This birth was one of the interesting early labor ones. By that I mean it was not really straightforward, and the mama and I were in phone contact (as well as a few home visits!) over the course of 4 DAYS. She really wasn’t in labor yet, but the rushes were strong enough every now and then to mess with her mind. Plus, her first labor was induced after about a day of similar contractions! So, I just kept reminding her that this pattern was normal for her and that THIS time we were going to let her body and baby do it on it’s own time. With mama and baby doing well, there was and is no reason to rush things. Just keeping mama happy and rested and encouraged that this IS how it goes sometimes! Especially when we do not have a pitocin drip at our disposal!

I knew from several of these early home visits that baby was in a posterior, or baby’s back against mama’s back position. Probably the reason for all the annoying contractions, and not an ideal position for baby to be born in. Well, this baby would prove us wrong! In any case, most of the time it just takes some patience–so after reviewing some helpful labor positions when having contractions, we left baby to do what baby would.

So, after 4 days, once this mama really hit labor, it was 2 hours from start to finish. I figured it would go like that-I call it going from “nothin’ to somethin’”, and it can go really fast. When I arrived, mama was silently working pretty hard and getting to be a bit grunty. I set up my supplies and her birth area (which was their main living room, right between the couch and TV) and sat with her. Never having done a vaginal exam on her (as there was no need, there really wasn’t any confusion in my mind about where she “was” in her labor), I figured her to be almost complete by about now. Sure enough, she started pushing about 10 minutes later.

Mama pushed beautifully on hands and knees for about an hour, which I considered to be longish in relationship to the rest of her labor. Hmm, I though….what have we got here? Big baby? Nah. Tight cord? Nope, heart tones have sounded fabulous. Hmmm. As baby started to crown, it did look distinctly different to me. As more of the head came, aha! Baby was presenting in a posterior position! This little babe never did rotate, and a quick 2 hour labor with no back pain for mom to boot! Watching this baby be born was wonderful, and I think this is probably only the second posterior birth I have ever seen. The other might have been in water, and this one on land was a lot more exciting. I wish someone had gotten some pictures!

Needless to say, parents and baby were pretty happy with the way their birth went for them. Although just a facilitator, I was honored, as always to be in attendance and help where I could. Welcome to the world, little one! And an extra gold start to this mama who accomplished an extra-amazing feat!

First of all, we are taking the class taught by some friends and former clients of mine in Sedona. (Check out their website; Hypnobirthing Sedona ). They are wonderful people, and I refer a lot of clients and new mamas to them, not just for Hypnobirthing really, but because they are wonderful walking specimens of perfect homebirthers! They are smart and educated, but totally trusting in the natural process- to a degree that I think a lot of natural birthers attain to but never meet because fear usually gets in the way. Zoe has had 2 beautiful homebirths, and her second birth was one of the most perfect, unhindered, amazing births that I have ever seen, and one that I am sure would make the Hypnobirthing people pleased that she is an instructor. Anyway, all this to say that I trust the “source” and I am excited to see them present classes I know they are very passionate about.

So, I am truly going in with an open mind. But I have several questions or theories that I think portray Hypnobirthing and I am honestly wanting to see how I feel about all this at the end of the series. For the record, I have seen several Hypnobirths at home. Different techniques work for different women, and hypnosis during birth is just one technique. So, I wouldn’t expect it to suit everyone. But, the births I have been present at where it “worked” are pretty relaxed. The women do, for the most part, make it look easy. The active labor part, that is. What I have noticed is that many (not all) of the women, even the experienced birthers, seem to struggle a bit with the transition to second stage, or pushing. They are so enveloped, perhaps not a bad thing, in the hypnotic relaxed state, that they can’t seem to comprehend that their body has shifted and that now it is time to actively participate in pushing the baby down and out. Again, this is not everyone; many are able to “breathe the baby out”, as taught in the class. But I have always kind of struggled myself with watching the mamas that struggle with this part because they are still trying to stay out of the way of their bodies. This is one area I am curious to learn more about, and maybe even try out in my own birth. I have always enjoyed the pushing and have had births where I needed to really work at it to bring that baby down and out. I am wondering if the technique will “work” for me and if I have the kind of body that can “breathe” a baby out. Just one of the major question areas I would like to focus on as I attend this class.

