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The list below shares with you 15 FUN facts you MAY find during prenatal care visits with midwives who practice out of hospital - in free standing birthing centers and home settings in the United States. Other countries may have slightly different models, but authentic midwifery practice shares many common core philosophies of care. As you begin learning about midwives you’ll also find is that while some midwives practice from their offices or birth center, other midwives do home visits. Remember that each midwife and practice differ from one another in some ways, and they may offer similar or different services, but there are a few things you can expect from a highly skilled, classically trained out of hospital midwife in the US. They are:
- Time – as in actual time for connecting and developing a relationship with your midwife; so that you can ask your questions and speak about your concerns. Time for the midwife to ask you the questions she needs to make assessments about your health and wellbeing, so she can best guide and support you.
- Continuity of care; the midwife (or one of the 1-2 partners if in a small group practice) you see during your prenatals will most likely be the midwife who attends your birth.
- A big heart; your midwife will give you every ounce of her heartfelt knowledge, expertise and care for you and your baby. You may just feel so close with your midwife after a while, she is like your best big sister or wise friend.
- Education; your midwife will educate you and your loved ones about your body and what’s happening, and what to expect along your childbearing journey. This includes diagrams and models of pregnant moms and babies, placentas, umbilical cords, membranes and pelvises. Your midwife might just have a mirror for anatomy lessons of your own body if you are interested.
- Tea and healthy snacks during your visit; and a safe space to share, laugh, or cry.
- Inspirational quotes, affirmations and art about pregnancy, giving birth, breastfeeding, baby wearing and mothering.
- Pictures of graduates on the wall and/or in photo albums.
- A collection of thank you notes and birth stories (love letters) in collages and/or scrapbooks.
- Midwifery text books and a lending library of books and DVDs on pregnancy, natural childbirth, breastfeeding and newborn care.
- Enough seating arrangements for the whole family and even some friends, as well as toys and books for the little ones.
- Hands; your midwife’s hands are skillful both in their assessment AND the supportive touch they offer.
- Tools; your midwife carries with her the clinical skills you seek and want as well as all the supplies and knowledge of them that she could possibly need for your pregnancy. These include equipment such as blood pressure cuff and stethoscope, fetoscope, Doppler and gel for checking baby’s heart rate, scale, measuring tape for assessing the height and growth of your uterus, and lab supplies for checking your blood, urine, screening for infection and pap smear as needed AND so much more! If she uses an exam table, the stirrups will be covered with oven mitts, and it will probably have a nice comfortable and decorative sheet and pillow on it, with a stool for climbing up and down or for the little ones to be involved.
- A boutique, where you can buy needed supplies, supplements and natural remedies, books, affirmation cards, birth kits, and rent a birth tub.
- Office and birth assistants; your midwife may also have students, apprentices, and even have a doula or two to choose from; she may have space to host childbirth classes, pregnancy and postpartum support groups, prenatal and postpartum yoga, parenting groups and all sorts of relevant helpful workshops and events.
- Needed medical and midwifery knowledge and clinical skills; and she will also be familiar with and use a variety of holistic, alternative and natural modalities that can help you during and after pregnancy.
As you go about choosing your midwife and planning for your birth, you might want to ask yourself what is important for you from the above list. Does your midwife offer some of these things, or what you feel you want and need? You may even want to start writing down questions now in a journal, so when you meet her - you have them handy.
To learn more about different kinds of midwives, check out this month's blog at www.homesweethomebirth.com/blog/midwives
For ideas here is a great link with 44 Questions for your Midwife.
http://birthwithoutfearblog.com/2013/01/01/44-questions-for-your-midwife/
Find a midwife (birth center and homebirth) in your area
Midwifes Alliance North America: State by State listing of midwifes and birth centers
http://mana.org/about-midwives/state-by-state
In NY state
nyhomebirth.com
America College of Nurse Midwives: Find a Midwife
http://www.midwife.org/find-a-midwife
Birth Partners: Find a Midwife
http://www.midwifesearch.com
Mothers Naturally: Find a Midwife
http://mothersnaturally.org/midwives/findAMidwife.php
Pregnant? ----- For more information about what you can do to have a healthy pregnancy, prepare your for a deeply positive and rewarding childbirth experience, learn skills of relaxation and coping you can practice to easily tap into during labor and birth, understand about the anatomy and physiology of labor and pregnancy, and for all the inspiration you need to feel confident and empowered, take Home Sweet Homebirth's Online Comprehensive Childbirth Education Course
Click the link below to purchase this course at an incredible value of only $79.99!
The course includes ten videos, ranging from optimal health in pregnancy, to coping techniques, to tips for partners, to the postpartum period, newborn care and breastfeeding! Plus, it includes many bonus materials, such as an interactive workbook, tea and herbal infusion recipes, a birth preferences checklist, birth supply lists, and more! It is everything you need to help you give birth YOUR way!
Don’t forget to sign up for our FREE healthy living ebook
for Anne’s recommendations for optimal health in pregnancy and beyond
JOIN our free private Home Sweet Homebirth Support Group and Community on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/153770721702687/ …to connect with, support and receive support from other like-minded mamas!
If you are interested in learning more, read our prior newsletters which cover a variety of topics from midwifery care to placentas, families to doulas, birth to breastfeeding 101 click: http://homesweethomebirth.com/newsletters/
Click the link below to purchase this course at an incredible value of only $79.99!
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Anne shows how relaxed, fun, and comfortable out of hospital midwifery can be.
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