
Midwifery Care
At The Green Stork, we provide personalized, professional care for families planning a homebirth. Led by Stephanie Holthus, a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) and Licensed Midwife (LM), our approach is grounded in the belief that birth is a natural, physiological process. We trust in the body’s ability to birth and support healthy, low-risk women in experiencing a safe and empowering birth in the comfort of their own home. We support families through every stage of pregnancy, labor, and postpartum, prioritizing your comfort, safety, and empowerment.
Prenatal Care: Your journey begins with personalized prenatal visits, each lasting about one hour on average. We also offer 30-minute appointments upon request. During these visits, we take the time to understand your health history, care preferences, and goals for your birthing experience. Together, we’ll develop a customized care plan that aligns with your needs, ensuring you feel informed and supported throughout your pregnancy.
Each appointment includes a thorough check of your current health and the health of your baby. Stephanie can order ultrasounds, and provide in-house genetic testing, prenatal and postpartum lab work, and PAP smears, if desired. We also offer optional gender testing if you wish to learn more about your baby. Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge and resources you need for a healthy, confident birth.
Our Prenatal Appointment Schedule: We follow an inclusive, thoughtful prenatal care schedule that mirrors the standard of care provided by most hospitals while tailoring it to your individual needs and preferences. The biggest difference is that we spend, on average 1 hour for each check-up.
Prenatal visits typically begin around 12 weeks of gestation, though we can start as early as 8 weeks if you desire or need. We prefer to meet with you monthly through 28 weeks, allowing us time to build a strong, supportive relationship and ensure both you and your baby are progressing well.
After 28 weeks, we shift to bimonthly visits until 36 weeks, at which point we transition to weekly visits as your birthing day approaches. These visits allow us to closely monitor your health, discuss your birth plan, and address any questions or concerns that may arise.
Unless otherwise arranged, all prenatal visits take place at The Green Stork office, providing a comfortable and private space for your care. Additionally, to better prepare for your homebirth and understand your living environment, we schedule one home visit between 34-37 weeks gestation. This visit is an important time to go over your birth space, plan for the big day, and meet your full birth team, ensuring everyone is familiar with the plan and ready to support you
Labor & Birth: We are on call 24/7 once you reach 37 weeks gestation, providing peace of mind as you approach your birth. It’s an added comfort to know your provider personally, and many of our families find themselves in regular communication with us leading up to the big day.
When you think you are in labor, we’ll help you assess what you are experiencing and when it’s the right time for us to join you in the comfort of your own home. Once you’re in active labor, we provide continuous, compassionate care and monitoring to ensure the safety of both you and your baby. Our goal is to create a calm, supportive environment where you can move freely, choose your preferred birth positions, and feel empowered throughout the process.
If you wish, we offer waterbirth options, allowing you to labor and deliver in warm water for added comfort and relaxation. We encourage you to listen to your body—move as you feel comfortable, rest when needed, and stay hydrated and nourished. Birth is a journey, and maintaining your energy is essential.
Once your baby is born, we prioritize bonding time with minimal interruption. Stephanie will remain with you for 2-4 hours to ensure both mother and baby are stable. Our team will quietly clean up and depart, giving you time to rest and connect as a new family.
Stephanie is available 24/7 for any questions or concerns and will return for a postpartum visit between 24-48 hours to check on you and your baby’s well-being.
Postpartum Care:At Green Stork Midwifery, we are both licensed and certified to care for you and your newborn during the first six weeks postpartum. During this time, we provide continuous support and monitoring to ensure both your recovery and your baby’s well-being. If your baby requires further evaluation, we will refer you to trusted pediatric providers for additional care.
With that being said, It’s important to choose a pediatrician or family practice physician before the birth of your baby, and we are happy to offer guidance in this process. After birth, we continue to support you and your baby through legnthy postpartum visits, providing essential care and answering any questions you may have.
We also offer in-house lactation counseling to assist with breastfeeding and ensure a smooth start to your nursing journey. Our team is here to guide you through newborn care and offer optional craniosacral therapy to help both you and your baby recover from the birth experience and ensure breastfeeding is off to the best possible start. Additionally, if you wish, we provide placenta encapsulation as an option to support your postpartum healing.
Our Prenatal Appointment Schedule: Midwifery postpartum care is unique and personal, focusing on both you and your baby during the crucial first weeks after birth. Unlike traditional hospital care, we remain on call for you during the immediate postpartum period and see you both many times to offer continuous support as you adjust to life with your newborn.
Our postpartum care begins with a 24-48 hour home visit where we’ll check on both you and your baby’s well-being. During this visit, we can perform routine newborn screenings, including the heel poke (Newborn Screening), hearing test, and Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) screening, if desired. We’ll also assess how you are both recovering and provide guidance on any concerns you may have.
Following this, we’ll return for a visit at 1 week postpartum—either at your home or in the office, depending on your preference. Additional visits will be scheduled at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and your final postpartum check-up for both you and your baby at 6 weeks postpartum.
During each visit, we carefully evaluate both your physical and emotional well-being. We’ll check in on your sleep, feeding routines, and overall recovery. Your baby will be weighed and fully assessed at every visit to ensure they are growing and thriving.
Our goal is to provide holistic, compassionate care, supporting you through the early stages of parenthood and ensuring both you and your baby are healthy, happy, and well-prepared for the journey ahead.
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We are looking forward to walking along side you and caring for you during this birth.
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We are currently serving a 120+ mile radius from Bemidji, MN. A travel fee may be applicable to clients outside a 60 mile radius. Please contact us for more details.