Immanuel Birth Co.

Immanuel Birth Co. is the midwifery practice of Jodi Blair, certified nurse midwife, serving women and families in Topeka and surrounding areas. She provides complete evidence-based prenatal, birth and postpartum care for families seeking out of hospital birth. Well woman care is also offered in our clinic.

Most insurance plans are accepted.

What is the difference between a home birth and a birth center birth?

There is very little difference between a home birth and a birth center birth. The services provided by the midwife are the same. The equipment, medications and supplies that are available at the birth center are brought to your home by the midwife. “We bring the birth center to you!”

What happens if we need to transfer to the hospital?

We will discuss why and how transports occur and make a plan with each client during the course of your prenatal care, so should the need arise we are well prepared.

Who attends the birth with you?

A birth assistant will always attend births with me. I believe it is the safest and best practice to bring an assistant to every birth that I attend. We will arrive during active labor and stay until both mom and baby are stable after birth.

We are a small practice and do our best to give the time and attention to every call that comes in to our clinic. Sometimes this means that you may need to leave a message for a return call. We return medical-related calls the same day. We will return all non-medical calls within 1-2 business days. To view our Notice of Privacy Practice for Protected Health Information, click here.

Jodi Blair, Ph.D, CNM

I’ve known that I wanted to work in maternity care since my first day in labor and delivery as a nursing student. My first baby was born at the freestanding birth center in Topeka in 1981. Those two events started my commitment to promoting low-tech, low-intervention birth for women. Even more important than natural birth is the respect and empowerment women feel when they take responsibility and authority for their birth instead of being expected to follow procedures and do what they are told.

I graduated from Stormont–Vail school of nursing in 1981, earned a BSN in 1986 and went on to earn a master’s in maternal/child nursing, and a doctorate in adult education. I began working at the Birth and Women’s Center in 1990 as an RN, and then as a midwife from 1996 to 2001. I took some time off to raise and family and teach pre-nursing at Allen Community College until returning to the Birth and Women’s Center in 2014. I became owner of the birth center in February of 2016. With the closure of the Birth and Women’s Center, Immanuel Birth Co. seemed a good option for women who desire low-intervention birth.

My faith is important to me and I view this work as a mission. I love getting to know families and watching them grow. The idea of Immanuel has been a strength for me – in times of hardship and trials I have relied on the God who is always with me. I pray regularly for clients and for myself as a provider, to have wisdom and discernment.

Eileen Greenham, CNM

Eileen has been a certified nurse midwife since 1990, before which she worked as a registered nurse in ICU, medical-surgical nursing, and rehabilitation. Her experience as a CNM has been in birth centers, hospitals and home birth settings. Eileen grew up in East Africa, and as an adult she’s lived in many different places. Her children were born in Congo; her two grandchildren were born at home here in Kansas. “I loved working at the Birth & Women’s Center mainly because of the women who came to the center. I feel strongly that women experiencing normal, low risk pregnancies should have the option of having a low intervention, out of hospital birth if that is desired. I so enjoy getting to know the women and their families during their pregnancies, at their births and postpartum, as well as at their well woman visits. It is a privilege and a joy to help women feel empowered.”

Kelly Greene

I began working at the Birth & Women’s Center (formerly Holistic Birth & Growth Center) in July 1989 shortly after giving birth there. I believe women deserve choices and respect during childbirth, regardless of where they choose to give birth. My great grandmother worked in a maternity home and assisted at home births and I feel like I inherited some of my passion for supporting women during birth from her.

I have had two out of hospital births – one at the birth center and one at home. Jodi was present at the home births of both my son and my granddaughter.

I have been the office manager at the birth center for over twenty years, working with Jodi on and off throughout that time. I will continue to provide billing services for our home birth practice. I have enjoyed teaching childbirth classes over the past 25 years and will continue to do so with Immanuel Birth Co.

From 2011 to 2015, I worked as a home birth assistant with Emily Hester, CNM (Peaceful Path Midwifery).

I am excited to embark on this new journey with Jodi Blair.

Jodie Mayfield, APRN, CNM

Growing up in rural England, Jodie watched her dad farm from a young age. She observed the cycles of nature, and witnessed new life come into the world every spring. Jodie knew from a young age she had a calling to be a midwife. She started her career in the UK as a registered nurse in 1997, and then went onto qualify with a BSc Midwifery degree in 2005. After 10 years' experience as a midwife in the UK, she relocated to the U.S. where she obtained a MSc degree in nurse-midwifery from Philadelphia University.

She has worked in several care settings, including home birth, hospital care, birth centers and OBGYN clinics. She has been a part of hundreds of water births and has helped one-two thousand babies be born over the span of her career. She has worked independently, and in collaboration with physicians, but always under the direction of our Lord and Savior.

She has a strong background in physiological birth and believes in providing evidence-based and compassionate care, allowing time for women to be a part of a shared decision-making experience. She enjoys providing well-woman care, contraception and gynecological services, for every stage of a woman’s life, from teenager, adult, childbearing, perimenopause to post-menopause. She endeavors to provide non-judgmental, holistic care with cultural sensitivity in mind.

Jodie is married to Brian with two children. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, working out, hiking and travelling. Her husband is a native Topekan and works for a local missionary. She is thrilled to be working at Immanuel as it aligns with her care philosophy.