Every year for the holidays we try and do something a little unexpected, unusual, and usually downright absurd.

"I can't begin to explain how wonderful my experience with Barefoot Birth has been. Our homebirth far exceeded the expectations we had...."

"Wow!" That's what I tell people when they ask me about my home birth. It was the most amazing experience I have ever had. Charlie accepted me and took over my prenatal care at 30 weeks. I had a c-section with my first baby and I knew that is not how I wanted to have this baby. "

Midwife Charlie Rae Young LM, CPM, CLC of Barefoot Birth speaks about home birth midwifery in Florida, particularly her practice in Tampa. From home birthing on a national and international level to discussing fear and culture based misconceptions. 

One of the top questions we answer is "will my insurance cover home birth?" The answer is not nearly as simple as the question so we thought it is about time someone broke it down clearly for families! In this explanation please know that we are speaking solely to our community here in Florida and things change region by region.

"In 2014, we started care with Barefoot birth at roughly 18 weeks gestation. After a horrendous loss seven months prior due to a severe neural tube defect I was left with a such a bad taste in my mouth. All the mainstream doctors appointments, rotating doctors (who dont remember your names btw) and zero affection shown towards us as a family.

'I really enjoyed going to my prenatal visits. She takes her time and is never rushed. It was like visiting a friend not going to the doctor. She let me trust my body during birth and I truly got my "dream birth".'

"From the first email inquiring about services before I was even pregnant, to the 6 week postpartum visit, Charlie and Barefoot Birth provided exceptional care. I had experience with an ob/ gyn practice and also a midwife practice that delivered at a hospital with my first pregnancy and knew that I wanted something different for baby number 2."

I never thought as a (soon to be) midwife, that I would get duped into thinking that I was in labor… when I wasn’t.  But it happened. 

LOVED my home birth with Charlie. After having my first son in the hospital, I knew I wanted a more intimate experience with my second and my home birth was everything I wanted and more. 

"When we found out about baby #5 only a year after having baby #4 I felt my world was flipped upside down."

Barefoot Birth is excited to announce that we are expanding our childbirth education for clients! Six new classes are available for our clients to prepare them for their upcoming homebirth. The classes will be offered a rotation so we can support you throughout your entire pregnancy. These classes will replace the one day homebirth workshop. Education makes a huge impact on your labor and birth experience and we want to offer our clients every opportunity to learn and prepare.

I love this family and their sweet, quiet courage in planning their home birth after a rather traumatizing experience the first time around. 

Early in the summer of 2014 my husband and I announced that we were expecting our third baby, due in January 2015. We were planning our first home birth and we were going to be "team green" and wait until the birth to find out if the baby was a boy or a girl. During my first trimester I couldn't help but feel like something was different about this pregnancy. 

This short rant was posted to Facebook many years ago by a midwife by the name of Louisa Wales. It struck a deep cord within me and sang the words I have heard pass through so many sister midwives lips. It is beautiful and real- a raw glimpse into how beautiful and challenging midwifery can be. 

In October 1988 President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the entire month of October as National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage or infant loss. This is still something that is rarely talked about or shared in our society which leaves those affected with feelings of anger, shame, and loneliness. One way to cope with a loss is to talk about it and make an effort not to isolate yourself. Last year at the Community Roots Collective we held a lantern release for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day and this year we are expanding our October events to reach more local families dealing with a loss. We want families to know they have a community there to support, acknowledge, and remember with them.

We have lost our way, we have strayed from the path of compassion and knowledge, & instead we are inundated with snarky comments and hateful chastisements, typed in anonymity, and regarded as truth. As women we must demand more from society at large, and from each other. We are powerful, resourceful, and innovative; we must not tear each other down, we must come to each other’s defense, we must offer kindness, and empathy in the face of self righteous posturing.

Charlie Rae Young, LM, CPM, CLC is a graduate of the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery and Florida Licensed Midwife (MW276). 

A Florida native, Charlie Rae was called to Midwifery after her own experience with the over-medicalized model of childbirth. She began her service as a doula by founding Barefoot Birth, and has worked as a strong advocate for better care for families alongside the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services, The Birth Survey, The Florida Council of Licensed Midwifery, and others. She has attended hundreds of births over the last 8 years, filling a niche with naturally-minded families as well as those who are often marginalized from conventional medical care due to social stigma.

Caring for families through several pregnancies is such an honor. I am so pleased to say I have walked with this family for all THREE of their babies coming earthside- from a birth assistant, to a senior student, to their primary midwife 2 babies later. They are such a beautiful family and I am grateful to have been invited to be a honorary part of the family over the past 6 years.

Being asked to be the midwife of a fellow birth professional is potentially one of the most joyful and humbling requests I have had in my midwifery journey. It means that through the years of someone attending births in many settings, with many providers, and in a community with many options that they felt you were 'their' midwife. Even just typing that gives me all the good feels goose pimples. Birth worker sisterhood is something fierce.