WELCOME.

Pregnant? Planning ahead? Exploring your options?

Congratulations.

Whether you’re dreaming of a peaceful home birth, looking for prenatal support, or simply curious about midwifery care, we’re here to guide you with clarity, compassion, and zero pressure.

The Village Midwife centers around relationship-based, personalized, and family-centered midwifery care. We honor the physiology of birth and trust the body’s innate wisdom while offering skilled, evidence-informed guidance every step of the way.

We believe every pregnant person deserves the freedom to choose how and where they give birth. You deserve to feel informed, supported, and genuinely respected in a world so convinced it knows the right decisions for your body and baby.

Our goal is simple:
Help you feel informed, supported, and confident from the very first step.

THE BURNING QUESTION…

“But… is midwifery care actually safe?”

If you’re considering midwifery care—whether at home, in a birth center, or with a doula-supported hospital birth—you’ve likely heard a lot of opinions. Concerned family members, well-meaning friends, or even medical providers may have raised questions about safety, risk, or “what if something goes wrong?”

These concerns come from a place of love, but they’re often based on outdated information or misunderstandings about what modern midwifery actually looks like.

Here’s the truth: Midwifery care for healthy, low-risk pregnancies is a safe, evidence-based model of care used around the world. Midwives are highly trained professionals who specialize in normal birth, monitor you and your baby closely throughout pregnancy, and are skilled at recognizing when something is no longer normal. Safety is—and has always been—the foundation of what we do.

We bring the tools, training, and clinical judgment necessary to keep you safe, including:

  • Continuous monitoring of maternal and fetal well-being

  • Clear risk-screening and transfer guidelines

  • Equipment and medications for common complications

  • Strong collaborative relationships with hospitals when higher-level care is needed

And the key thing many people don’t realize: midwives don’t take unnecessary risks. If something doesn’t look quite right, we act early, communicate clearly, and ensure you get the level of care that’s appropriate for the moment.

Ultimately, the safest environment is one where you feel supported, respected, and able to labor without unnecessary interventions—while being cared for by a skilled professional who knows you well.

If you’ve heard mixed messages or have specific fears you want to unpack, bring them to your consultation. We’re here to help you understand the evidence and make the choice that feels right for you.

 QUICK ANSWER FAQs…

  • The rate of our clients who have had a C-section is 6%. The national average is around 30%. The average in the Hampton Roads area is around 40%.

  • We think it is so low because we spend a lot of time prenatally addressing your concerns and reducing your fears. By doing that, you become empowered to trust your body’s ability to birth naturally. We also believe that we are REALLY good at what we do and that God made bodies to do the job of growing and delivering a baby.

  • We believe people have the right to choose the place and the way that they will give birth.

  • The practitioners at The Village Birth Center are trained in Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP) and CPR. They practice emergency drills throughout the year which gives them an opportunity to improve how they respond to emergencies if they occur. They are trained to recognize when there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

  • Hospital transfers are rare, and we only recommend them when it is absolutely necessary for your safety or your baby’s. Out-of-hospital birth is safe for healthy, low-risk pregnancies—and part of what makes it safe is having a skilled midwife who knows when something needs a higher level of care.

    Most transfers are not emergencies. They’re typically for things like a very long labor that isn’t progressing, exhaustion, or simply wanting pain relief that isn’t available at home or in the birth center. In these cases, a transfer is a thoughtful, proactive choice—not a crisis.

    If something urgent does arise, we don’t hesitate. We act quickly, communicate clearly, and move with purpose. Nothing about being at home or at the birth center prevents us from getting you the level of care you need. We go with you, advocate for you, and stay by your side through the entire process so you always feel supported and informed.

Logo for The Village Midwife featuring a stylized tree with blue and green leaves and visible roots, with the text 'The Village Midwife' and 'Rooted in Community' surrounding the tree.

WHAT WE OFFER

Our practice provides holistic, evidence-based, relationship-centered care for pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.

Our services include:

  • Home Birth

  • Birth at our Birth Center

  • Planned Hospital Birth

  • Prenatal Care

  • Postpartum Care

  • Midwifery Training

  • Childbirth Classes

  • And so much more

Every family receives continuity of care, meaning the people you see throughout pregnancy are the same people who show up on your birth day.

We work with families who:

  • Want prenatal care rooted in autonomy, trust, and collaboration

  • Desire a physiological birth whenever possible (a birth without medical intervention)

  • Feel safest, calmest, or most empowered in a non-hospital setting

  • Value a relationship-centered model instead of a high-volume medical environment

  • Want personalized care with longer appointments and supportive education

We also support:

  • First-time parents

  • Growing families

  • LGBTQ+ families

  • Families wanting a VBAC (evaluated individually)

  • Those seeking a calmer, more connected maternity care experience

WHO WE SERVE

Unsure if midwifery care is what you’re looking for?

IS MIDWIFERY CARE FOR YOU?

A physiological birth is safe, evidence-based, and supported for healthy pregnancies.

You might be a great candidate if:

  • You have a low-risk pregnancy

  • You want to avoid unnecessary interventions

  • You value familiar surroundings, privacy, and comfort

  • You want your providers to know you deeply

  • You want personalized, informed-choice care

If you’re unsure whether you’re a candidate—that’s okay.
Our consultation won’t leave a single stone unturned so you can make the best, safest decision for you and your baby.

HOW WE PRACTICE

Our care model is intentionally personal. When you join our practice, you receive your midwife’s direct number, and all calls are returned personally—not through an answering service. Your questions, concerns, and experiences matter to us, and we make the time to truly listen.

Partners are wholeheartedly invited to participate in prenatal visits and be as involved in the birth as you both choose. Whether they want to support from the side or catch the baby themselves, we welcome their presence and involvement.

A scenic field of wildflowers and grass on a hillside with trees, with a view of rolling hills and a distant town or city in the background during sunset or sunrise.
A woman and a man holding a newborn baby.

Jeni Rector, LM, CPM has been walking alongside birthing families since 2000. After apprenticing with two experienced midwives, she became a Certified Professional Midwife in 2007 and received her Virginia license shortly thereafter.

Beyond her professional credentials, Jeni brings lived experience as a mother of seven—five born in the hospital, one born at home, and one adopted. This wide range of personal birth journeys allows her to meet families with deep empathy, flexibility, and understanding.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM OUR PRACTICE

  • Warm, unhurried prenatal visits

  • A direct, personal relationship with your midwife

  • Shared decision-making at every step

  • Respect for your values, preferences, and questions

  • Inclusive, family-centered support

  • Skilled, compassionate care in all birth settings

READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?

Starting is simple. Choose what feels best.

We invite you (and anyone supporting your pregnancy) to meet with us for a consultation. This relaxed, one-hour visit gives us a chance to connect, talk through your questions, and see whether our practice feels like the right fit for your birth journey.

During our time together, we’ll learn about your goals, share how our care works, discuss home birth eligibility, and walk you through what support with our team looks like. The consultation fee is $50, which is applied toward your total home birth fee if you decide to move forward with care.

Not ready to chat?

Send a message anytime.

No matter where you are on your journey…


You are welcome here.

You are supported.

And you have options.