New Hampshire Midwives Association

North Country Midwifery Service: Monica Stevens

Hi! Welcome to North Country Midwifery Service, a homebirth practice serving women and families living in northern NH and northeastern VT. I accept low-risk clients for homebirth living within about an hour's drive from my home in Colebrook. In NH, I cover the towns of Colebrook, Lancaster, Berlin and Littleton. In Vermont, I travel as far west as St. Johnsbury and Newport, and cover the areas eastward toward the state border. It is my goal to work responsibly and respectfully, providing midwifery care within the protocols of safe practice, while honoring birth as an empowering, transitional event.

I am a "mobile midwife", meaning that I bring my supplies and equipment to you for in-home prenatal care visits. Prenatal care includes nutrition education, discussing comfort measures, gynecological screening, blood testing, and informed decision-making about any issues that may arise. The goal of prenatal care is to make sure that you are healthy, that your baby is growing well, and that your pregnancy remains within normal parameters that keep you a low-risk candidate for home birth. If you should need an ultrasound or physician-consult during your pregnancy, I will accompany you to that visit.

When you go into labor, I come to your home with 1-2 assistants, and we offer support to help you through the contractions of labor. You may eat or drink as you are comfortable and labor in or out of bed, in or out of water. To the birth, I bring a combination of traditional and current therapies. While I trust and encourage the natural process, I also come prepared with medications and safety equipment to use if needed. I try to keep the birth low-key so that your baby is welcomed into the world gently. After the birth, I remain several hours to make sure both you and your baby are doing well. I return 3 times in the first 10 days postpartum, and then make a final postpartum visit at 6 weeks.

My education and training include a B.A. from Carleton College, a 5-year apprenticeship with Concord Midwifery Service, Midwifery Studies with the MA Midwives Alliance, NH Technical Institute coursework, Neonatal Resuscitation Certification and ongoing professional education. I certified as a midwife in 1999 and have practiced six years in the Lakes Region as owner of Moonrise Midwifery. In July 2005, I moved north to Colebrook, NH and opened a new practice to serve women in this area of the state who would otherwise have no access to midwifery care. I am a member of the the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) and the NH Midwives Association. I served 4 years on the Newborn Screening Advisory Committee, and currently serve on the NH Midwifery Council.

If homebirth interests you, please call or email me to set up a free consultation appointment. During this visit we can discuss prenatal care, my training, supplies needed for homebirth, safety issues, the equipment I bring to a birth, and fees. My clients pay for midwifery services in various ways, either through budgeted cash payments, Medicaid, or using health insurance plans that accept out-of-network providers. References provided upon request.

Contact Information:

84 Trask Road
Colebrook , NH 03576

Phone: (603) 237-8686

NHmidwife@netscape.com