Fern Creek Midwives. Home birth with compassionate, respectful, and unrushed care.
Carrie listening to a baby during a visit with a client at Fern Creek Midwifery's Birth Haus in Kalispell.
I’m a big fan of Fern Creek Midwives and they were at the very top of my list to interview for my blog. I wanted to chat with Carrie Corbett, Heather Holman, and Caley Brown about their practice and to hear more about the Fern Creek Birth Haus in Kalispell. The very first birth I attended during my doula training in San Francisco was a peaceful home birth and it was life-changing for me. I had no idea birth could be so calm, and undisturbed, but well-supported and safe at home. Soon after moving to Montana and starting my business, I met Caley Brown through Instagram 😂 and became real-life friends! She joined Fern Creek pretty soon after and since then, I’ve had the pleasure of attending some beautiful home births with Caley, Carrie, and Heather. If you are seeking a home birth, I highly recommend meeting with them and reaching out as soon as you find out because they are so sought after that they book up quickly.
Look at these lovelies! Left to right: Caley, Carrie, & Heather.
KF: How long has Fern Creek Midwives been serving families in the Flathead Valley?
Fern Creek: Since 2012! We also worked our apprenticeships locally for over three years before that, so we have been doing births in the Flathead for the last 15 years.
Tell me about your current location The Fern Creek Birth Haus? How long have you been there, and what is the location used for?
We’ve been here since September of 2022. We see folks for all of their prenatal and postpartum visits here, host classes, and have a birth space available as well. We also offer the space out for classes, including Sound Healing, breastfeeding, birth classes, and Midwife meetings/classes.
The Fern Creek Birth Haus is a space that feels like a home away from home, it is sweet, warm, and inviting.
Assuming most of your clients want to have their baby at home, when and why would you recommend a birth at the Fern Creek Birth Haus for clients? What are the perks?!
Having a baby at the birth haus is just like having your baby at home! No additional perks really; it’s best for people who live far out of town, or who live in very small spaces like tiny homes or apartments (although small spaces also make for lovely home births!)
Art on the walls at the Fern Creek Birth Haus, I love the "at your cervix" sign! 🤍
What sets Fern Creek Midwives apart for care in the Flathead Valley?
Tailored care! We love informed consent and collaborative decision making with our clients. For example we can offer all “standard” testing for pregnancy, but the difference is that we don't require anything. If our clients feel educated and informed about what they are consenting to or declining then we have done our job right!
Another difference is the time spent- we really get to know our clients so that when it comes time to welcome their baby into the world we can be sensitive to situations and respectful of our clients spiritual, emotional, and physical needs without having to disrupt the process. Getting to know our clients is part of what makes out of hospital birth safe; we know our clients well and they know us. It really is a partnership and that results in better outcomes.
Heather measuring a client's belly during a visit.
What makes someone a good candidate for home birth?
A healthy, normal pregnancy! We have state regulations and guidelines for low-risk pregnancies that we always make sure to work within.
Caley helping a client listen to her baby's heartbeat during a visit at Fern Creek Birth Haus.
What would you say to someone who is on the fence about home birth, especially for their first baby? As a doula, I often hear first-time parents unsure about it but then open to it for a second baby.
Your first birth sets the tone for all of your future births! You really have the best chance at a low intervention birth when you’re out of the hospital; so if that’s what you’re looking for why would you start in the hospital? Also follow your intuition! Women are so wise, and you are no different. We hear a lot of women’s stories, who say they wish they had just done home births for their first babies! We always say shoot for the stars for your birth, even your first. (We NEVER want to convince someone to have an out of hospital birth though; it’s really important that people birth where they feel most comfortable, and sometimes that’s the hospital!)
Each baby born at The Birth Haus have their newborn foot print on display, so sweet!
What 3 words would you use to describe Fern Creek Midwives?
Compassionate, respectful, unrushed.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Carrie Corbett:
I always knew I was a healer of some kind- I took care of every person and every critter around me. I did hours and hours of skin to skin time with my preemie brother at age 5. I opened an herb shop in my garage at age 9. I had a small stint of wanting to be a marine biologist (but didn’t we all?!). It wasn’t until I had my first baby that I realized what ALL of that meant for me; heck even marine biologist makes sense since we do loads of water births.
Heather Holman:
I always imagined being a veterinarian, or some sort of animal sanctuary owner. I think that being of service, pouring out of love part, has always been in me. However when I realized how life-changing my first birth was (I was still a kid to be fair), I knew I had to be a part of this world.
Caley Brown:
Growing up, I was sure that I would be a pediatrician. I was the nurturing friend, the mom in all of our of games. I loved kids, was obsessed with babies, and was interested in all things medical. Then, as a late teen, when the last thing I wanted to do was to go back to school for 12 years, I was exposed to alternative healing methods and women’s rights; midwifery became the obvious choice.
Do you work with birth doulas & birth photographers?
We work with ANY and ALL doulas and birth photographers. Love them!!!
Carrie listening to a client at a visit.
Thank you so much to Carrie, Heather, and Caley of Fern Creek Midwives for the interview, and thanks again to their lovely clients who allowed me to photograph them! I love hearing all these details and hope you do too!
More photographs of Fern Creek Midwives and the Birth Haus.
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