Birth Matters, Inc. - Holistic Midwifery

Michelle Freund is a Licensed Midwife by the California Medical Board. She has “caught” nearly one thousand babies since she began her journey into midwifery in 1990.

Born and raised in sunny Southern California, Michelle grew up with 4 older siblings in a warm and loving home atmosphere. When she completed school, she traveled and acquired a passion for the Hawaiian Islands where she met her husband. They have been together for over 30 years and have raised two sons. Her interest in birth grew with her belly since the conception of their first born in 1983.

Michelle moved to San Diego in the mid 80’s where she quickly got involved with the birthing community. She became a certified doula by two national childbirth assistant organizations and started one of the earliest doula practices of San Diego with four other dedicated women to successfully provide in-hospital labor support and client education. Concurrently she spearheaded the San Diego chapter of a national doula association, designed and taught a maternity consumer workshop targeting pre and newly pregnant couples, hosted free public informational evenings throughout the county on various childbirth topics and taught childbirth education classes. She was a guest on radio and TV on the topics of the benefits of having a doula and about midwifery.

In 1989 she received the “Rose of Gratitude” appreciation certificate for her birth activism in the community. On a mission to help women have better birth experiences, Michelle started her midwifery training in 1990. She has since assisted with the coordination and implementation of prenatal care programs for low income women and worked for two years with a physician in a busy prenatal clinic. She has enjoyed providing warm and personalized professional midwifery care to hundreds of women and their families throughout her practice.

To contact Michelle call Birth Matters at 760.757.8650.

Children are a gift from God.

Women are masterfully designed for conception, pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding.

A woman labors and gives birth most effectively in a setting where she feels most comfortable and that birth at home is a natural and logical option for most healthy women.

Birth is a normal physiologic process which left to nature will proceed to an uncomplicated end in most cases.

Childbirth is a family-centered event and the midwife’s role is to enhance the families birthing experience by encouraging wholeness and unity.

Midwives facilitate the normal birth process by assisting the birthing woman and her family through the journey of pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum by supporting these natural processes.

Women supported in birth by other women experience greater satisfaction.

Intervention of the normal birth process increases birth risks to mother and baby.

Homebirth is safe. Planned homebirth with a skilled midwife in most cases is safer than hospital birth throughout the US.

Many of the complications that may occur during pregnancy and birth can often be prevented by quality prenatal care, excellent nutrition and a balanced lifestyle.

Each pregnant woman should be given thorough prenatal care that entails observation, evaluation, education and guidance toward producing a safe and rewarding outcome.

Women have the right to a rewarding birth experience. They should be given the time and attention they desire to have there needs met.