Quintessential Midwifery: Chehalis midwife delivers 200th baby

Chehalis-based midwife Renee Terralumina delivered — or “caught,” as they say in the birthing world — her 200th baby this past month.

The milestone was celebrated by the Quintessential Birth Services team, and every 100th birth is recognized as an important milestone for midwives among midwifery professionals.

“I am exceedingly honored to do this work for families, especially in rural areas, and to make midwifery services more accessible to families living here in our region,” Terralumina said of her accomplishment in a news release. “Supporting families, facilitating home births and making birth services accessible is my life’s work, and I can’t wait to welcome the next 100 babies.”

Terralumina graduated from the Midwives College of Utah and studied with midwife Kara Neff as her preceptor for five years before completing additional training at Heritage Birth Center in Alaska, later assisting midwife Laura Hamilton at the end of her career.

Terralumina has been a licensed, certified practicing midwife since 2020. In her free time, Terralumina tends to her garden adjacent to the clinic building and raises Angora rabbits for wool production.

Quintessential Birth Services provides primary prenatal, birth and postpartum care for low-risk pregnancies to those who would like to experience a natural childbirth at home or in a birthing room.

Quintessential Birth Services was founded on Jackson Highway in Chehalis shortly after Terralumina earned her midwifery certification with the intent to serve families in Lewis, Cowlitz and Thurston counties. Quintessential Birth Services has since provided midwifery services and doula support for hundreds of families across Southwest Washington during home and hospital births. Their office location in Chehalis features a waiting area, clinic room and two fully-appointed family labor and birthing suites, with an anticipated birth center expansion envisioned in the future as the practice grows. The clinic also features the modern obstetrics  technology that most people expect, including ultrasound imaging and non-stress testing equipment on site.

Quintessential Birth Services is qualified to accept most health care insurance plans, including Apple Health and Medicaid. Quintessential Birth Services also offers co-managed care and accepts late transfers.

Quintessential Birth Services is located just south of the Chehalis city limits at 2175 Jackson Highway, next to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and across the street from St. John’s Lutheran Church.

To learn more about Quintessential Birth Services, visit quintessentialbirth.com.