My name is Erin Sweeney. I am midwife and herbalist in Hailey, Idaho. I have been attending births for almost thirty years now, and I have run a homebirth practice for eighteen years. While I have also worked in a busy birth center, I prefer slow midwifery.
My practice is rooted in fierce commitment to women’s sovereignty, to the embodiment of women’s ways of knowing, and to maternal-child attachment. Midwifery is my devotion to the wildness of life, to unwavering holy mother love.
My other services include plant medicine, women’s health, pelvic work, and death accompaniment for the dying and their loved ones (see below).
To schedule an appointment with me, please visit my scheduling page. Thank you. May love and laughter light your days and warm your heart and home!
Erin
Midwifery + Homebirth
Giving birth at home feels right for many women and families. Homebirth honors the continuum of our innate, female wisdom and the sacredness of birthing and welcoming a child. It is a commitment to self-responsibility and to being receptive to the initiation of birth.
Idaho has the highest state homebirth rate in the country. Some neighboring states’ counties have near 20% of births occurring at home or in birth centers.
Homebirth may be a good fit for you if….
- You sense that the privacy and comfort of your home will help you surrender more deeply into labor and birth.
- You want a maternity care provider who understands that birth is an instinctive and wild process that usually works best without interference.
- Who understands equally the complex physiologic blueprint of birth, that it is an unparalleled sacred rite of passage, and that sometimes medical tools are necessary.
- Who is committed to guiding you with love and reverence as your motherhood story unfolds.
Click here to learn more about my homebirth services. Click here to learn about why homebirth matters.
Bio-intelligent Women’s Health
Our female ecology is ancient. It includes the natural wisdom of our bodies, the wisdom of the Earth, and the wisdom of our lived experience. When the female ecology is out of sync, or already in a disease state, the body is constantly working to right the course. Our bodies are always striving for flow. I help women to understand and correct the blocks, kinks, and depletion underlying their symptoms. This is whole-woman care.
I work with women who:
Are struggling with imbalances in their bodies which have led to chronic symptoms, pain, or disease.
Are ready to prioritize their physical and emotional bodies.
Are curious about how their whole life experiences have shaped their current health concerns.
Are ready to take make space in their lives for deep nourishment and lifestyle changes to support their vitality.
My approach to women’s health includes the principles and treatments of western herbalism, vitalism, ayurveda, connective tissue biology, somatic movement, visceral manipulation, traditional and contemporary womb work, and the wise woman tradition. After a two hour initial intake, clients will have a sustainable and transformative treatment plan with actionable, easy to implement steps to move back into harmony.
Some of the more common conditions I work with:
- Anxiety, depression, and mood disturbances
- Exhaustion / Burnout
- Cognitive changes
- Chronic pain
- Immune dysfunction
- Fertility + Pre-conception
- Miscarriage and pregnancy loss
- Endometriosis, PCOS, fibroids, cysts
- Menstrual pain and irregular cycles
- Menopause symptoms
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
- Post-covid symptoms
Womb and Pelvic Work
I care for women through all our life passages and initiations. Our blood mysteries are the innate rhythms of our female ecology, from menarche to menopause and the crone years. Women are the creative center of life. The source and the cauldron at once. She creates, and she is that which she creates. This is the understanding I bring to my care of women’s bodies.
Opening up the flow of blood, lymph, nerve talk, and the vital life force pulsing through the ovaries, uterus, and root. Creating resonant patterns. Embodying the ancient and everlasting wisdom of our female lineage. My pelvic work includes:
- Womb warming therapies
- Holistic Pelvic Care™
- Maya Abdominal Massage
- Postpartum tending
- Cesarean recovery
- Hysterectomy support
- Vaginal and vulvar Pain
Botanical Medicine
My women’s clinic houses a dispensary of western, bio-regional plant medicine including tinctures, elixirs, syrups, teas, medicated oils, salves, and flower essences. I produce small-batch plant medicines in the Wood River drainage with plants I have either grown, ethically wildcrafted, or obtained from other advanced herbalists in their bio-region. Aside from a few staples, everything I make is custom blended for my clients.
During the fall and winter months I offer drop-in days for picking up plant medicine and visiting over a cup of tea. Please call ahead to confirm. New clients can schedule a consultation from the booking page.