Here is some information about our two fabulous midwives who have delivered 4,000 babies between the two of them! They will even make us a big pot of chicken soup after the delivery so we won't have to cook for a few days. Another great thing about Valerie and Kathy is their magical way of getting babies to come out quickly - the longest labor so far this year (from first contraction to delivery) of a woman they attended to was 8 hours, 20 minutes, but that was a twelve pound baby! They average around 2 1/2 to 3 hours of labor for births they attend to!

Note: This information is from 1999. As of 2002, I am not sure that Valerie is still doing home births. We will always be thankful we had the chance to have a wonderful, natural homebirth experience with these women. -AE

Millennial Midwives of Dearborn, Michigan

Valerie El Halta, CPM

"I am one of the senior midwives in the country, having participated in over 2,500 births in over 21 years. I began my midwifery career in Southern California after having six children of my own, the last two home born. I had a home birth practice in California from 1976-83, and in Oregon from 1983-86. I was the Intern Director at a free-standing birth center in El Paso, Texas for three years, (1986-89) where I was responsible for over 1,000 deliveries and for the training of midwives. In October 1989, Rahima Baldwin Dancy and I opened The Garden of Life Birth Center, in Dearborn, Michigan. This was later renamed The Birth Center. This birth center was unique in that it was completely unattached to a hospital, or a medical board of directors, and was one of only a handful in the nation to be solely owned and run by non-nurse midwives. I became a Certified Professional Midwife through NARM (The North American Registry of Midwives) in 1996. After a very fulfilling eight years of serving our community, we decided to close our doors and return to a home birth practice which we both missed so much.

I am currently working on a book for midwives, as well as two books of anecdotal accounts of my experiences. I have taught, and am continuing to teach midwives from all over the country, through seminars, speaking at conferences, and through my writing. I am dedicated to the "Midwifery Model of Care" and in providing the highest quality of this care to mother's and babies. I feel that my years of practice, the variety of practice which I have had, along with my considerable experience at birth, combine in a way that I can offer you an optimal birthing experience. My personal transport rate is very low and my cesarean rate remains at 1.5 %.

Kathy and I have had an on going friendship and midwifery relationship for over six years. We believe that our educational route to midwifery compliment rather than conflict with one another and that in working together, we can bring to you, our client, the best of both of our worlds. As we worked with one another during the summer of 1997, in a hospital maternity ward in Malawi, Africa, we realized that we could serve birthing women in a truly holistic way, and made the decision to establish this practice."

Kathleen M. Kleinert, D.O.

"As a physician doing births in an out-of-hospital setting, I fully support the midwifery model and feel that I am providing this type of care. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in nutrition from Wayne State University and have spent many years giving nutritional counseling, especially to pregnant women and mothers of young children. I received my medical degree from Michigan State University's college of Osteopathic Medicine. Most of my maternity care experience comes from midwifery training in Indiana and Michigan over the last 18 years. In addition, l have worked in Africa at a tertiary referral center in Malawi and in an inner city Detroit hospital. I have been affiliated with The Birth Center in Dearborn since 1991. I am currently participating in an Obstetrical Residency at a local hospital, where my focus remains on assisting the women who come under my care to experience birth in the most natural way possible. I am the mother of five children, four of whom were born at home with midwives, and the fifth, a hospital cesarean birth necessitated by an accidental cord prolapse, which was successfully managed by a midwife and safely transported from home. Along with Valerie, we want to offer you a safe and sane approach to childbirth in the sanctity of your own home."

And here is a wonderful quote from Valerie, that I found in the latest version of that indespensible book, "Our Bodies, Ourselves":

"When a new client comes to me and asks about what kind of instruments or tools I use, I smile and hold up my hands. After 20 years and some 2,500 births, I am grateful for my hands and for the knowledge that they have all by themselves. My hands are used to soothe a brow, to massage a back, to pour water on a laboring tummy, to assure with a gentle touch that all is well, to lift a new baby onto Mom's tummy. And yes, to lift a stubborn cervical lip, to massage away an old adhesion caused by prior forceps, to support a perineum with a wicked old episiotomy scar. When I die, I want my only grave marker to be two beautiful hands, folded in prayer." -Valerie El Halta, quoted in MANA news (a midwifery periodical).

Lastly, here is some info from Val and Kathy about the philosophy of miwifery:

The term "Midwifery Model of Care" was first used by Barbara Katz Rothman in her book, "In Labor", published in 1982. The definition has been agreed upon by a consortium of childbirth organizations as follows:

The Midwifery Model of Care is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life events. The Midwifery Model of Care includes:

-monitoring the physical, psychological and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle;

-providing the mother with individualized education, counseling and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery and postpartum support (including the establishment of breastfeeding);

-minimizing technological intervention;

-and identifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention.

The application of this woman-centered model has been proven to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma and cesarean section.

Associate Midwives:As we feel we have a moral imperative to insure that the art of midwifery will continue after our generation, we are committed in assisting others in learning these arts. The women who we choose to bring into our practice as associates have varying degrees of experience, yet share in common our dedication in providing excellence of care to the families we serve. You will be able to become acquainted with these women throughout your prenatal course, so that you will be able to welcome them into your "birthing circle" as well.

"Babies Come Out!"