Baby Moon Midwifery Service, LLC
Homebirth midwife serving families in Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas

I am Deborah Smithey, nationally certified by the North American Registry of Midwives as a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). I maintain certification by the American Heart Association in Neonatal Resuscitation as well as Adult and Infant Basic Life Support (CPR). I am a member of Missouri Midwives Association, Friends of Missouri Midwives and Midwives Alliance of North America. But none of that qualifies me to be your midwife. Only you can choose the right midwife for you.

I rely on my hands and simple tools for most routine examinations, reserving the use of technology to assist only when necessary. I strive to balance modern technology with the ancient midwifery practices of my Native American ancestors. I serve families living south of Kansas City, west of the Lake of the Ozarks, north of Arkansas, and in eastern Kansas. I currently have offices in Springfield and Stockton, Missouri.

I personally visit with the mother throughout her pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. It takes an hour to complete each prenatal visit because we have a lot to discuss! Prenatal visits aren't just about checking vital signs and measuring the uterus. They are filled with questions about life, activities, food, dreams, fears and storytelling. The mother, her family, and I get to know each other very well during these visits.

During labor, the mother calls me to come whenever she is ready for my help. I physically, emotionally, and spiritually support the mother and her family as she works to give birth. I monitor the well-being of the mother and baby and keep the family informed of my findings and recommendations along the way.

Certifications
2009: certification from the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) as a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM).
1996 to present: certification/recertification in Neonatal Resuscitation by American Heart Association.
1995 to present: certification/recertification in CPR/Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers by American Heart Association.

My Calling
In 1990 I was at the library to find out what to expect at the hospital if I agreed to labor coach for a friend. I checked out the standard mainstream pregnancy manuals, plus one book that would change my life forever, In Labor: Women and Power in the Birthplace by Barbara Katz Rothman. I couldn't put that book down. The next day, I returned all the main-stream birth books and checked out the homebirth books, including Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin and The Birth Book by Raven Lang. I was hooked.

Three years later, I gave birth to our first child, a daughter, "unassisted" in our small camping trailer. We wanted to use a midwife for that birth, but circumstances forced us to choose unassisted homebirth instead. Soon after, I joined Missouri Midwives Association and began to learn everything I could about birth and midwifery. I had a second "unassisted" birth in 1995, because baby came before the midwife arrived! My third baby was born at home with the help of a midwife in 1997. He weighed 10 pounds, 12 ounces, and got stuck at the shoulders (shoulder dystocia). I was so grateful to have a midwife there to free him!

Deborah in front of emergency entrance of CASA Hospital.

In 2007, I volunteered at CASA, a midwifery school and hospital in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. The school trains women to become Professional Midwives, so they can return to their communities and serve the women there. While there, I worked with the midwives in the hospital and met many amazing women.

Hablo un poco Español, and I know a little sign language (SEE).

I am a follower of Jesus Christ. I serve Christians, Pagans, Quiverful, Hippies, wealthy, poor, married, partnered, single, and everyone in-between. I am pleased to be able pass on the loving, quality care I received during my pregnancies and births.