Seattle Home Maternity Svc

When my child was persistently breech, Marge repeatedly urged me to wait as long as possible before seeking out alternatives for my birth. The only actions she did encourage were home remedies that did not threaten her loss of me as a client. Marge diagnosed my breech baby as vertex, and urged me to “wait and see”. Her estimation of position was disproved by both my intuition and an ultrasound. My child had been breech for as long as I could tell, yet I did not find out until leaving Marge's care that if the baby had never been vertex and remained breech at 30, 32 and 34 weeks the greatest probability was that the baby would remain breech. The 3 to 4% chance that she quoted of my baby staying breech was, in reality, a much larger probability. This is information that I feel was left undisclosed in an attempt to hide her own incompetence and fear of liability. It was not until barely four weeks before my due date that Marge admitted to me that she had not attended a breech birth for several decades and that there was no chance of a natural breech birth with SHMS. When I insisted on a natural birth, she suggested that this option was possible but highly unlikely. By leaving her care and empowering myself with information and real options, I was enabled to have an optimal and amazing home birth. I am dismayed at Marge’s interpretation of midwifery care, and my heart goes out to the other mothers who have no doubt been funneled into “elective” caesareans by her misinformation. This midwife is definitely a “doctor in disguise.” more

Suzy Myers and Marge Mansfield own and operate the Seattle Home Midwifery Service and Childbirth Center, as well as being founders of Seattle Midwifery School many years ago. I chose them to be my midwives for my second baby and initially for my third (until I moved to Tacoma). I recommend them to anyone for a well-supported pregnancy, highly knowledgeable birth attendant (they've been midwives for something like 30 years!), and professionals who are well-respected in doctor and birth circles all over the world. You can't buy that kind of experience anywhere. more

Suzy Myers and Marge Mansfield own and operate the Seattle Home Midwifery Service and Childbirth Center, as well as being founders of Seattle Midwifery School many years ago. I chose them to be my midwives for my second baby and initially for my third (until I moved to Tacoma). I recommend them to anyone for a well-supported pregnancy, highly knowledgeable birth attendant (they've been midwives for something like 30 years!), and professionals who are well-respected in doctor and birth circles all over the world. You can't buy that kind of experience anywhere. more

I had two babies with these very experienced and excellent midwives. The first time with Marge Mansfield at the Community Birth Center at Montlake, and the second baby with Suzy Myers and at home. I chose how I gave birth, where I gave birth, what I ate. It was a safe, gentle, positive and wonderful experience two times. I was the one to announce the gender of both babies, a special moment for me. more

I had my baby through SHMS and it was an incredible experience. The care was incredibly complete and personal, and the midwives extremly competant and solid in their skills and knowledge but also aware of the natural process of birth and a birthing womans intrinsic instinct. The process maintained the beauty and wholesome experience of birth with the support of some highly skilled and knowledgeable women. They are fantastic, and my experience with SHMS as a whole was fantastic starting with my initial consult to the friendly and helpfull office staff to the final event. highly recommended,. more

Suzy Myers and Marge Mansfield have been guiding the births of thousands of children in the Seattle area over the last 30 years. If you are considering a non-hospital birth scenario, you should definately meet them. They are awesome, well connected and sensitive to your decisions. While Columbia City might be a little out of the way, they also work out of the Community Birthing Center in Montlake. With Swedish and other powerful business interests attempting to put the kybosh on midwifery (hey - they can make loads off of planned c-sections), a home or birth center birth is still an option. more