Karen Gartner, Midwife in Gaffney, SC

Karen Gartner Midwife in Gaffney, SC

$7,000 flat rate · Comprehensive Midwifery Services package

About Karen

I am a South Carolina Licensed Midwife (LM, CPM) offering homebirth services to families in South Carolina within an hour from Shelby, NC, where I live (about 15 min north of Gaffney, SC) I provide comprehensive prenatal care, birth services including waterbirth in my client’s homes and postpartum care for mom and baby through 6 weeks postpartum. I provide holistic mother, baby and family-centered care and believe in the mothers’ rights to sacred, supported, peaceful birth. Please text me to set up an interview if you are interested in learning about my services.

Find Karen online thewondersofbirth.com

Midwife packages and pricing

Comprehensive Midwifery Services

Full, Comprehensive Prenatal Care (hour-long visits: monthly until 28 weeks, then every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, at which time Karen will come to your home for a home visit, then weekly visits until you give birth, labor and birth support including Karen’s birth assistant to help her. Also included is a full head-to-toe newborn assessment at the time of birth, a home postpartum visit for mom and baby at 36-48 hours and a 2 week and 6 week postpartum visit for mom and baby. Also included: continuous access to Karen for urgent and emergent support between visits through 6 weeks postpartum. If you are within 30 minutes of Karen, you will receive a travel discount.

$7,000 USD · Flat rate

What to expect

My services include comprehensive prenatal care (hour-long prenatal appointments monthly through 28 weeks, then every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, at which time I come to your home for a home visit, then weekly appointments until you give birth), Labor and birth support through at least 2-4 hours postpartum (until mom and baby are stable) including a birth assistant to assist me and a full head-to-toe newborn exam, and postpartum care for mom and baby including a home visit within 48 hours postpartum plus postpartum appointments at 2 weeks and 6 weeks and continuous access for urgent and emergent questions throughout pregnancy, labor and postpartum. I’m on-call for my clients during their due window. In the case of the need for a hospital transfer, I will stay with my client until 2 hours after their birth for labor and birth doula support and will continue to provide follow-up care through 6 weeks postpartum to mom and baby.

Reviews for Karen Gartner

5.0 17 reviews
5.0

Karen is absolutely amazing - very knowledgeable, and so kind and compassionate. I highly recommend her! She gave me trust: trust in myself and also trust in her - I knew I was in good hands - which are both so important in the process of giving life. Her support was excellent, from start to finish, and also on all levels, whether physical, mental or emotional. She made sure I was at my best for the birth, as we were able to detect and fix imbalances during the pregnancy. I really appreciated how she blends modern medicine with alternative and natural remedies, and also all the recommendations of books and resources she provided to educate myself. All the postpartum support was perfect too, she actively followed up on my baby's and my own health and well-being. I feel like my words are not enough to describe how grateful I am that she was my midwife. Thank you for everything, Karen!

— Gwendoline Gonzales

5.0

Choosing Karen for our second child’s birth was absolutely the right move. I appreciated her long and personal prenatal appointments, the relationship she builds over the nine months, and her ability to answer questions outside appointments. She uses both western and alternative medicine with care and discretion and full informed consent. The real clincher was watching her handle multiple potentially scary complications at the end of pregnancy so quickly and confidently and gently that it didn’t register as anything concerning. It can feel like a lot of pressure to choose your provider so early in pregnancy without really knowing them, but I have no doubts about returning to Karen for any future pregnancies and births- she is the best of hands. PS she is the best with older (toddler) siblings!

— Emma Wright

5.0

I feel so blessed to have been able to have Karen as my midwife. I knew from the beginning I didn't want a hospital birth, but things weren't looking up for me. I was so unhappy with the lack of care I was receiving at Novant; notes in my chart about things that were untrue, never happened, or never discussed. I needed someone who actually cared about us, not the money being paid for these 10 minute appointments we were driving to that were over an hour away. When things are meant to be, all the pieces fall into place- and fall into place is what they did. From researching birth centers due to initially not being able to do a home birth to being recommended to her by other midwives/locations, Karen's name kept coming up! Things kept circling back to her. But I didn't have the space so I knew there was no way I could do it. But, again, when things are meant to be, they will be. She just so happen to have a cancellation when I reached out. I felt good about our conversation. It was like I'd talked to her before and she already knew my concerns. I could/can text her any time and she always answered/answers, never making me feel as though I'm bothering her. Questions about me or my baby were/are always welcomed/welcome. It was a win, so much so that I'm looking to begin work by her side! If ever you're looking for someone who's passionate about her work and her clients, Karen is your woman. You won't feel like a number or dollar sign. I'll always sing her praises. She was just who we needed.

— Hanna

Ready to talk with Karen?

Free to send. Karen usually responds within an hour.

Certifications, training, and specialties

Certification and training

  • Birth Doula Certification (2017)
  • Childbirth Educator Certification (2017)
  • Certified Professional Midwife (2023)

Education

  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (2000)

Languages

  • English

Credentials

BSN-RN CPM LM

Specialties

Home Birth

Certifications, training, and credentials are listed by the provider. Bornbir doesn't verify them, so ask Karen for a copy of any certificate you rely on.

Fake credentials, a no-show, or someone using Karen's name? Tell our support team.

Frequently asked questions

Who is a candidate for homebirth?

Homebirth is ideal for low-risk mothers who do not have serious medical conditions or pregnancy complications. If you are unsure whether you are a good candidate, text Karen to set up a free phone consultation and she can tell you if you are a good candidate for homebirth.

What happens if there is an emergency?

Homebirth midwives are well-trained to handle common birth emergencies. Karen carries emergency medications to help stop bleeding in the case of a postpartum hemorrhage. Some babies need help getting started breathing. Karen is certified on Out of Hospital Newborn Resuscitation and regularly practices with her birth assistants to be ready to step in and help if a baby needs it. Most birth emergencies do not happen out of nowhere in a low-risk mother. There are usually warning signs. If those warning signs show up during your labor and birth, Karen will discuss what she is seeing and help you make a wise decision about whether or not a hospital transfer is necessary. If a hospital transfer is necessary before your baby is born, Karen will come with you to the hospital to continue offering support to you, your partner and your baby.

Isn’t homebirth Messy?

Actually it’s really not normally very messy! We use disposable pads to absorb the mess and many mothers choose waterbirth which contains the mess nicely and is easily drained with a pump into the toilet. Your birth team will clean up any messes, drain the birth pool, wash the birth laundry for you and take out the trash.

What additional support do you offer your?

Karen hosts free, monthly Moms Circle Meetings in her home for expectant and new mothers. We discuss a variety of topics including: baby-wearing, comfort measures in labor, home remedies for families, processing your birth, getting started with breastfeeding and many more! These meetings are the second Saturday of each month from 10:30-12:30pm you do not need to be a client of Karen’s to join and you are welcome to invite your friends! Babies and toddlers are always welcome. Text Karen to register for the next meeting!

How much does Karen charge?

Karen's Comprehensive Midwifery Services package is $7,000 USD, flat rate.

Service area

Karen is based in Gaffney, South Carolina.

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