The Valley community is confronting a challenge as Treasured Midwifery, a local service known for facilitating home births, has announced it is shutting down. Jenna Bowman, who was preparing for a home birth with her sixth child, is among those affected. She chose Treasured Midwifery primarily because one of their midwives had previously delivered her last child. "I knew Madeline from before, so I felt confident in her services," Bowman shared with ABC15.
Having paid over $6,000 for comprehensive care spanning prenatal to newborn follow-up appointments, Bowman attended only two or three before being informed about the imminent closing of the company. "I was shocked, I think," she stated in an ABC15 interview. Shortly after the announced closure, the company's attorney proposed a partial refund - a move that Bowman felt did not fully address the disruption caused.
The closure of Treasured Midwifery left clients scrambling for alternative arrangements late in their pregnancy journeys. The company's owner, despite financial setbacks including a drop in revenue and overhead costs, endeavored to source funds for refunds at his own expense. "Refund amounts were calculated based on services provided and the nonrefundable amount stated in each contract and almost all clients accepted the offer while it was available," Daryl Manhart, the attorney for Treasured Midwifery, conveyed through ABC15.
In her pursuit of a new birth plan, Bowman was fortunate to reconnect with the midwife she knew from Treasured Midwifery, agreeing to handle her home birth at an added expense. She told Yahoo News that the situation highlights a need for regulatory updates to better protect clients and ensure the viability of such businesses in the future.
