Who We Are
Lead Midwife
Jessica Henman APRN, CNM, CPM, received her Master’s degree from Frontier Nursing University in 2010. Prior to becoming a midwife, Jessica worked internationally in humanitarian aid, practiced as a nurse in ER and cardiac surgery, and was a childbirth educator and doula here in St Louis. Jessica is very active in family and church life and supports the midwifery and mothering communities through her role on the Boards of the Missouri Affiliate of the American College of Nurse Midwives and The Sparrows Nest Teen Maternity Home as well as many other educational and community activities. She has lived in St Louis for most of her life and loves being a wife and the mother of 3 wonderful big kids.
During the pandemic I spent a year working with the Jazz Birth Center in NYC, you can see more about that adventure in these videos:
Apprentice Midwife
Carmen Southall-Wamhoff, LPN, ICCE, CLC is a wife, mother of 3 adult women, grandmother of 4. She works as a Women’s Educator at Mercy Hospital St.Louis. She also operates Angelic Deliveries LLC which provides Birth, Lactation, and Educational support to families in the metro area. Carmen is a LPN, International Certified Childbirth Educator (ICCE), Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) and a doula with 20 plus years experience. Birth work is Carmen’s passion; she is determined to fight for the mothers and babies in the St.Louis metro area. Carmen’s goal is to be a midwife, she is currently enrolled in a program to become a Certified Professional Midwife.
Apprentice Midwife
Emma Ginder has been a birth and postpartum doula in the St. Louis area for 6 years. In addition to supporting and serving families as a doula Emma is also a childbirth educator and birth photographer. Through evidence based and integrative education Emma helps to educationally prepare families for their most transformative journey. Her passion and deep desire to truly help families in an integrative and evidence based way has propelled her to pursue further education to become a Certified Professional Midwife. Emma is currently in school to become a CPM. Along with being a birth worker, Emma is mom to a sweet and silly 6 year old Sam and partner to her college sweetheart Joe.
Our story
Why the name Primrose?
The primrose can be nearly any shade from deep red to bright yellow to palest pink but they all have the same beauty at their center. Although it appears soft and delicate, it is strong and can thrive in almost any surroundings. It is often the first flower to bloom in spring and maintains its beauty throughout changing weather. The primrose has been used in healing for many centuries, and in poetry represents the grace and strength of women, as well as youth and passion.
Why do you offer birth at home?
Jessica's 20 year career as a birth worker has allowed her to provide care through many different scenarios, but the care you receive at home can't be beat for putting the focus where it belongs- on you. There is no place that you will feel more comfortable and in control. In your home, you don't have to ask permission for where you can sit, whether you can have a snack or where the bathroom is that your loved ones are allowed to use.
We support every woman's right to choose the birth that is best for her, including in a facility, at home, with meds, without meds, surgical or vaginal. You should be supported in the right to give birth where and with whom you choose, and we are thrilled that so many options are available in the St Louis community today. Home birth is a vital option we are committed to making accessible to as many families as possible.
