Homebirth Options in Alabama

Over the past two weeks or so many women have found themselves questioning the wisdom of going into a busy hospital where the sickest among us are congregating in order to deliver their baby. We're being told to avoid gathering in large groups, so those who were already hesitant about going to the hospital have started researching midwifery options in Alabama.

Yes! Midwifery and homebirth is legal in Alabama, and there is likely a CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) serving your area. She is trained to monitor a pregnancy through prenatal visits, labor, and postpartum visits. If there are problems that make a hospital birth safer, she will advise you to have your baby there. However, if you are low-risk she can take care of you and your baby at home with less interventions in the process than you would have at the hospital while avoiding viruses and bacteria foreign to your family.

The best place to start would be here, the Alabama Midwives Alliance website. You can contact a midwife serving your area up an interview. I have to add a small plug here for the midwife I apprentice with, Rebekah Myrick, because we now have the option of doing prenatal visits here at A Nurturing Moment in Huntsville! Find her information on her website. 

Other options would be to give birth across the border in Tennessee if you don't like the idea of birthing in your own home. Midwives there have done that before, and would be able to give you guidance on how to do that. The website for the Tennessee Midwives Association can give you the contact information.

We Welcome our New Owner!

by Glenni Lorick, IBCLC

Michele Trosclair was the first
owner of A Nurturing Moment.

I am so excited to announce that A Nurturing Moment is taking the next BIG step in its history! Regina Woodley is purchasing the boutique and will continue offering the best lactation care available!

A Little History

In May of 2005 Michele Trosclair, a former NICU nurse, opened a tiny maternity and breastfeeding boutique in Madison because she felt that breastfeeding moms needed a place where they could get good nursing bras and supplies as well as support. I first met her that summer when I introduced myself and offered to help with the breastfeeding support. We quickly outgrew our tiny space on Slaughter Road and moved to a much more spacious location on Hughes Road where we had room for meetings and classes. In late 2006 we expanded to a second location on Airport Road, eventually closing the Hughes Road location in 2008.

Regina Woodley nursing baby Talia
at work at the store.

In October of 2008 I bought A Nurturing Moment from Michelle because her husband was being transferred to Colorado with his job. We saw a lot of growth from 2008 -2011 when I made the decision to purchase Huffman's Baby Furniture and move to the Rosie's Cantina Shopping Center. I quickly realized that I wasn't really that interested in selling Baby Furniture, but I did love having the Best Chairs Nursery gliders and recliners available for moms. We moved into our current suite in 2012.

In 2015 Kailey Dozier approached me with an idea to incorporate 4D Ultrasound into our offerings, and our partnership with The 4D Ultrasound Lady began. Then in June of 2018 right after my second grandchild was born, Kailey and I switched roles. Instead of her renting from me, I began renting space from her. We shortened our hours and returned to our main focus of supporting breastfeeding mamas!

Regina Moves to Town

Regina's daughters McCulla and Kyleigh are
already giving mom a hand at work!

Regina moved here from Texas in November of 2017. She had reached out to me, and we had corresponded a little bit, but we didn't actually meet until the summer of 2018. I invited her to help with our Athens breastfeeding support group on Fridays since she lives in Athens, and over the course of the next few months we grew much closer. She began doing some consults for A Nurturing Moment that year, and I was really impressed with her skill set and her compassion for moms. She also became an admin on Huntsville Mommy Milk Meet-up, offering terrific advice to our mamas.

Not only is Regina an IBCLC, she is also a doula and an herbalist. She is also in the process of becoming a Certified Professional Midwife. Last April I broached the subject of her buying the store very tentatively. I honestly had expected to be here at ANM until I died because I just hadn't met anyone I felt truly comfortable selling the store to. I knew if I ever sold it, I would only sell to an IBCLC who loved the Lord and had a heart for ministry to moms. I wasn't sure Regina would even be interested, but I knew she was the right person and hoped she would say yes!

Unbeknownst to me, Regina had a dream of opening a store someday. She didn't know how to approach me to ask if I would be willing to sell ANM to her at some point, so when I asked her if she might possibly be interested, she thought it would be a lot further down the road, but she was definitely excited about the possibility. She gave birth to her tenth baby at home in November, and felt like she would be ready to move forward after the beginning of the year.So this week is our transition week!

I get to spend more time having fun
with my precious grandchildren!

The Best Is Yet to Come

Regina will continue to offer the same amazing service that you have come to expect from A Nurturing Moment. I will be focusing my energies on my work at Athens Limestone Hospital, a new ministry to women called the Dandelion House, and my precious grandchildren!

I want to thank all of you for allowing me to serve you for the past 14 years. It has been such a privilege. I feel like Michele gave birth to A Nurturing Moment, I have raised it through its adolescence, and now Regina will take it into adulthood. I can't wait to see where Regina and ANM go in the future!!