The other major area is in seeing if I am going to get as annoyed by the Hypnobirthing terminology as I think I might! I get the whole hippie thing of calling contractions “rushes”; in fact, there really is a difference between the two words in terms of how your body is adapting to the sensation. Yes, “sensation” is another one that I hear from the Hypnobirthing mamas! I must admit, that one bothers me. I mean, call it what you will. I don’t mind calling it “pain”. I don’t say that with a negative connotation, but nor do I avoid the subject of “pain” when helping a first time mama prepare for birth. But this is the basis of the whole Hypnobirthing thing, and I wonder if I will come around to either agree or change my own perception. I understand that the basis of many birthing techniques is that pain is really optional. And I agree; what we call “pain” is our perception, our history, affected by our surroundings, fears, etc. But I guess I still am OK with calling it “pain”. Anyway, this all food for thought and I am neither here nor there with it. Just getting my brain ready to perhaps change the way I think about things or the way I present them to mamas. I am always looking for more to learn, more to experience, and I am certainly not above hoping I come out ahead after taking some Hypnobirthing. With an open mind, I will learn something to assist my clients in birth; and who knows–maybe I will get to experience a “Hypnobirth” this time around.

There is one huge, underlying point which I am afraid had gone undetected by some readers/watchers of the opinion I have been putting out there. I totally take the blame, as I am continually reminded (by lack of addressing this point) that I cannot gloss over anything or assumethat anybody already has certain information. This one eluded me, though ironically, because if you know me it is the foundation of how I operate both with my homebirth clients and in providing natural birth education to the internet world as well.

So, I know I am killing you with suspense. What is all this about?

I guess I have forgotten to spell out my underlying philosophy. Well, here it is.

Information-it’s for everyone and anyone that wants it. Natural birth, homebirth, midwifery care–I do not draw any boundaries, cultural or financially, or based on any stereotype. I have attended births and cared for women in teepees, Amish women, Lesbian women, etc. I could care less who you are (in a stereotypical way) or where you come from. We, as WOMEN, are ALL entitled to information and we are all entitled to birthing our babies as we see fit; and in gaining our own empowerment from that experience. I am no more “expert” than you are; especially about yourself. Being “midwife” (unlike being “doctor”) does not change me in my mind when compared to any other woman. I am a woman- one that has chosen, as my life’s work, to educate and love and guide other women and babies.

So, would it matter to you if I looked or presented myself differently to the world? Seems silly, right? It’s hard to believe that a well-meaning reader (of Indie Birth) would be concerned with me having a (purposefully) “hippy” appearance. Actually, she wrote, “it’d be best if you wore some clothes and a hairstyle that’s a little more formal”. It made me “appear uneducated”. So, after I got over wondering where she got that nerve, it got me thinking about the bigger issue. The one that affects all of us.

It’s not REALLY about me. It’s about all of us that have chosen, will choose or are choosing our right to birth our babies in love and privacy, not violence. Since when does that have to LOOK a certain way? To make a difference in the world, we have got to get away from the idea that those with “authority” are above us, “formal”, more educated. That, as midwives, as WOMEN, we have got to appeal to the doctors and the men out there wanting to tell us how to birth anyway. Let me tell you, a lab coat or scrubs is not going to change anyone’s world. And in my world, it’s not for the better.

I know she meant well. This reader, that is. But the truth is, the problem is hers. My appearance bothered her husband; but if either of them, or you, is looking for someone to be the authority, to tell you what to do, and then believe them because they look a certain way…then you are probably not ready for a homebirth. That is the simple truth.

Would I address a council of doctors or stand in a courtroom with my hippy midwife attire? No. But when I address the women of this country, this world, about their power as women, I will not try to put myself above them. Above YOU. We are all sisters, if not in this lifetime, than another. There is no one more powerful, more authoritative in your life and your decisions than YOU.

