|
I.M.A. Informed Maternity Alternatives was founded
by Leah Marinelli in 1988. The mission statement was to give real choice to women as to how they wanted to give birth.
Being informed of all the choices that a woman has, the advantages and disadvantages of each, is the best way to have
true freedom in decision making. A woman should be empowered to have the birth experience that she wants.
Leah personally experienced births with midwives in birth centers, and homebirth with midwives as well
in birthing her six children.
A major factor in successful natural birthing is that the woman is comfortable and
confident in the environment she is laboring and birthing. For some a hospital and all the available interventions bring
comfort. For others a birth center provides the balance between hospital and home.
For many, the loving,
familiar feeling of home sweet home is the ideal. There surrounded by one's family, in one's own home, a woman
can feel free to wander about laboring, use a birthing tub, her own shower, eat in her own kitchen, and even birth
her child in her own bedroom. With homebirth there is no need to go home afterwards, you are already home.
This, like the home court advantage in sports, is the home birth advantage.
The word "ima" is a Hebrew word
meaning mommy. That is what Leah's children have always called her. It is a name she holds dear for the
ancient art of mothering is a holy art. The ancient Jewish midwives Shifra and Puah, who saved countless children
including Moses, have always been an inspiration to Leah. They were known to be able to ease the pain of laboring women,
and ease the children into the world. The ancient art of midwifery is a holy art as well.
Since 1983 Leah has attended
hundreds of homebirths both here in the United States, and in Israel. Since becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife in 2000, Leah
has done homebirths all over New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
While Leah's home is in Suffern, New York,
which rests in the lower Hudson Valley, it's the location of your home that's important. Rockland County, Westchester
County, Putnam County, Orange County, and New York City are all accessable to Leah. Northern New Jersey, especially
Bergen County and Passaic County, is very close as well. Fairfield County, Connecticut is also not far.
Call to find out if you are within the practical area of the practice.
Call Leah for a consultation whether homebirth
is right for you, and if Leah is the right midwife for you. Your comfort is of primary importance, and Leah will make
every effort to assist you in having the birth you desire. Leah will be sensitive to your needs, culture, life style,
and religion. All the time making sure you have a safe pregnancy, labor, and birth.
|
