Jennifer McFarland is a Direct Entry Homebirth Midwife. She is the Northeast Region's Representative for the Midwives Alliance of Pennsylvania. She is certified as a labor and birth doula through Childbirth International. She is certified in neonatal resuscitation and continues her midwifery studies through the Ancient Art Of Midwifery Institute (http://www.ancientartmidwifery.com/). She studied for two years under Joanne Dozor, CPM, RN at her homebirth midwifery school in Media, PA, taking her Art Of Midwifery I and Art of Midwifery II courses. In 2004 Jennifer completed a Midwifery Internship in Senegal, Africa, where she assisted as a secondary midwife at births. Jennifer then continued her birth work as a doula, monitrice and assistant midwife. In July of 2008 through August 17 of 2008, Jennifer completed her final internship in Davao, Philippines. Jennifer is a Certified Happiest Baby on the Block Instructor. Jennifer has taught traditional childbirth courses, iCare Pregnancy courses, and Imagery Birthing Childbirth Courses (she is a Certified Imagery Birthing Instructor).

There is currently no licensure available for direct entry homebirth midwives in Pennsylvania and Jennifer is not a CNM.

If you want to know what my clients have said about me, please click on the client info tab on the left and follow the links to the testimonials there. For a more detailed look at what I have studied and been certified in, click here.

Jennifer has five children, three of whom were hospital born, and the last two were born at home in waterbirths. She understands firsthand how a birth experience can shape your life and influence both your future, and your baby's. At the age of 18, she gave birth to her first son, who was an unplanned pregnancy. Her first three labors were posterior babies and her second child was a true face presentation. She had epidurals with all three but was not satisfied with her birth experiences. With her third birth, she was a single mom who had escaped an abusive marriage. She continued to feel that birth had to be better somehow. An influencing factor in all three of her hospital births was a cascade of interventions and lack of proper support. Her homebirth in 2002 was a truly healing experience and made her realize just how important proper support for mothers and their birth choices really is. She had homebirth number two in June of 2006.

Many women have been traumatized by their birth experiences and are looking for a better birth, just as Jennifer was. There are better options for moms and babies, if you have the proper support and are willing to take positive steps towards achieving your birth. Jennifer believes that women are strong and made perfectly for birth. Birth By Design refers to her belief that our Creator designed us, "Fearfully and Wonderfully!" and it is His design for us to have safe, good, even joyous births.

Her philosophy of birth is summarized by the following phrases:

"Birth is as safe as life gets" Harriet Hartigan

"Freedom to Choose where, when, and with whom, to give birth. True freedom for adult women --- an idea whose time has come." Gloria Lemay

Currently, Jennifer is a stay at home mother of her four boys and one daughter in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. She is practicing independantly as a traditional homebirth midwife. She has homeschooled her children.

Jennifer sees Midwifery and serving birthing women as a calling and a ministry. It is her pleasure to serve in her calling and to attend women in their births from ALL walks of life, regardless of race, religion, creed, or differing lifestyles.