Serving the San Antonio, Boerne, Elmendorf, Floresville, Karnes City, New Braunfels, Pleasanton and surrounding areas, including most areas in the following counties: Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Blanco, Comal, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Wilson, and surrounding counties in South Central Texas.

Newborn baby's smiling eyes

Claudine Crews LM, CPM Janet Dirmeyer LM, CPM

Licensed and Certified Professional Midwives

Home Birth Specialists

From Janet Dirmeyer:

Professional Training and Qualifications

My training began in 1980 with Agape Midwifery Services. After 2 years of apprenticeship I founded Special Delivery Midwifery Services. In 1983 I co-founded the San Antonio Midwives Association (SAMA) and co-wrote the SAMA certification exam.

Education has always been a top priority. I served on the Association of Texas Midwives (ATM) Education Committee for 20 years and served on the ATM Board of Directors for approximately 12 years, serving 1 term as ATM President. I have served ATM as a Preceptor, training apprentices, since 1987 and have taught many midwifery related workshops and courses for ATM. I have been responsible for the training of many midwives in Texas.

I am licensed with the Texas Department of Health Services (TDHS) and am certified with the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) as a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). I participate in regular continuing education and peer review, and maintain certification in Neonatal Resuscitation and CPR.

I serve am serving on the Texas Department of Health Services (TDHS) Midwifery Board and am a member of the Midwifery Board Grievance Committee. I have been actively involved with lobbying for midwifery at the state capitol.

From Claudine Crews:

Professional Training and Qualifications

I have actually trained to become a midwife twice!

My education in midwifery began in 1982 with the Association of Texas Midwives training program. After my son was born in 1982 I began an apprenticeship with three San Antonio Midwives. I completed my training late in 1983. During that time I also worked as a volunteer in labor and delivery, mostly labor coaching, at Medical Center Hospital in San Antonio, TX from 1983 - 1987. It gave me a clear picture of the potential risks and consequences of various practices common in hospital birth and reinforced my belief and faith in rightness of natural birth.

In 1986 I passed the voluntary Texas Health Department basic midwifery exam, and I also passed The San Antonio Midwives Association exam.

I practiced in partnership with another San Antonio midwife as Pregnancy and Birth Midwifery Services until the end of 1989.

In 1989 I made the difficult decision to quit midwifery for family reasons. By 1990 I was no longer attending births, but never was able to forget about it! Midwifery is not job, it is a calling! In 2002 I had a grandchild on the way - and my son and daughter-in-law wanted a home birth with me as their midwife! I contacted Janet Dirmeyer and asked if I could go to some births with her. She agreed, and I immediately knew it was time to get back to where I belonged! During those 12 years Texas laws were changed to require a license to practice midwifery. Texas recognizes the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) qualification for licensing so, since I already had 8 years experience in midwifery, I chose the NARM CPM route for state licensing. I completed a two year apprenticeship with Janet Dirmeyer (Special Delivery Midwifery, San Antonio, TX.), completed all NARM requirements for CPM certification, and then obtained my Texas License.

Midwifery education is a passion of mine. I am the Course Coordinator for the Association of Texas Midwives Midwifery Training Program, and am also an instructor and preceptor for the program. I serve on both the Association of Texas Midwives and the San Antonio Area Midwives education committees. I have taught numerous workshops to both student and experienced midwives.

For a listing of workshops and continuing education I've participated in click here.

I am affiliated with the following organizations:

The Association of Texas Midwives (Course Coordinator and Preceptor)
The San Antonio Area Midwives Association
Midwives Alliance of North America
International Confederation of Midwives (ICM)
Citizens For Midwifery
International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN)
President of the San Antonio Midwives Association from 1985 - 1989

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For a free consultation contact:

Midwifery Services of South Texas

jdirmeyer10@gmail.com

midwifeservices@gmail.com

See the Contact page for more information.

Permission to reprint pregnancy and childbirth information contained within this website with attribution

No photographs may be copied or used without written permission

Meet The Midwives

Meet Janet Dirmeyer

Janet Dirmeyer

When I began my midwifery training I had already had 3 hospital births. I met a midwife at my church that had just had a baby at home and I was intrigued. I bombarded her with questions until she finally asked me if I wanted to train with her. Wow! I was so honored. After 1 year with this midwife I became pregnant and gave birth to my youngest son at home. It was official!!! I was in love! First of all with my adorable son, and secondly, with midwifery. I have been in awe of birth ever since. I often say that if I ever loose that awe it will be time to retire. Needless, to say I am still in love. There are very few professions that offer the fulfillment and rewards that midwifery does. To think that God has so blessed me with such an amazing opportunity still thrills me.

I believe that God has created women with this incredible ability to give birth and because of His creation I believe with everything in that woman are able and equipped to birth their babies.

During my career as a midwife I have raised 4 children and was married for 35 years. In 2003 my loving husband was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. After 3 years of fighting and receiving all kinds of experimental treatment, he went to be with the Lord. I miss him terribly but it was he who prepared me the most for his leaving. He was an amazing man who loved God more than he loved me. That made him able to love me.

I opened Special Delivery Birth Center in 2003 which was open for 3 years. After the death of my husband I chose to close the birth center and take a couple of years off. I still did births but not as many. I am so grateful to my clients and friends who helped me through that rough time of grief.

I currently have 5 grandchildren who are my life! I was honored to have delivered 2 of them. They certainly keep me young and very happy.

I am currently partnering with Claudine Crews and working privately. Midwifery is so much more than a job or career or profession. It is a privilege! Birth is more than an event or bodily function. It is a miracle! I am honored that God has allowed me to be with women during this blessed time in their lives.

If I can be of any assistance to you or you would like to ask questions about midwifery, please feel free to contact us. We would be happy to answer your questions.

Meet Claudine Crews

Claudine Crews and baby

I am happily married and the mother of 4 grown children. My own birth experiences were the foundation for my belief in the inherent strength of women and the normalcy of birth.

My first two children were born in hospitals. When I became pregnant with my third child in 1982 I knew there had to be a better way. I happened to read a magazine article about home birth and decided to look into this as an option. I found a midwife and everything fell into place! My midwife gave me much better care than I had received during my previous pregnancies and births. In fact, I was so inspired by her that this was when I made my decision to become a midwife, and I began my training during that pregnancy. When I went into labor she came immediately, and it was a good thing since I was in labor for less than 2 hours from the very first contraction. In spite of experiencing a postpartum hemorrhage, handled very professionally by my midwife, it was a wonderful, empowering, and awesome experience. No one took my baby away from me, and both my son and I were always treated with gentleness and respect. This was birth the way it was meant to be!

My 4^th son was born at home in Jan. 1985. This birth was much longer and more difficult then previous births. My baby was not in a good position, and it turned out he had the cord wrapped around his body and neck several times. I pushed for nearly 4 hours before he was finally born. If I had been in a hospital I would have been given a C-Section rather than being 'allowed' to push that long. As it was, I gave birth to a very healthy, squalling boy with APGAR scores of 10 and 10. This could never have happened without the faith my midwives had, both in me and in birth itself.