Hidden Gems: Meet Hayley Oakes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hayley Oakes.

Hi Hayley, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I became fascinated with childbirth in 2006 (my senior year of high school) when I saw the documentary ‘What Babies Want’. It’s a film that explores the consciousness of infants and the significant role the experience of childbirth has on a child’s psychosocial development. After I earned a BA in Psychology from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City, I moved back home to California to begin working in the field of maternal and infant health and wellness.

Shortly after completing my doula training and certification, I was encouraged to pursue midwifery by a long-time licensed midwife and mentor whom I had been assisting at the time. In 2011, I began my four-year midwifery training at the National Midwifery Institute. Shortly thereafter, I had the wonderful opportunity to train with Ina May Gaskin and the midwives at The Farm in Summertown, Tennessee.

I have been attending births since 2010 as a doula, midwife assistant, apprentice and licensed midwife, witnessing and supporting birth in all settings: home, birth center and hospital. I have also worked as a childbirth educator and guest speaker for a number of educational institutions.

As of February 2019, I became a mother myself and welcomed a second child in January 2022. Since the birth of my second child, I offer virtual pre- and postpartum midwifery care services for expectant and newly postpartum families.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Fortunately, it has been an incredibly smooth road to where I am today. It always is a reassuring feeling when the stars align. It’s like a vote of confidence from the Universe to keep going.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I am a licensed midwife offering integrative prenatal and postpartum midwifery services. This care model serves to complement the medicalized model by offering more holistic and individualized guidance and support (in addition to the primary care received with your OB-GYN) throughout the childbearing year. Each virtual session is one hour in length to review recommendations of maintaining a healthy pregnancy, preparing for a low-intervention labor and birth and smooth transition into the postpartum period. This includes discussing optimal food intake, recommended supplements, guidelines on physical activity, and referrals to care providers to address common aches and pains. This is also a time for clients to ask questions or address their concerns that they may not have had time for in their appointments with their doctor. Education, discussion and informed decision-making are key pillars of the midwifery model.

I work within a collaborative women’s health care clinic called Akin. We are a group of practitioners across multiple modalities (acupuncture, pelvic floor physical therapy, midwifery, mental health, lactation/infant feeding, nutrition) all supporting women and families during the childbearing year. Two exciting components of this clinic is the shared clientele and the ability to be in direct communication with the other providers so we can better serve and support our clients. Also, making these services sustainable and cost-effective for clients is very important at Akin. There’s a biller on staff who submits super bills and insurance claims on behalf of the patient so they can see some money back. It’s a very exciting model of care that I am happy to see is growing quickly! As of now, we serve the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Midwifery is for EVERY pregnant person no matter risk status or planned place of delivery. The midwifery model of care is a more holistic practice with an emphasis on education and informed decision-making. This kind of support is not only empowering to the expectant family but also incredibly valuable and life-saving. In fact, there was a study out of the University of British Columbia that found that access to midwifery care led to lower rates of preterm labor, cesareans and newborn deaths.

Pricing:

• $150/hour virtual session

Contact Info:

• Website: https://withakin.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hayleythemidwife/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064001742114
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/theoakesmidwife
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/milktrails
• Other: https://www.hayleyoakes.com/