Midwifery Care for Families in Reading, PA
Reading is a river city at the foot of Mount Penn, and families here deserve care that feels personal. Cardinal Birth Midwifery, led by Abby Iovine, a traditional midwife, offers midwifery care built on listening, informed choice, and respect for your family's values.
Appointments are unhurried, so you have time to ask questions and understand your options. Prenatal visits, birth, and postpartum and newborn care all happen in your home. Whether home birth is a good fit for you depends on your health and circumstances, and we will talk it through together honestly.
Photo: The Pagoda on Mount Penn, Reading, by Bitoffish, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
What to expect
Here is what you can expect when you work with Cardinal Birth Midwifery:
A free phone or video consult first, with no pressure to commit
Prenatal visits that focus on you as a whole person, not just a checklist
Shared decision-making, with clear information so you can choose what feels right
Birth and postpartum care, with a plan in place for what to do if plans change
About Abigail Iovine
I'm Abby. I founded Cardinal Birth in 2013 after five years of apprenticeship under local midwifery elders.
I'm a mother of ten. Four hospital births. Six at home — three with a midwife, three unassisted. I am not theorizing about what birth can look like when it's left alone. I know.
I've attended births across this region for over a decade. I bring emergency preparedness, deep experience, and the kind of calm that only comes from having seen a lot of births — including my own.
You are the lead in your care. My job is to make sure you stay that way.
Reading families, from row homes to Mount Penn.
Reading was laid out in 1743 by Richard and Thomas Penn with Pennsylvania German pioneer Conrad Weiser and established in 1748. The region was settled by emigrants from southern and western Germany, Pennsylvania Dutch was spoken here well into the 1950s, and the first Amish community in the New World is credited to the Greater Reading area. Today it is the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania, set between the Schuylkill River and Mount Penn, where the 1908 Pagoda overlooks the rooftops. Most residents are of Hispanic or Latino heritage (68.9% in the 2020 census). Families live in Reading's neighborhoods, in neighboring boroughs like Wyomissing, West Reading, Shillington, Sinking Spring, Mohnton, Laureldale, and Mount Penn, and on the farms beyond.
We bring traditional midwifery care to your home, with prenatal visits, birth attendance, and postpartum and newborn visits. First-time parents, big households, and homeschoolers are all welcome, and children are welcome at visits and at the birth. Your home visit covers the practical details, from parking and stairs to where the birth space will be. Consults by phone or video are free.
Hospital transfer and honesty about our care. Every family gets a plan. As part of our care model, we identify the nearest appropriate hospital to your home and explain how a transfer would work. Which hospital that is depends on where you live, and you can look at Pennsylvania hospitals, blood banks, and EMS on our Safe Passages map. Pennsylvania does not license traditional midwives, so we do not have collaboration or backup arrangements with physicians, and Cardinal Birth is not state-licensed. We tell every family that up front.
Frequently asked questions
Do you serve Reading, PA? Yes. Cardinal Birth Midwifery serves Reading and nearby Berks County communities, including Wyomissing, West Reading, Shillington, and Sinking Spring. We serve Pennsylvania only.
What happens if I need to go to the hospital? Where you would transfer depends on where you live. As part of our care model, we identify the nearest appropriate hospital to your home and walk you through how a transfer would work. You can also explore Pennsylvania hospitals, blood banks, and EMS on our Safe Passages map: https://www.pamidwife.com/safe-passages-map
Do you work with a doctor or have backup providers? No. Pennsylvania does not license traditional midwives, so Cardinal Birth Midwifery does not have formal collaboration or backup arrangements with physicians. Cardinal Birth is not state-licensed, and we tell every family that up front.
Where we serve in Reading
Reading is in Berks County. We serve Reading and nearby communities in Berks County and surrounding Pennsylvania counties. We serve Pennsylvania only, so we are not able to care for families outside the state.
Our towns near you:
Reading
Wyomissing
West Reading
Shillington
Sinking Spring
Mohnton
Laureldale
Mount Penn
Nearby areas we also serve: Berks County · Lehigh Valley · Montgomery County · Carbon & Schuylkill
Ready to talk?
Book a free consult. Phone and video consults are free. Book a time here or email cardinalbirth@gmail.com. Bring your questions, your family, and your hopes, and Abby will be honest about what care with Cardinal Birth Midwifery can and cannot offer you.