Owner : Richard B Whitfield

Chief Professional Consultant :  Jill F. Whitfield,RN, CNM, MSN

Jill has an interesting and fruitful life. She is thankful for all the blessings that life has offered her.

Jill became a nurse at an early age when she stumbled into an LPN program at age 17 (when she was a senior in high school). She thought that was a great idea and it would give her a great beginning in nursing and it did. She married Richard in 1972 (she did everything young) and continued to work toward her RN degree. She gave birth to her first daughter, in 1974 and completed her RN degree in 1977. She brought daughter number two into the world in 1978.

Her entire nursing career has centered around women and babies. She began teaching childbirth education in 1978 and still does it today after 40 years. Jill completed an education degree in 1983. What she really wanted to all along was go to Midwifery School… but the school was over 4 hours away and the family could not move so she shelved it. In 1999, Jill completed her first master’s degree in Nursing as a Women’s Health Clinical Nurse Specialist. It was really ironic as Jill came out of the auditorium and told her husband she could die happy now with the MSN, and he said, “You know there is one more time…” He knew what her dream always had been and was totally supportive. With both children out of college, it was now the time to go to Midwifery School. So, by the grace of God and 60,000 miles on the road, she graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina School of Nurse Midwifery in 2003. We do not know who cried the most, Jill or her family. That is what happens when dreams finally come true and God is in control.

The story continues as Jill went directly into a pure midwifery practice (another dream come true) and practiced in a Birth Center (www.themidwifegroup.com) with some awesome nurse midwives. One thing she enjoyed the most was giving women choice and empowerment in their childbearing experience.

She soon found that when they recommended certain items to their clients, that often the women did not know where or how to obtain the things they needed. The Birth Center (in Rincon, at the time) was a substantial drive from the next town where most of the things could be obtained. A divine voice kept telling her, over and over, that she needed to have these things readily available for the ladies. After brushing it off twice, she finally was obedient and “The Midwife’s Mercantile” was born in 2006.

The Birth Center eventually moved to Savannah, Ga and “The Mercantile” as it became known to the locals, moved with it.  It is located at 1692 Chatham Parkway in Savannah, Ga inside The Midwife Group Women’s Health and Birth Center.  Jill has retired from the midwifery practice at the Birth Center however The Midwife’s Mercantile is still alive and well.

Jill continues as the chief professional consultant at The Mercantile.  She offers many educational programs and classes to expectant couples and families and speaks at conferences and seminars. She now has the time to plant a garden, go sailing with her husband and spend more time with her children and granddaughters.  She will always await God’s next assignment(s) such as expanding the delivery area during Covid-19.

She made several promises when the business became a reality. 1) The business would be dedicated to the Glory of God. 2) The business would carry only organic and natural products. 3) It would never ever sell retail. And 4)  It would strive to buy American-made products.

She has quite a support team. Richard, Jill’s husband, (who retired from the military) is a saint and actually owns The Mercantile.  Her four children (2 birthed and 2 not birthed) are awesome. Among them is a marketing genius, a web builder, a retired banker and a business owner. What a support team!  Yes, it does take a village and a lot of prayer.

The Midwife’s Mercantile is, indeed, a ministry and as the slogan says, “We truly honor the women we serve!”

Just a side note,  Richard and Jill have never taken anything from The Mercantile.  They, being good stewards of God’s possessions, take the small but necessary profit and proceeds from product sales and classes and pay the bills. IF anything is left over, they turn it all back into the business by buying more requested products.  This enables “The Mercantile” to continue to serve women and their families.  They do know, however, that it must pay for itself because inventory, state and federal income and other unbelievable taxes, storage, insurance, business licenses, yearly state fees, webhosting, printing costs, etc are a reality.   So, when you purchase something, you are doing every family that uses the products, I huge favor.  And it is appreciated.  As they say, “Buy Local”!!!

If you do not find what you need, please let us know and we will do our best to get it for you.

Thank you for visiting our site.  God Bless each and every one of you !!!!  We pray for you everyday!

1 Peter 4: 10-11  ¹⁰Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.