Is a Midwife Right For you? Here's 6 Reasons Why You Might Hire One

/ Cincinnati Birth Center/
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When it comes to choosing a care provider for childbirth, it can be hard to know what’s right for you - especially if you’re a first-time mother. Understanding the differences in providers and what they do is important to having a comfortable and safe birth experience. Is hiring a doula or midwife right for you?

First thing’s first -

WHAT IS A DOULA?
A doula provides emotional and physical support for pregnant mothers and their families during labor. They know about birthing medical procedures and can provide families with the necessary educational information. They’re also trained in relaxation methods such as massage, acupressure, position changes, and the use of a rebozo (a shawl used for comfort). 

WHAT IS A MIDWIFE?
Alternatively, midwives are the most expert care providers for providing women with low-risk pregnancies and normal births. Midwives monitor the physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of their patients, newborns, and families throughout the entire maternity care cycle. Midwives understand the wide variation of what’s considered a “normal” pregnancy/birth and are trained to identify when a mother enters a non-healthy, higher-risk category, requiring increased monitoring.

Throughout labor, midwives will encourage eating, drinking, movement, position changes, and intermittent monitoring of the baby with a hand-held doppler (a gold standard for low-risk patients). Skin-to-skin contact is encouraged between the mother and baby, and after the birth midwives will provide well-baby care for the first 6 to 8 weeks of the baby’s life. 

SIX REASONS TO HIRE A MIDWIFE

Now that you have a basic understanding of what a doula and a midwife are, you may still be unsure of what the benefits of working with one are.

For first-time mothers especially, there is no better way to ensure that your first birth experience is a safe, comfortable, and incredibly special one. Working with a midwife means tailoring your experience and environment to one that is uniquely yours. If that isn’t enough to convince you, here are six more reasons why you may want to consider hiring a midwife:

  1. IT IS SAFE.
    Having an at-home birth is completely safe for you and your baby. In fact, a report on birth settings in America, released in February 2020 by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, & Medicine, confirmed that " low-risk women choosing home or birth center birth have lower rates of intervention, including cesarean birth, operative vaginal delivery, induction of labor, augmentation of labor, and episiotomy, and lower rates of intervention-related maternal morbidity, such as infection, postpartum hemorrhage, and genital tract tearing among low-risk women compared with women choosing hospital birth."

  2. IT IS INDIVIDUALIZED.
    Using a midwife offers a more individualized approach to birthing and prenatal care. Rather than support you periodically throughout the maternal process, midwives are there to guide you on healthcare and wellness practices throughout the entirety of your pregnancy. The birthing process is catered to you and your family’s needs, and the birth itself is designed to match your desires and ideal environment.

  3. YOUR PARTNER & FAMILY CAN TAKE PART.
    As COVID-19 spreads in the U.S., more hospitals are limiting the number of people that can accompany a laboring person. In Cincinnati, hospitals are moving towards allowing no support people OR partners at births, meaning a laboring individual will be alone with hospital staff.

    On the contrary, midwife centers are often kept separate from hospitals and COVID-19 treatment areas, making them viable locations for having family present during the birth. At-home births are another safe option in which your family and partner can attend the birth without risk of infection. Not only that, but many midwives will allow those attending your birth to take part in the experience at your request.

  4. IT CAN OPTIMIZE YOUR CHANCE FOR VAGINAL BIRTH WITHOUT INTERVENTIONS.
    Our midwives have a cesarean rate of 5%. Many local hospitals do not disclose their cesarean rates. For a typical hospital their cesarean rate is between 25-30%.

  5. YOU’RE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE BREASTFEEDING SUCCESS.
    Studies show interventions such as IV fluids, epidural anesthesia, and use of forceps and vacuum extraction negatively impact breastfeeding. With a midwife, the care is much different. Our team of midwives and doulas will educate you about breastfeeding during your pregnancy, support you immediately after birth, and provide counseling in the postpartum. This will give you the confidence you need for breastfeeding success. With natural birth your baby is capable of self attaching onto your breast in the first hour after birth. Midwives facilitate uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact between you and your baby in the first hours after birth creating a calm, peaceful environment for bonding.

  6. IT IS MOMENT YOU WILL REMEMBER FOREVER.
    You will remember your child’s birth story for the rest of your life. By having an at-home or midwife center birth, you can ensure that your memory will be a very personal and comfortable one.

Have questions about midwifery or doulas? Please don’t hesitate to contact us and speak with a member of our team.