So, thank you, dear reader. You have enlightened me to the fact that there is even more work to be done here than I thought. There’s no discrimination here–any volunteers??

Since I only have my youngest with me (and the one gestating too, of course:) I am trying to enjoy my slower pace. No prenatal appointments to do, none of my other 3 children wanting my attention. A bit simple for me, but different. I have actually had the time to read–can you believe it? And not a text book, or someone’s lab report. But a real book, and not fiction either. Go get Birth Models That Work, edited by Robbie Davis Floyd (who autographed my copy!), Lesley Barclay, Betty-Anne Daviss and Jan Tritten. A fabulous, fabulous, inspiring read that I want to encourage all midwives and birth workers to find. And to sit down with, and study and let encourage us all to think about how and why birth models are so different all over the world. The book highlights the contrast (and this is my own interpretation, living and midwifing here in the US) between how the birth system here is so unsuccessfully about homebirth and how in other countries, it is less about the place but the midwifery model of care.

I seem to sense a pattern here. I made a short video about it last week–pretty basic explanation about how/why midwifery care is so different from obstetrician care and how THAT is really the difference between home and hospital birth. And I pick up this book, only to be confirmed in my thoughts about that and realize that I am on the right track focusing more on the care and less about the location.

And I have gotten on my soapbox and written about this before–our birth sytem here in the US is broken. This book inspired me, in a very positive way but confirmed that there are “models” working all over the world that we need to study and try to at least partly adopt. In my small community, whether it be in Sedona, Cottonwood or Flagstaff, Arizona (all surrounding towns where I work), I see it is absolutely NOT about getting more homebirth clients. If I were to take on 100 new clients tomorrow, the system here would not be improved as I am no more supported to help that many women than I am now (not to mention a client load like that would be impossible for one midwife to take on). I still live in a medically hostile community, I still do not have any doctor back up and my clients may still be treated poorly at the hospital when transported.

So, enough complaining! In my thoughts and dreams, I think about the chapter in this book on Japan’s “maternity homes”. I love how the Japanese family and community is welcome here, and how it seems like an ideal birth center and amazing option for Japanese women (plus, the cultural taboo on elective cesareans strikes a chord). I am inspired by the Albany Midwifery Practice in the United Kingdom. Following the midwifery model of care, this practice emplus seven midwives in partnership, with each pregnant woman being named 2 of the midwives as her caregivers. The midwives are self-employed and self-managed, and part of their care to women includes free pre- and postpartum mama support groups. The practice is obviously established and respected, serving over 200 women a year. The characteristic that resonates most with me is that the women commit to a normal birth. The decision to birth at home, or not, is made once labor is established and there is no committment made to birth in a certain location before it is time to decide. This is one of the key components, to me, of making midwifery care our model of choice in this country. I believe that so many more women would commit to midwifery care, and truly benefit from it. The decision to birth at home as a result of this care would just be icing on the cake.

This book is awesome and inspiring, and the above mentions are just but a few of the incredible examples of birth models that work. One of my personal favorites, to which I will write a separate blog post soon, is about an OB in Brazil (Dr. Ricardo Jones) who attends home births. For me, the idea of a compassionate, women-centered doctor seeing birth a s sexual was completely engaging and fascinating.

Please check this book out and let me know what you think! The latest update- My new niece or nephew is indeed on the way (her water just broke, hurrah!) so I leave thoughts of birth models to attend to the newest life coming earthside……

Blessings to all on this Full Moon!

It made me very aware of a belief I have, and which these women both exhibited so beautifully. That belief is that pregnancy, labor, birth and motherhood require ATTITUDE.

That attitude is one of positivity and strength. The attitude is one that whatever comes ones way, one can adapt and will make the best of it. A positive attitude in facing labor and birth is not making some quick assumption on blind faith that everything will work out just the way you pictured it. It’s believing in your body and your baby and the process. That whatever happens is how it is meant to be, and honestly trusting in that. It is taking an obstacle, such as a bout of not-quite-it-yet labor (yes, even 4th time moms can experience that!) and being OK with the frustration and upsetting kind of fear that can provoke. Really, truly being in touch enough with what’s going on to have the attitude of pure acceptance.

