Around the Circle Midwifery
About Us
We are glad you are interested in meeting us.
Welcome
Pregnancy Consultation Visit
During our one-hour prenatal consultation visit, please ask about our experience and qualifications, and anything else that may help you choose the right care providers for this special experience. The following information will help you learn more about what to expect from your midwifery care.
CNM & LM Practice
Around the Circle Midwifery is combining the best of two types of midwifery care available in Washington: Certified Nurse Midwives and Licensed Midwives. This unique practice model is the only one in the South Puget Sound, bringing you the benefits of an expanded scope of care that may meet the needs of families in birth and beyond.
Licensed Midwives in Washington have completed a comprehensive midwifery program at a state-accredited school and have passed the state licensing exam. Program standards are based on those adopted by the International Confederation of Midwives and the International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Licensed Midwives are trained and authorized to provide complete maternity services. Additionally, the licensed midwives at Around the Circle Midwifery are Certified Professional Midwives (CPM), a nationally recognized certification through the National Association of Registered Midwives.
Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (ARNP) who hold advanced nursing degrees and are nationally certified through the American Midwifery Certification Board. They provide care throughout the lifespan, addressing needs not just in pregnancy but in all aspects of wellness, including fertility, routine gynecological care, and contraceptive management.
Our Services
Our services include individualized, comprehensive prenatal care; self-care instruction; nutritional counseling; birth at home or in a free-standing birth center; breastfeeding classes; lactation support; postpartum care for you and your baby; fertility assistance; well-woman care from puberty through menopause; and contraception care. We believe you should be an active participant in your healthcare and will make every effort to provide information and education about all options so you and your family can make informed choices about your care. We encourage you to bring your partner, friends, or relatives.
Prenatal
We generally set aside one hour for each prenatal visit. We schedule monthly visits until your seventh month, when we will begin seeing each other more frequently. During your last month, until your birth, we will want to see you each week. For those planning a homebirth, we will visit you at your home during one of our weekly visits. In addition to our visits, we encourage you to attend childbirth classes focused on birth in the home or birth center setting. Throughout your prenatal care, we will be talking about your plans, hopes, and concerns about childbirth and motherhood. We recognize the birth of your baby as your special experience, and we will be honored to provide the care you desire. We can discuss relaxation techniques and different positions you can use to help you feel more comfortable throughout labor, as well as the experience of labor and birth itself. In the last months of your pregnancy, we will talk about home preparation and the supplies you need to have ready for your baby. As the time of your birth draws near, we may have more frequent contact with you as you begin to feel more imminent. We stay on call 24-hours a day. We can always schedule additional visits if you need them. We will come to be with you during labor when your labor becomes active. At your birth, you will have at least one trained birth assistant in addition to the midwife. During labor, we will monitor your vital signs, check on your baby's well-being, and support you in the ways you desire.
After the Birth
After the birth, we will continue to carefully monitor you and your baby as you adjust in the immediate postpartum period. We will also discuss care for the infant and mom in the days after birth. We will perform a thorough newborn exam by your side and share our findings with you. We will support you and your baby for breastfeeding success while honoring your family's need for bonding and privacy.
The following day, we will check in on your new family to see how you are feeling, how your baby is doing, and if you have any special needs or questions during this unique time of adjustment. We will often visit with you again a few days later to offer breastfeeding support, monitor your health and recovery, and monitor your baby’s growth. We will offer at least two additional visits in the following six weeks to ensure adequate support and a healthy outcome. If you are interested, we can explore the right birth control options for you during this postpartum period. We also offer standard newborn screening tests, follow‑up gynecologic screening, and continued well-woman care.
Payment Options
We can bill most insurance companies and DSHS for our services. If you plan to pay out of pocket, please pay your bill in full before your birth. We have a payment plan and sliding fee scale for people in need. Please let us know at the beginning of your care if you will have difficulty paying the full fees. Please make compensation your responsibility. We greatly appreciate it.
Read about our Payment Services →
We look forward to getting to know you over the next few months as your belly grows round and you and those around you prepare for the birth of a new little person into your lives. Working with a midwife during pregnancy, labor, and birth can be a very special and rewarding experience.
May all go well with you,
Carolee Hall LM, CPM, IBCLC
Anneliese Langer, LM, CPM
Lyndsay King, LM, CPM
Paige Murphy, LM, CPM
Anne Teater, LM, CPM
Tiffany Heiges, CNP, ARNP