Lisa Marie Oxenham, LM, CPM  & Richard Oxenham, Student Midwife


Serving Orange County, the Inland Empire and parts of Los Angeles County

Our Services

We are waterbirth experts.

Our passion and desire is to have clients experience the safety and peacefulness of birthing in water. We thoroughly educate everyone attending the birth so they are confident in birthing in water. Our expertise in the mechanics and process of birthing this way allows for a birthing experience like no other.

Complimentary consultation

The consultation can be conducted either in your home or online, whichever you prefer. We have a slide show that we present that covers our experience, our beliefs, birth complications and what is included in our services. We show videos of how we work and discuss our all-inclusive fee structure. We answer all questions that may arise. These sessions usually last a couple of hours.

Nutritional and physical fitness guidance and support

From our first meeting through birth, we provide clients with information designed to support their nutritional and physical fitness needs throughout pregnancy. Maintaining a healthy and nutritious diet during pregnancy supports brain development and healthy birth weight. We focus our nutritional counseling on preserving gut health. Engaging in pregnancy-safe exercise regularly also can help birth mothers prepare their bodies for the natural water birth process. 

Lisa Marie’s certification from the Fitness Professional Association as an Advanced Personal Trainer specializing in postpartum fitness uniquely positions her to guide appropriate diet and exercise for pregnant women before and after labor and delivery. 

Prenatal visits

The core of our care are the prenatal visits. We conduct them in your home as we believe it is best to meet where your child will be born. They usually last around an hour so we can cover physical, emotional and relational topics that come up. 

We have a schedule to come over monthly through 28 weeks of pregnancy, then twice a month until the 36 or 37-week mark. At that time, we have a prenatal visit we call the birth prep meeting. It is a 3-hour prenatal/class where we bring all your items for birthing at home and go over all the elements of birthing in water. It is an exciting meeting where you may invite anyone you wish to it, and it is mandatory for anyone who may be at the birth.

From the birth prep meeting on we will see you weekly until you go into labor.

Labor and delivery support

Our highest priority is your care and comfort in labor and in birth. We ask to be notified at the earliest inkling that your labor is starting. We use a contraction app that automatically notifies us when you are timing one. We love to come on the earlier side and set up our equipment so as to support you in the most caring way possible.

Postpartum care and support

We believe this is the area that gets the least amount of attention yet needs the greatest support. We attend to the mother and baby for at least 3-4 hours after the birth. We do not leave until both are doing well and resting comfortably.

If a transport is required, we will attend that as well if possible. The chosen hospital will be notified of the transport, who will be coming, the reason for the transport, and the medical records will be sent to them before the family arrives. That helps to ensure the transport gets everyone on the same page to maximize the care and support our client needs and deserves.

Whether the birth occurs at home or elsewhere, our clients stay in our care for six weeks after the birth. We come back between 24-48 hours after the birth to check on mama and baby, rule out early onset jaundice, check the pulse oximeter readings of the baby’s heart, and perform the newborn screening if desired. At a minimum we also come back around two weeks to check on everyone and weigh the baby, and then again at six weeks to do a full exam of both the mama and baby.

Other elements of our care

Other aspects of what we provide our clients include the following:

  • Cultural sensitivity.
  • Online documentation of the entire care process in a private account.
  • New client disclosures review and signing upon start of care.
  • Access to an extensive lending library for growth and education.
  • Complete birth kit, including pads, sponges, gloves, and cord clamp.
  • Birth tub and single-use liner for water labor and birth.
  • Birth certificate paperwork.
  • Breastfeeding consultation with an IBCLC expert.

Happy International Day of the Midwife to all who have midwifed me in various ways over the years. This is a perfect opportunity to introduce my student, Breana @mysticmothering, who spotted me during a birth and connected on multiple levels, sharing a mutual intention. She, along with La Kiesha @agapebirth_wellness round out our practice beautifully. You will be seeing more of her and Kiesha here! #students #studentmidwife #friends ...

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As a @SpinningBabies Aware Practitioner, I am keenly aware of the need for body work in pregnancy and postpartum. It is safe and supportive when done by someone who is specifically trained to support the pregnant and freshly delivered state.

These are unique phases where the body needs a different kind of care—slower, more intentional, and responsive to the nervous system.

I’ve recently started referring some of my clients to Cameron, and it’s been really supportive to have someone I trust to send people to.

The work is gentle, attuned, and focused on helping the body settle—not just working on tension, but supporting regulation and recovery as a whole.

If you’re currently pregnant, or postpartum and feeling like your body could use more support, this is something worth exploring. If you’re a person supporting someone who is pregnant you may need some self care too! Cameron, like us, is a fully mobile practice.

