Additional Offerings
“It takes a village…” -African Proverb
Canopy Care
As of 2023, Tree of Life is now offering a Canopy Care option to clients. Clients who opt for this care will receive full prenatal and postpartum support per our standard care model, but will schedule their birth to take place in-hospital with an OBGYN. This care option is designed for clients who may have higher risk factors in their pregnancies (such as POTS, a history of 3 or more c-sections, etc.), or who may be unsure about an out-of-hospital birth but are seeking comprehensive compassionate care during their prenatal and postpartum periods. Clients who opt for this care will not have a Tree of Life CPM present at their planned hospital birth, but are encouraged to include a doula from our staff in their care team so that they may be accompanied by her during their time at the hospital.
Below, we have listed some of the major similarities and differences between our Standard Care model and our Canopy Care option.
-
Comprehensive, compassionate prenatal care with our CPM team, including access to all resources and Integrated Care Model (ICM) classes
Comprehensive, compassionate postpartum care up to 8 weeks, including a home visit (for families residing in Virginia) 24-48 hours following the birth
Birth planned with CPM team and option of a doula, either at home or at the birth center
$5,500 fee for total care
-
Comprehensive, compassionate prenatal care with our CPM team, including access to all resources and Integrated Care Model (ICM) classes
Comprehensive, compassionate postpartum care up to 8 weeks, including a home visit (for families residing in Virginia) 24-48 hours following hospital discharge
Birth planned at a hospital with the option of a doula’s company
$3,000 fee for total care
Childbirth Education
Here at Tree of Life Midwifery, childbirth education is offered on a monthly basis and is included in our fee. Amara, our childbirth educator, teaches a half day class that is specific to out-of-hospital birth, as well as focusing on the physiological aspects of pregnancy and birth, comfort measures and coping techniques, and the typical postpartum experience.
Lactation Support
Our midwives are trained to support lactation and breastfeeding support during the postpartum period. Clients have access to the on-call midwife throughout the first eight weeks of their postpartum care with us for support with any breastfeeding issues or queries. Additionally, in partnership with WILD OT, Dr. Hayley Chrzastowski offers two (2) breastfeeding classes for our clients to access prenatally. These breastfeeding prep classes are invaluable resources to those who are brand-new to breastfeeding, as well as those with prior experience who may just need a refresher. Through WILD OT, Hayley serves a number of our clients as an additional support resource to evaluate possible latch issues and tongue/lip ties. She also supports our clients following any tie revisions by providing them with suck-training exercises and other routines to support the healing of the tie revision.
Perinatal Mental Health Counseling and Postpartum Support
Gwen Paulson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker specializing in trauma recovery, and Maternal Mental Health. She is a member of Postpartum Support International and Volunteer with Postpartum Support of Virginia.
During the time before, during and after baby, birthing parents and their partners may experience a full range of emotions that may be challenging to give attention and space to process. We know that addressing these feelings and experiences, both past and present, can improve relationships and attachment both in parenting and partnership.
However you may be feeling about this time in your pregnancy or parenting journey is valid and important. Challenging feelings are not uncommon. In fact, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, or PMADs, are the #1 pregnancy and birth complication, impacting one in five women during the year of pregnancy or the first year postpartum. No one deserves to feel depressed, anxious, or unsupported while caring for their baby. Planning for postpartum, knowing the signs, and asking for help can all support your journey in parenthood.
While in care with Tree of Life, Gwen is available for Perinatal Mental Health Counseling (currently teletherapy), and Postpartum Support and Planning.
Massage Therapy
Madison Orme (LMT) began her bodywork journey on her 5-month excursion through India in 2015. Through her yoga teacher training, she began to discover the importance of the healing power of touch, and once she returned home began to further look into touch therapy. Madison has earned 600 hours of professional massage education through the Northern Virginia School of Therapeutic Massage, and is licensed under the Virginia Board of Nursing. She has been a practicing massage therapist since April 2016.
