The Greene family is welcomed into Clarisa Evans’ cozy at-home examination room. A plate of strawberries and blueberries and a pitcher of water waits for the expecting parents on a small table situated between their two chairs. Behind them sits four jars of herbal tea blends labeled with their various uses: “iron support,” “calm tea blend,” “pregnancy tea blend,” and “postpartum tea blend.”
Two of the Greene kids are there, too, and find their way to the living room to play cars with the Evans kids and watch TV. Clarisa’s husband Anthony offers the adults espresso as everyone settles in for the appointment.
The Greene family is expecting to give birth at their own home. Clarisa Evan’s practice, Out of Eden Midwifery, aims to support them through that process.
Evans moved from her home in California to Lee’s Summit, Missouri, so that she could be closer to her parents, who came to Missouri for ministry. Growing up, Evans heard stories of how her great grandmother supported her own community through midwifery and herbal remedies.
Beginning her journey as a gardener, she aims to make herbs more accessible to her clients by growing them in her backyard, starting with alfalfa, nettle, and passion flower.
As a Black woman, Evans highlights the importance of addressing being represented in a predominantly white profession, especially since Black and Brown women experience the highest maternal mortality rates in the United States. Studies show that Black women are at least three times more likely to die due to a pregnancy-related cause when compared to white women. Evans aims to support her clients from prenatal to postpartum to ensure that the mother and child are not only surviving, but thriving.
Continuing her great grandmother’s legacy, Evans educates the whole family on how they can be involved in the birthing process, empowering mothers and encouraging families to provide hands-on emotional support.
“We see amazing birth outcomes when we know that mom is supported … (birth can be) very empowering for the whole family.”
Dedicating a significant amount of time getting to know clients is a key part of Evans’ practice. Seated comfortably in a semi-circle in the Evans’ home, the Greene family can celebrate their most recent work accomplishments, share movie recommendations, and marvel in the excitement of welcoming a new member into the family.
“It's different than a traditional (OB/GYN appointment),” Evans says. “Those appointments are like five to 10 minutes. Our appointments are 45 minutes to an hour and we talk about any and everything.”
To Evans, home is a sacred place and she aims to open her own home up to those who are opening up their homes to her.
Evans encourages clients to do their own research and reflection in order to determine if they want to have a home birth. Her advocacy for home birth is rooted in her personal experience through the birth of her son where she felt like she was not being heard in the hospital, leading to medical complications of preeclampsia, an emergency C-section, and risked stroke.
“I never wanted another mom to feel the way I felt.”
Through her holistic midwife practice, Evans is able to prioritize mothers listening to their bodies and consider alternatives to prescribing medicines through the use of herbal supplements.
“We make sure that they have everything in their birth kit. We bring their pool if they want to have a water birth. Family members (receive a) rundown of what the birth is going to look like, what happens if it's an emergency, (and if) we need to transfer (to a hospital) ... For us, it's really important that (people birthing are) trusting their body … We're letting you be up and move around and whatever your body is telling you, (we) want to do.”
Evans favors home births, but understands that for some scenarios home births may not be the best option for a family. If in the hospital or at other birthing locations, she encourages those birthing to know how to advocate for themselves.
“I feel like home is your safest place. It's very sacred, so, we've seen just beautiful birth outcomes being able to watch these families birth in a place that isn't foreign to them,” Evans notes. “I would tell (mothers) to do their research, explore all of their options and see what's best for their family.”
Home is the only place where Evans says she can imagine doing her work. With the support of her husband and kids, in a space where she can be her most authentic self, she carries on the legacy of her great grandmother through tradition and hope for new mothers.
This story was originally created as part of the NPR Next Generation Radio project.