I’m not a hippy midwife in Sedona for nothing–how great that I get to learn and love from these clients of mine that not only have a great attitude about birth, but know how to heal themselves. The fact that we can share that concept as a mode of living is a great blessing. To us both, I think. Again, healing yourself and realizing that we all have the capability does not mean we are living in some fantasyland about our health in the first place. Many of these women have legitimate things to “worry” about, at various points, just like we all do. But especially with these mamas–their ability to take various scenarios in their prenatal care or birth or even postpartum and meet them with such a positive attitude–they are the picture of responsible health care. You learn, you research, you read, you discuss–and you make your own informed choices about the decisions you are faced with. Whether that is being GBS positive, or Rh negative–it is all about the attitude that we face these obstacles with.

I am so grateful, to these women in particular, for teaching me so much in the last 9 months. I will miss seeing them weekly, as I would so look forward to our exchange of information and opinions. I will miss eagerly looking forward to the way their attitudes embraced every decision and situation they met. As birthing women, we should all take a look at the way we see things. Not what we are faced with or what our choices are, but how we deal with things; from the inside. To my two mamas, and the ones to-be; inspire the world with your empowered-ness and your attitude. The world needs more women like you!

For as long as I have been involved in homebirth, it has been homebirth only. I have come to feel that I am not in the business of convincing anyone of homebirth, and that the only clients for me are the ones that have already made that choice. That has largely worked out. I am blessed and honored to walk with some of the most confident women I know.

But in my community, and surely in yours too, there are many more women unsure of themselves and unsure of their choices. Many don’t know that homebirth is an option, and it really is hard to convince anyone when they are at such an early point in their education. The education often takes 9 months, and so by and large, there are many families just not ready to take the plunge–hire a midwife and birth at home.

I suppose it is because I used to be one of these women. My first was born in a hospital because I was not “ready” to consider even a birthing center as an alternative option. Although smart, I was not educated. And not well supported to do anything but birth in a hospital. I think if I could have had a midwife’s care alongside that of my OB, my experience would have been more positive and empowering.

So, here’s the simple idea I want to hear your thoughts on! What do you think of hiring a midwife to consult with even if you have no intentions of birthing at home? Am I crazy for considering this? I suppose I am afraid of being even more disillusioned with the state of birth these days. I admit, I am also afraid of becoming attached to these clients (like I do with all my homebirth clients) and probably almost always hoping and wanting them to have a better experience than they might get. But, my positive side comes thru…..

I think of women and families getting the support they need during pregnancy. A midwife’s empathy, a suggestion here or there on easing pregnancy discomforts, or providing true informed consent about the myriad of issues–Vitamin K, epidurals, you name it. I feel that some profound difference might be made to these mamas and these babies just to feel loved and cared for. And that even if born in a hospital, they might feel empowered by their learning and their taking charge of their health. It can be done.

(An inspiring example: (and I learned this at a conference not long ago)–In other countries, (don’t quote me, but I think it’s in parts of Canada) most women receive midwife care (from the government). However, they don’t make the decision to birth at home or hospital until the midwife comes to them in labor. Then the choice is made. I like this idea because there is a commitment to great care but not always on homebirth. However, I believe that as a result many women do choose to birth at home.)

I did try this once, and that woman ended up having her baby at home because it was so obvious for her that it was the right choice for her. And in all honestly, I did not attempt to convince her at all. I simply provided her with reliable, individualized care and gave her as much information as I could about the issues she cared about. I guess I can’t lie in saying it would be nice if all “consulting” clients turned out that way, but I know that isn’t reality. My bigger hope is that women know they have choices. And who knows; anyone of these women not ready for homebirth could decide to go that route in a future pregnancy.

So, I don’t know…..I like the idea on lots of levels but then maybe not. I think I will sit with it for a while and maybe just put it out there to the universe.

