Margy Porter, CPM, LDM Licensed, Certified Professional Midwife

I believe that pregnancy, birth, and new parenthood are experiences that carry great potential for growth and empowerment. Mothers and families have the opportunity to explore their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs and to journey towards greater health, self-awareness, and preparedness for the immense commitment of parenthood. My role as a midwife is to facilitate this transformative process while monitoring and encouraging the health of mother, baby, and family. I believe that the normal, physiologic process of labor and birth occurs when mother feels undisturbed, safe, secure, and loved, and that the best place for this to unfold is in her own home. I feel honored to be a guest at home labors and births.

Of course, I am trained to identify signs of problems, and to either transfer prenatal care to an Obstetrician, transport a laboring mother to the hospital, or handle the situation at home, depending on the nature and timing of the situation. Choosing to give birth at home carries unique risks and benefits, and homebirthing families accept that responsibility. Many studies have confirmed the safety of homebirth for low-risk pregnant women who are attended by trained midwives. In fact, many countries in Europe with the best perinatal outcomes (determined by the World Health Organization) integrate homebirth and midwives into the healthcare system as the norm for healthy women.

In addition to my Midwifery Practice, I am a Labor Support Doula, Childbirth Educator (ICEA) and Breastfeeding Educator (TDH). I have been teaching for over twelve years, and have become a firm believer in the ICEA motto “Freedom of Choice Based on Knowledge of Alternatives.” It has been my experience that every pregnant woman and her support network have pre-existing experiences and desires that influence their choices for pregnancy and birth. I aspire to provide minimally biased information to empower the decision-making process, and to support each family’s unique choices. With this guiding philosophy, I find that I can work in a hospital setting as an Educator and as a Doula. In addition, I am working toward IBCLC (Lactation Consultant) Certification. Breastfeeding Support Services are an integral part of my Midwifery Practice.

Originally inspired by Elizabeth Davis’ book Heart and Hands (which I found at the Public Library), I discovered midwifery in the aftermath of the emotionally and physically traumatic experience of two miscarriages and three D&Cs in four months. I found my medical care to be emotionally detached, and I began a search for something “more”; more heartfelt, more interactive, more informative, more personally supportive. Two years later, I had selected and formed a relationship with my Midwife before my daughter, Katie, was conceived. Her pregnancy was healthy and her home waterbirth was exactly the empowering, challenging, loving experience that I had hoped for. Family members who were uncertain about my non-traditional choices were convinced by my unwavering certainty and the gentleness and beauty of her birth. After her birth, when Katie was only 8 weeks old, I signed up for an Introductory Midwifery Class (with her along, of course!) at the Seattle Midwifery School and the intervening years have been a balancing dance between the needs of my family and my midwifery aspirations.

I graduated from Whitworth College in 1989 with bachelor’s degrees in chemistry, math and French. I discovered that I am very good at finding and learning information, so I elected to pursue midwifery by independent study. (Yes, I am determinedly independent!) My academic studies included midwifery study groups and self-guided study as well as continuing education and conference opportunities. I spent 3 ½ years in apprenticeship, including 2 ½ years with Celeste Kersey, LDM, CPM and 1 year with Desiree LeFave, LDM, CPM and 3 weeks of intensive experience in Senegal, Africa. I passed my Certified Professional Midwife exam in August 2008, and received my License to practice midwifery in Oregon in November, 2008.

I live in McMinnville, OR with my husband of 20 years, Rob (the McMinnville Aquatics Center Director), and our three children, Katie, Jacob, and Rosemary, all guided gently into the world with the loving care of Midwives. Birthing in the water seemed a natural for my family, as I was a life-long competitive swimmer and Rob was a swimmer/ scuba diver/ aquatics professional. Our children have carried on the water-baby tradition and spend many hours at the pool as competitive swimmers. In my free time I love to work in my garden, yard, and kitchen.