight increased risk of umbilical cord avulsion but still rare and most not associated with long term complications.

Water birth remains a safe option for many when done with skilled providers in a planned manner.

Read more: https://internationaldoulainstitute.com/2025/12/is-water-birth-safe-what-ajog-recent-meta-analysis-found/

02/13/2026

Yup.

02/13/2026

I think every mom should train for an unmedicated birth, even if you have an epidural on your birth plan.

Here’s why:

1. There’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to get an epidural. Some labors happen too quickly to allow time for pain medication, sometimes epidurals don’t work, and sometimes labor starts before a planned cesarian. If you haven’t spent any time preparing for physiological labor, you’ll find yourself frustrated and unsure how to cope in these scenarios.

2. Prepping for unmedicated labor provides deep connection between you, your partner, and your baby. Even if you choose to get an epidural or c-section, weeks and months of preparing your body for the sensations of labor with your partner will allow him to better know how to support you both during birth and postpartum, and it will provide a much deeper connection between you and your baby as you spend time meditating on your upcoming labor experience.

3. Practicing for an unmedicated labor will help you better understand your own body during labor and birth. Not preparing = not knowing what to expect. Taking an unmedicated labor course requires you to deeply understand the birth process: early labor, active labor, transition, birth, and postpartum. Every mother, whether having an unmedicated labor or not, is best served by understanding exactly what her body is doing during this experience.

4. The skills learned while preparing for an unmedicated labor will serve you immensely during your motherhood years. One of the most important thing you will learn while prepping for physiological labor is the ability to relax every single muscle in your body during a contraction. I cannot even tell you the number of times I have used this skill in other moments. Examples: your baby is crying and flailing and you’re getting exasperated, so you tune into your birth training and relax your jaw, shoulders, and toes. Or, you use the skills of j-breathing and relaxation to have a smooth pooping experience while your children bang on the bathroom door.

Preparedness for unmedicated labor is key for every mama, even if your plan is to ask for an epidural or to have a c-section.

Comment “PREPARE” and if you’d like to learn more about preparing for pregnancy and birth from my guide, The OrganiMama’s Guide to Pregnancy👇🏼

02/02/2026

MANA stats from almost 17,000 home births. Home Birth is safe!

01/29/2026

01/18/2026

We carry equipment and medications to deal with emergencies. We also know where to transfer to if what is happening is beyond our scope. We facilitate such a transfer and always accompany the client to a higher level of care, because some babies or moms need a higher level of care!

What about emergencies during homebirth?

This is one of the most misunderstood parts of home birth.

Planned home birth is not “no plan.”

It involves careful screening, preparation, emergency skills, and clear pathways for hospital transfer when needed.

Endorsed midwives carry emergency equipment, medications, and the skills to respond immediately to complications, while organising transfer when that becomes the safest next step.

The most common reasons for transfer from home to hospital according to teh research are:

• Slow or prolonged labour progress, particularly in first labours
• Request for epidural pain relief
• Meconium-stained waters, where continuous monitoring is recommended
• Suturing needs that require hospital facilities

Safety isn’t about location. It’s about appropriate selection, skilled care, continuity of care, and having a clear plan if something changes.

It’s also worth remembering that in hospital settings, the word emergency is used very broadly.

Many situations are labelled emergencies because labour isn’t progressing within expected timeframes, policies are triggered, or monitoring falls outside predefined parameters, not because someone is in immediate danger.

01/17/2026

"It's as definitive as we're going to get," CBS News medical contributor Dr. Céline Gounder said of the new research, which found no connection between Tylenol and autism or ADHD.

01/14/2026

Maybe I was ahead of the times with Keith, Henry and Caroline?!!!? 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

​“We aren’t naming babies. We’re naming people."

01/08/2026

I mean, I carried my babies that way (and they’re no 23-17 so honestly not that long ago)…