Good news all around has prompted this happy post. First, today was a “work” day for me. I always laugh when I describe it like that because it is anything BUT work. I promise, I (and many midwives) have the best job in the whole world. I get to visit some of my favorite women at their homes, spend time chatting and laughing with them. Seeing what’s new in their world. Helping prepare for their baby’s birth, and being honestly excited about it all right along with them. I am so looking forward to the births coming up! I think it is amazing that this is what I get to do. So, with the bulk of my prenatals happening on Mondays, I love Mondays! My “work” is great and I feel like a little time away also makes me appreciate my kids even more. 4 little kids can be draining; so a little break goes a long way!

My other happy news is strictly (well, sort of) personal. We are expecting a new little baby in May. This pregnancy has been a whirlwind and although I am about 17 weeks, still feels surreal. A friend of mine suggested that might be because it kind of blended with my last postpartum. Other pregnancies have happened when the youngest was about 16 months old. This time, little Rune was only 7 months. So, I still have a baby (he’s almost a year now) and I am growing another! It is a little strange but yet cool. I learn and grow with every pregnancy even though I am surrounded by pregnancy constantly! In fact, I would say I learned a lot of what I know from my own experience. So, this time has been enlightening in a whole new way.

I am employing “trust” in a whole new way. Obviously, I already have a good deal of trust in the natural process. But I have been enjoying really tuning into my baby and my body. Would you believe I didn’t even take a pregnancy test this time? I KNEW I was pregnant, for a variety of reasons way earlier than most people would. But I was so tempted anyway to just SEE it on that stick! Anyway, it was a test of faith and patience that I had never experienced. I even wrestled a bit with thinking I was just plain crazy and maybe imagining it all. Same with the heartbeat. I refused to find it with a doppler this time; I suppose I might have had I had a reason to be concerned. But I didn’t, and so I didn’t. I kept tuning into baby, who I know was doing fine, and feeling my uterus grow by the week. In fact, I just found the heartbeat for the first time with my fetascope 2 days ago. It was a long wait but taught me so much in the process. Gave me a renewed faith in my body and in the intelligence we ALL have. Technology can be lifesaving, and useful. But sometimes it is plain old not needed, and we could all use a reminder of that.

SO, yay! Lots of babies to come before mine–so I expect the winter and early spring to fly by.

I was fortunate to attend a birth this week to assist another midwife. It was very encouraging and educational and I was very grateful to her for sharing her client with me, as well as her practice, for those moments. And because I am following the good advice of being the best midwife I can be, I walked away from the experience excited and renewed with what that means to me. What kind of midwife am I? How do I communicate that (or am I not communicate that) to my clients? How do I want to handle certain issues? What can I do to improve the care and experience that my clients receive from me? Having a new practice means I am still sorting out these issues, but in order for me to help the women I should AND practice by what is in my heart, I have come up with the following qualities/ideas/philosophies. For now, following these can help me actualize where I am with where I am going…..

Educate, educate!!! This is for my clients AND for me! I think the women I have worked with thus far would agree that I am big on helping educate them and encouraging them to educate themselves. I give out a literal book of information (that I have written) at the start of care, so there is always the opportunity for women to figure out what they want before we even get there. I want women to think and decide about everything. Nothing is assumed, no decision is left unturned. From lab tests to ultrasounds to Vitamin K, we will spend literal hours talking about these choices. You cannot make a choice until you know what your choices are. As long as education is a huge part of what I offer, I believe that I will continue to attract the kind of women that take responsibility for themselves, their babies and their healthcare. I will not judge a woman for the decision she makes. It is my job to provide the information and the support for whatever she chooses to do.
Education is also for me! I never stop learning. I love textbooks, I love learning anecdotal fun stuff from older midwives. I am always open to growing and changing and seeing how I can make materialize what I view as being the best midwife I can be. If something isn’t working or if I fall into a pattern I don’t like, I want to change it. The world is big and the amount of information we have available is endless. I strive to be on the cutting edge of research and information that is important to my clients.

