Jennie came runner-up in the Onyx Award for Health Initiatives, and we say congratulations to Dr. Henry Lewis III, Dean and Professor, Florida A&M University for winning the category!

Jennie has been nominated for an Onyx Award for Health at the sixth annual Onyx Awards - Florida's signature African American awards celebration of "Black Trailblazers" and corporations that promote inclusion and diversity in the workplace. This signature event serves as a funding engine to support health and education initiatives of the foundation, such as: sickle cell anemia and early literacy programs and services.

More information on the nominees can be found here.

Our very own Robyn Mattox has returned to The Birth Place family after working with our friends at the Labor of Love Birth Center in Tampa. For those of you who don't know, Robyn grew into the amazing midwife that she is having got her start as a birth assistant, doula and childbirth educator with me 'way back when'! She went on to attend midwifery school, apprenticed with me and graduated in 2004.

Robyn was instrumental in joining with me in setting up The Birth Place birthing center in Winter Garden in 2003 and we are thrilled to have her back. Robyn has been a firm believer in The Birth Place's philosophy of care, the midwifery model and The JJ Way. She has my total endorsement as one of the most competent and conscientious midwives in the area, and if you don't know her you will soon realize she is a total sweetheart as well. As I meet the demands of representing midwifery and The JJ Way in the greater community I am happy to have such a reliable practitioner to help me meet all of your maternity helath care needs as well.

Jennie

Jennie Joseph's Winter Garden Birthing Center Expands

Neonatal units? Routine Cesarean sections? Hectic Labor and Delivery floors? When did birth become an illness? Long before institutionalized deliveries, babies were delivered at home, women supported women and entire families were considered the central focus for the beginning of each new life. Currently two-thirds of the world’s babies are delivered by midwives. Not so in the USA, where approximately only 8 – 10 % are delivered that way. The midwifery model of care incorporates all aspects of care - physical, spiritual, emotional and social - and as such has been shown to increase satisfaction, reduce interventions and improve perinatal outcomes.

Wow! It’s hard to believe that we moved into our new office space at 1130 E. Plant St. three months ago already. It has certainly been hectic. A heartfelt thank you goes out to all of our wonderful clients who have hung in there with us as we have attempted to settle into our new way of being – kind of like getting through the first trimester really! I anticipate plain sailing from here so, again, thanks for your patience.