Why massage therapy?
Therapeutic massage is more than just a spa treatment these days. From creating relief from chronic pain and headaches to reducing muscle soreness and tension, to even helping enhance the quality of one’s sleep – the benefits of this practice are truly endless.
Is massage therapy safe during pregnancy?
Therapeutic massage is more than just a spa treatment these days. From creating relief from chronic pain and headaches to reducing muscle soreness and tension, to even helping enhance the quality of one’s sleep – the benefits of this practice are truly endless.
Prenatal & Postnatal Occupational Therapy
WILD LLC was born from the vision of an occupational therapist to enhance the lives of women and infants from preconception, through pregnancy, into postpartum (fourth trimester), and throughout an infant’s early development. Our women’s occupational therapy services are designed to assist you in maintaining independence in your everyday life while your body is simultaneously changing. Additionally, we offer prenatal and postpartum pelvic floor therapy to strengthen your core, minimize low back and hip pain, decrease urination with daily activities, and increase your confidence in your journey through recovery. WILD has also partnered with Tree of Life to provide women with an 8th week of postpartum care where we dive deeper into the healing of the postpartum body and pelvic floor to enhance recovery. Once in the postpartum period we not only focus on you but also on your infant. Our occupational therapist at WILD LLC has extensive training in premature and full-term infant development. We provide individualized infant occupational therapy evaluations and treatment sessions to assist children in reaching their developmental milestones, integrating retained primitive reflexes, improving strength, encouraging parent-infant bonding, and educating families on age appropriate activities to stimulate brain development. Additionally, we offer infant massage and postpartum & play classes where we hold space for one another as mothers while also working with our babies to encourage growth, development, and bonding. To schedule an appointment, click here.
Placenta Encapsulation
Your placenta is an amazing organ created to nourish your baby, but the postpartum mother can benefit from her placenta as well. Women are encapsulating their placentas because there is no supplement, man made or organic, that can compete with your placenta’s ability to help you recover from childbirth. Your placenta is perfectly made for you, by you!
-
Placenta encapsulation is the practice of ingesting the placenta after it has been steamed, dehydrated, ground into a fine powder and placed into capsules (pills). This practice is centuries old and most commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
-
Increase in milk production
Increased energy
Restoration of iron levels in the blood
Increase in CRH, a stress-reducing hormone
Decrease in postpartum depression levels
Increased release of the hormone oxytocin, which helps the uterus shrink down and encourages bonding with the baby
-
If you choose to have your placenta encapsulated our Placenta Encapsulation Specialist will take your placenta straight from the birth center and bring it back to you encapsulated by your second postpartum visit (between 4-7 days). The cost of getting your placenta encapsulated is $200.
“Encapsulating my placenta was one of the best things I did for myself postpartum. While close friends of mine commented about their mood swings, hair loss, and other common postpartum side effects, I did not experience any of them and I firmly believe it was due to my decision to consume my placenta. Whenever I felt like my mood was changing I would ask myself if I had taken my capsule for the day and every time my answer was no and I would feel the mood shift disappear shortly after taking it. I highly recommend encapsulating your placenta and trusting Tree of Life to do it for you. She had them done two days (!!) after my daughter was born and drove them out to my house! Could not recommend turning your placenta into capsules more.”
Set for Success Postpartum Package
This package may be purchased independently by pregnant parents outside of Tree of Life’s care, as well as an add-on option for clients utilizing our Standard or Canopy Care plans. With the Set for Success Postpartum Package, clients will have more postpartum support than ever before! This package includes:
Prenatal admission to WILD OT’s Down and Dirty on the First 30: Postpartum Prep Class
Three 2-hour blocks (6 hours) of daytime postpartum support with our contracted postpartum doula
A feeding evaluation OR pelvic floor evaluation with Hayley at WILD OT
This package is priced at $500 and is not subject to insurance reimbursement. Purchase of this package may be made prenatally via our front desk.