Patience!! Yep, I need some more of this. I am working on patience with myself, for the fact that I am where I am and that is OK. I am always wanting to focus on having more patience for the process of birth. I am pretty patient, actually, but I too can get caught up in thinking sometimes that birth has a timeline that we understand. A lot of the time, it just doesn’t. As long as mama and baby are happy and healthy, we must all employ patience. I need to do a better job somehow of communicating this, especially to a first-time mom, before labor. I have been around midwives who attend births on their timeline, and I promise to myself and my clients that I won’t do that.

My other “tools”At the risk of sounding like a crazy New Agey Sedona midwife–I am not just a midwife. I am a healer, a shaman. I have more than technical skills and textbook knowledge. I think most midwives acknowledge that there is more to being a midwife than our practical skills and knowledge. Whether you call it a 6th sense, or plain old intuition, there is so much information we have access to when we are open to it. I am honored and humbled to be able to offer this as well to my clients and am continually working on honing these invaluable skills.
And along the same lines–the Divine, Spirit, God–whatever you want to call it, has an irreplaceable, permanent place in the life of a midwife and in birth. It is only because of this that I can even attempt to do what I do. I continually thank the Divine and realize that I am just walking the path that I have been led to do. The women and babies I serve walk their own paths, even if we all intertwine for just a blink in time.

So, I thought I would do a little question-and-answer for all of you other mamas out there who wonder what some of the differences are. I thank the women I have run into in the last few weeks for bringing these specific questions to my attention. To me, the differences are so numerous that it gets overwhelming and it is nice to have a focus. The women I meet that do question their experience, whether or not they actually leave the hospital scene for home, are the smartest kind, in my estimation. It takes a lot of guts to ask questions and maybe hear that what you were told wasn’t quite the truth, or to come to terms that you (we, really!) have fears that may be keeping you from the natural birth at home that you desire.

My water broke last time before labor started. So, my doctor needed to induce me. What do we do if my water breaks again this time and I am not in labor? What will you do?

I can’t orchestrate your birth experience for you…so it could happen again where your water breaks either prematurely or before you notice contractions. I’d say that the prevention happens months before that, though. Membranes rupturing (the technical term) before labor doesn’t happen very often–and it happens even less in nourished, well-fed women. For a woman with a history of this, we would focus intently on nutrition in the prenatal period as well as be diligent in ruling out any kind of infection which could have contributed to the early water’s breaking last time. There is so much we can do preventively to arrive at labor and birth, full-term, with a healthy mama and baby. But, if this did happen again and you were full-term, we would monitor you for infection and simply wait for labor to start. Besides that, I always encourage women with past birth experiences to work on releasing them (the negative, disturbing or not ideal experiences) before embarking on the next labor and birth. I can assist you in visualizing and preparing yourself for a different experience. Each baby, each labor and birth is unique and there is comfort in that.

My doctor always induces me early because he says my baby will be too big. I’m afraid of not being induced and having a baby I can’t birth!

Wow, induction again. First of all, induction as a matter of course is pretty disturbing to me. I’ve been induced myself (first birth), and I have been present at hospital births. And I can assure you that no birth I have ever been at where Pitocin (the induction drug) has been used has the mom been informed as to the risks. The “benefits”, yes. But I have never heard it mentioned that when the uterus is forced to contract, the baby is at risk for fetal distress and the mom is at risk for uterine rupture–EVEN if she has never had a cesarean. OK, I digress……
I believe that babies fit through the body of a mama that made her, or him. I just do. For women that have always been induced with what turned out to be a 6 pound baby, the thought of having an 8 lb baby is rather scary. But, you will make a baby you can get out! And a full-term, full birth weight baby navigates the birth canal easier and is probably better suited to labor itself, as well as nursing afterwords. This is a hard one, because I feel like there is nothing I can really say except there needs to be some trust. You have to believe that your baby will come when it is ready, and when it is ready, the baby will have the easiest time being born. Imagine getting kicked out of the womb, literally, before you were ready! I really urge women like this to be patient and kind with their bodies. It has to start with the message, “I trust you. I know you can do this, because you conceived and grew this baby perfectly. I won’t rush you or doubt you. I trust you, too, baby. That you are conscious and able to be born when it is time”.

