TALLAHASSEE- This Thanksgiving, millions of families will sit around a burgeoning table, filled to the brim with delectable sides and turkeys made from construction paper and tall glasses of sweet tea and they will recount the things they are thankful for. Mothers will look into the eyes of their children seated around them and and their eyes will brim with tears of overwhelming gratitude as they remember the day their babies were born.
For thousands of women in the South Georgia and North Florida area, The Tallahassee Birth Cottage will come to mind, for it was under the care of midwives at the cottage that they ushered a new life into the world.
This holiday season the Tallahassee Birth Cottage is celebrating 40 years of existence! For over four decades, strong and capable midwives have partnered with local women to reclaim the beauty of childbirth. At its conception, it was called the Tallahassee Birth Centre, and it served as a very unique place where women could finally birth out of the hospital in a legally sanctioned environment.
Owner and midwife Layla Swisher was raised in a birth positive environment and her mother Lillian Alice Sanpere was one of the first midwives at what is now known as The Tallahassee Birth Cottage, along with the founder, Beth Swisher. Alice eventually owned the practice and trained her daughter Layla. When it came time for Layla Swisher to pick a career, there was almost no question to the matter.
Since 1999, she has been an advocate for women who desire natural childbirth. She recounts the history of the Tallahassee Birth Cottage proudly, noting its importance in the landscape of natural childbirth education and lactation consulting in this area.
In the late 1970s, a movement was rising to return to natural, unmedicated birth after a long period where women were encouraged to birth their babies under sedation and were discouraged from breastfeeding. Swisher’s mother Alice and mother- in -law Beth were both pioneers in educating women on their options, and since 1983, the cottage has offered mothers a home-like environment in which to give birth.
Swisher exudes confidence and kindness and possesses a wealth of knowledge on a plethora of birth and postpartum topics. Delivering nearly 90 babies per year for over two decades has made her a midwife and friend to thousands of women from Thomasville, Tifton, Tallahassee, Moultrie and even Central Florida and Alabama.
With grace and aplomb, she has picked up the mantle bestowed to her by her mother and mother- in- law. Women who have a dream of a positive and peaceful childbirth experience walk through the cottage door and are immediately enveloped by kindness and competence personified.
“Tallahassee Birth Cottage is simply amazing,” Thomasville mother Jenny Morrell said. “Although circumstances prevented me from birthing there, I was supported pre and post birth. I was always empowered and informed to make the best choices for me and my baby. I wouldn’t hesitate to use them again.”
A cozy, non sterile environment is juxtaposed with a staff who is incredibly knowledgeable about the process of pregnancy. Swisher and her midwife on staff, Eshiva Jensen, do very little formal marketing, because word of mouth has proven to be incredibly powerful.
“The story is being spread by every woman with a positive birth experience,” Swisher said. She is passionate about educating mothers on what their body is capable of and feels rewarded by the thousands of beautiful birth stories she has been part of.
“Working hard is worth it,” she tells her mothers, if they question their ability to birth without medication. Thousands of women in this area can answer similarly.
“When searching for the right provider for us and our prenatal needs, my husband and I were surprised to find out how difficult it was to get seen by doctors in Thomasville. We got recommended to the Birth Cottage by some friends and fell immediately in love with Layla, Eshiva and their care,” Thomasville mother- to- be Anna Casteel commented. “Every appointment since they have been more than accommodating to our needs and what is best for baby and I. I highly recommend them to every expecting mother. They really simplify the process and make becoming parents a lot less scary while giving us the knowledge we need.”
Layla and her staff look forward to assisting more women in the coming years, and are extremely thankful for the role they play in providing positive childbirth experiences to local women.
Those interested in learning more may contact the Birth Cottage at: (850) 224-BABY