Martha's path to homebirth

I walk with women and families as a sovereign birth companion. I'm also a sovereign birth educator. And for 1:1 sessions, see the main page of this site. 

Some of my clients come to me already fully sovereign, some create a hybrid, and some start out in the system.

I'm responsible to the women I serve. I'm with women, I'm not with state regulations. Responsibility also means that I respond in the moment as needed: Yes, I do take action sometimes.

My responsibility as a sovereign birth companion is to remember that I can never know more than the mother herself knows about her own body and about her own baby.

I've served about 320 families for fertility, pregnancy, birth, parenting, and coaching. I've witnessed about 200 births. 

To connect with me, please sign up on the main page of this site for a discovery session.

I'm credentialed by Whapio's Matrona for Holistic Midwifery. I have a holistic midwifery education.

Details:

-Most of all, I learn from the women and families that I walk with

-Ongoing review of the births I've witnessed, including review of newborn's first breath 

-Ongoing review of Whapio's holistic midwifery course and other courses

-Breech 101 and Breech Pro 2, Breech without Borders 

-Breech and Twins Master class, BWB, in-person training 2025 

-Hands-on breech workshop, Dr. Stu

-Connections with other birth workers

-Cardiac ultrasound tech, in-hospital, former job

-BLS and CPR, not current

-Birth Keeper, FBS

-Certified doula x 3: Well Rounded, Hypnobabies, MTM 

-Lactation support person, credentialed

-CBE certified

-Spinning Babies x 2

-Reiki Practitioner, Level II

-Yoga instructor, regularly practicing yogi

-Sovereign Fertility for Practitioners, Qiddist Ashe/The Holy Well

-Innate postpartum, Rachelle Garcia

-Blood Mysteries, Nancy Lucina and Kristin Hauser 

-Ongoing study of physiology in birth

-Ongoing study of the transition from fetal to newborn circulation

-Legal assistant

-Childcare and adult help jobs

-B. A in Government, and lots of other degrees, jobs, and credentials.

TO CLARIFY, I SHARE THE FOLLOWING

My work is premised on a deep reverence to the mother-child dyad. A newborn's first breath and a newborn's transition earthside are events that are inseparable from the mother's body, from the mother's essence. 

I've witnessed, many times, a drastic difference between sovereign birth versus in-system birth regarding these sacred moments of a newborn's emergence, a newborn's first breath, and a newborn's transition from womb to earth. 

I've deepened my understanding about newborns' transition from womb to earth by guidance from Whapio, SisterMorning Star, traditional midwives, independent study, by witnessing about 170 times the in-system protocol of mother-baby separation being enacted upon newborns and mothers, and by witnessing about 30 times what happens with newborns' transitions in undisturbed birth. Note: "undisturbed" here means the mother is the authority, and she's the only authority; the mother may get help from other people as she chooses.

I continue my work here by studying the following: fetal circulation, the factors affecting newborns' transition from womb to air breathing, the physiological, spiritual, and hormonal connections of mother-baby that happen when mother and baby stay as one, and the physiological, spiritual and hormonal disruptions to mother-baby that happen when mother and baby are separated.

I see it that birth is sacred. I see it that the mother-newborn dyad is sacred.

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I humbly acknowledge that I can control my own actions and thoughts, and that I cannot control the actions and thoughts of other people. 

I see it that controlling birth outcomes, controlling the mother-newborn dyad, and controlling anyone's destiny, are all things that are not within my power to control, nor am I entitled to pursue control over these things. 

I'm honored to follow this calling. I'm here with open arms and an open heart. Come on over, let's walk together.

Ask about joining our membership

TO FURTHER CLARIFY, I SHARE that I'm not a medical provider, nor am I in the process of becoming one. I'm not accountable to any medical rules or protocols. I'm not licensed by the state. I do not provide medical advice or medical anything. I learn from many sources, sometimes from sources within the medical paradigm.

When a client brings up the subjects of medical tests, medical procedures, medical conditions, or the results of her medical tests, then I may explore these things with her, or not. Exploring here means it's up to the woman as to what we do; this could be physiological or biological facts, energy reads, the history that caused the test to be normalized in the first place, practical considerations, family/social story related to why the woman agreed to the test, shifts, gathering more information, and more. This would never mean advice because that's not what I do. I walk with women as they unveil their own truths.

I serve humbly, offering love and a willingness to learn from all people.

I see it that we're all here together in the human condition.

I serve women and families directly; this is downside up from the mainstream.

EVEN MORE

I'm deep in everything midwifery as shared by Oni Lee Logan, Whapio, Anne Frye, Sister MorningStar, Qiddist Ashe/The Holy Well, Susun Weed, Talise Homebirth Queen, Heather Baker, Jennifer Block, Bridge Midwifery and the traditional midwives that they feature, all kinds of people's birth stories, Dr. Sara Wickham, Dr. Stu, Breech without Borders, Kemi Joy, many local people, and Free Birth Society.

In addition, I have my own theories about things.

MY ROOTS: I honor my ancestors, especially my mom Eunice Dittmer Girard and my main spirit guide grandmother Ann Keune Girard, my own children, friends, all kinds of people, Mother Earth, books, and just being.

I'm a naturally born midwife, a mother, friend, wife, earth worshipper, river walker, yogi, reiki practitioner, and a woman rich with life experiences. I'm deeply grateful for all of this.

My default is to be outside. 

UPDATE I'm now an author. My book, Words from our Wombs, is listed on Amazon KDP. Search "Martha Girard" if you have trouble finding it. Buy this book! Or don't. Peace, M

PRIOR TO WALKING AS A MIDWIFE                                    

I mothered my three children into adulthood. I worked 24 years in the medical paradigm: 18 years in cardiology and six years as a doula. I've had many certificates, degrees, credentials, and jobs. 

It's totally freeing now; my work and life are ONE.

Peace, and sincerely, Martha