I was induced at the hospital and it was really scary because I hemorrhaged afterwards. My husband is really scared to have a homebirth now and I don’t know what to tell him.”

Again, I cannot orchestrate a birth or be sure that we will not encounter an issue that needs to be solved. I do not pretend that birth at home is perfect, only that with preventative care, healthy moms, and good care during labor and birth, we do set ourselves up for better outcomes than when there is a lot of intervention. Anyway, I digress again!
Hemorrhage (bleeding excessively) after birth is scary. Especially for a husband watching! Like the first question, I would focus on great prenatal nutrition and this can be a great preventative. If we build up your blood volume enough, you will have more blood to spare than a woman who has not had good nutrition. Secondly, this may seem very skeptical, but this actually goes for any woman that has had a previous birth–home or hospital. Request your records. Sometimes our memory in birth is shabby, and sometimes we do not even know why certain procedures, etc. are done to us. In other words, I would want to see the notes and read what happened. Was their a placental issue? How much blood was lost? Was their a tear? There is always more info to be gleaned when we start to take responsibility for our own healthcare.
Last but not least, midwives are prepared to handle some bleeding at home. If that does not work, there is always the possibility of transport. You also will not be left after birth until you and baby are 100% stable.

I could probably go on for a while, but those have been the most recent homebirth questions I have fielded. No one has all the answers, but I am confident that most midwives can walk with women on what will likely be an amazing and empowering experience for them—one that the hospital rarely provides.

Anyway, I found the above film to be lacking in really giving an accurate portrayal of prenatal care. Sure, there is a scene or two where you see the midwife taking a blood pressure reading or talking to her client on the phone. I just yearned to see some depiction, some illustration of how complete and thorough a midwife’s care is. Maybe that is not even possible, but I think women need to understand that so much of midwifery care is preventative, whereas is seems that most doctors are trying to solve problems created prenatally at the birth. A midwife’s hope is to solve the issue prenatally, and to not to have to resort to all the interventions at birth, like a hospital often has to.

Let me give you some examples. Nutrition counseling is a huge part of my midwifery care. All kinds of things go into educating the women so that she understands WHY diet is so important and what problems she will likely avoid if she expands her blood volume. So, it is less common for me to see problems at birth related to a constricted blood volume than a doctor might, because there is rarely any focus on nutrition in mainstream medicine. Issues such as premaurity, placental problems, excess bleeding after birth, babies that are small for their age, etc. These are somewhat common issues in the hospital, but instead of heading them off prenatally, they are dealt with as emergency situations. The interventions often “fix” the problem, and so I think the connection between NOT getting great, preventative care is lost. The pitocin, or the magnesium sulfate, or the forceps “solves” the problem that could have well been prevented. Instead of education and empowerment, women in the mainstream medical system are being treated with damage control interventions at the time of birth. One snowballs on top of the other, and it is not that the resulting c-section is completely unnecessary, but that the cascade of events could have been sidelined much, much earlier. Like 9 months earlier.

This is what I want the mainstream mother to know. Not that the interventions at the time of “need” are unnescessary–but that good, preventative midwifery model of care will often help create the kind of situation going INTO birth that requires less intervention. This is not to say that birth with a midwife is perfect, and that there is never any need for medical help. That too is unrealistic. We never know what the exact outcome will be, but is my belief that a normal, healthy mama is best served in the hands of a midwife. There, she will receive outstanding, personalized, individualized care, structured to meet her own physical and emotional needs. There, she and baby will have the best chance of being educated and empowered so that she can avoid common complications, like pre-eclampsia or prematurity. Medicine has never been about solving the problem, but fixing it.

If women would realize that birth is NOT a problem, and that many issues can be avoided or solved prenatally, then the move to using more midwives would be made. If the use of episiotomies and c-sections was saved for real, true emergencies and not damage control, we’d all be a lot better off. As women, as families, and as a society. Birth as a “system” needs to go–and in it’s place we need to provide the midwifery model of care for as many women and babies as we can.