You can connect with him here → @knotsandhands.sd
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My student Breana @mysticmothering was at a baby shower when a fellow midwife asked her who her Preceptor was. The midwife then asked “Is it true that she keeps her birth tubs cold?” Breana, surprised, said no and inquired about why I might do that. “To shock the babies, so that they breath”….something to that effect. As many of you are aware I enjoy the science aspect of waterbirth, but more importantly is the babies experience of their birth as well as the mother’s experience. I have never promoted cold water as that is such a shock to the nervous system. The typical range is anywhere from 96 , if it’s a hot day/room, to 98 degrees. Baby does not need to be shocked to breathe: they breathe when they are introduced to the atmosphere. Many of you know the rest as some of my videos explain it quite thoroughly. We got a good laugh from that!! Richard is performing step 8 from our notebook we leave at the home at the Birth Prep Meeting: smooth the creases out! #waterbirth #homebirth #naturalbirth ...

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So….we got a dog! For those of you who know us will appreciate what a big deal this is. This is Hank and we knew him for 9 months before we got him. His family had to move and couldn’t keep all the animals they had. We had said “If you ever have to surrender Hank, we want first dibs”. It’s like he was always ours. He has been to 3 births, hanging out in the temperature controlled van. He LOVES the van. #midwifedog #miniaustralianshepard #deafdogsrock ...

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@MallorieBedard3 had a difficult first planned homebirth that ended in a necessary cesarean, with a different midwife team. We had been booked solid when she sought us out the first time aound so we were thrilled to be able to shepherd her with her second pregnancy. Story coming soon! Thank you @doulatamij Splendid hvbac! #vbac #homebirth #midwives #daughters ...

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When you attend a baby shower and see your other mamas and babies! ...

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So this happened…

I had the privilege of caring for my beautiful niece/client, @karamariefagan, and her partner, @zaidkdahhaj, throughout their pregnancy. During labor, after thoughtful discussion, we decided to transport due to a lack of descent and the need for pain management. As a former athlete with a background in gymnastics, soccer, diving, volleyball, and track, Kara faced unique challenges related to past injuries—something we cover in depth during our Birth Prep class so families understand all their options.

I accompanied them to the hospital, where it was later determined that a cesarean was necessary. At some point, Kara developed a fever, but the hospital team managed it well. Months later, I was shocked to learn that I was being investigated for negligence—not by the family, but by the hospital itself. Initially, I thought perhaps Kara’s dad, a doctor, had concerns, but that didn’t add up. He had attended our consultation and the Birth Prep class and understood exactly how we approach care.

It turns out the hospital initiated the investigation. I hadn’t fully realized that even when families choose to transport, hospitals can still take issue. @zaidkdahhaj may weigh in here, but this experience has been eye-opening in many ways.

Midwives, birth workers, families—have you experienced anything like this? Let’s talk about it.
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Working with Surrogacy requires a unique awareness. How each phrase is worded matters in a whole new way. Things I’m used to saying to a pregnant mama don’t quite translate the same way when speaking to a mama through IVF. One mama is serving and surrendering, the other is receiving and preparing. The beautiful shared bond between these two mothers was the life blood of this birth. I’ve noticed that first babies of any type (for either parent) usually have longer labors that match the need for deep surrender and humility. I prepared Rachael for this reality knowing that though Rachael had children prior- this labor would be more akin to giving birth for the first time as energetically it was for Sam and Jesse to become parents for the first time. The Birth Day Prep class was tailored to address some of the subtle nuance this situation would call for so that on the birthing day we all felt as prepared as possible. Even the immediate postpartum was very interesting! I had one mama that I had to monitor for bleeding and recovery while guiding the other through establishing bonding. For keeping the uterus toned and tight, being around Zion was important for Rachael. Richard was indispensable in navigating the two very different needs of each of the two fathers present, providing them the grounding and support that was so needed.

This was truly a moving experience as we were able to expand our learning with such beautiful souls!

We recognize that surrogacy & IVF can be controversial topics, however this is not the forum for debate. Please respect the journeys of these beautiful families.

#surrogacy #IVF #homebirth #waterbirth #waterbaby #surrogate #midwife #midwifelife #babies #birthphotography #naturalbirth #birthstory #birth
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How do midwives recuperate? We hug cows. @thegentlebarn ...

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The fully narrated story of Barbie & David’s beautiful twin birth! If you’d rather read the story than listen, it’s in the comments.

Narrated by: @catcassio
Sound design & editing by: @cassio.creative

#waterbirth #naturalbirth #homebirth #twinbirth #twins #twinsisters #spinningbabies #breech #breechbirth #waterbaby #midwife #doula #midwifelife #birthstory
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