A Little Bit About Midwifery Care...
What do midwives do prenatally?
Offer free initial consultation.
Provide experience disclosure.
Support mothers and their decisions.
Screen for complications and refer as indicated.
Schedule 1 hour prenatal visits.
Provide birth education and prenatal counseling.
Provide nutritional counseling.
Assess mother's health throughout pregnancy.
Assess baby's growth and health throughout pregnancy.
Palpate for baby's position.
Monitor baby's heart tones.
Offer accessibility of lending library.
What do midwives do during labor and birth?
Guard the birthing environment so mothers can labor in safety and confidence.
Monitor baby's and mother's vital signs as desired or indicated.
Ensure mothers are well hydrated and nourished through labor.
Allow labor to progress in a natural time as physiologically indicated.
Assess cervical dilation if necessary.
Provide encouragement, massage, warm/cool compresses as desired.
Are aware of variations of normal and observe signs of complications.
Take steps to provide suggestions, solutions or emergency care as needed.
What do midwives do in the postpartum period?
Facilitate immediate skin to skin care.
Encourage and monitor a physiological third stage of labor.
Provide routine optimal cord clamping.
Assess bleeding and respond appropriately.
Assess for tears and respond appropriately.
Monitor vital signs as needed.
Provide appropriate mother and newborn exams.
Provide initial breastfeeding support.
Provide regularly scheduled postpartum care in the weeks following birth.
Remain available to family for questions and concerns in the weeks following birth.
What do midwives NOT do?
Practice medicine.
Prescribe medications or drugs.
Interfere with normal labor and birth.
Use continuous electric fetal monitoring.
Provide pain relieving drugs, epidurals, morphine, etc.
Withhold food and drink during labor.
Induce or augment a naturally progressing labor with Pit, Cytotec, or other substances.
Require mother to lie on her back or stay in bed throughout labor.
Use forced or directed (purple) pushing.
Use forceps or vacuum extractors to remove a baby.
Perform C-sections or abortions.
Make decisions for the mother.
Choosing a Midwife
A midwife cannot guarantee you the perfect birth. As with any life situation, circumstances can change quickly, but when considering birth it is important to understand that birth is natural and inherently safe and interference with the birth process can be risky to both mother and baby. It is important to know what you want out of your birth experience. Should you choose to have your birth attended by a midwife, do your research and choose someone who understands your wants and desires and is willing to accommodate.
Resource:
Missouri Midwives Demystified, 2011, p 108-109
Breastfeeding Your Baby
Breastfeeding is natural and a woman's body is designed specifically to sustain her baby's life and health. But breastfeeding is so much more than just nutrition. It is beneficial to both mother and baby in so many ways. Here are just a few of those benefits...
Benefits for baby include:
- Breastmilk helps pass meconium in the first days of life.
- Breastmilk is easily digestible.
- Breastmilk is always the right temperature.
- Preterm breastmilk is designed specifically for preterm babies.
- Breastmilk contains important immunities for your baby.
- Breastfeeding helps protect against diabetes, allergies, asthma, ear infections, bacterial meningitis, respiratory infections, eczema, multiple sclerosis, and many, many more health concerns.
Benefits for mom include:
- Suckling at the breast helps the uterus to shrink.
- Breastfeeding helps to prevent postpartum hemorrhages.
- Breastfeeding helps mom lose weight.
- Breastfeeding helps diabetic mothers by decreasing their insulin need.
- Breastfeeding mothers have a decreased risk of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and osteoporosis.
- Breastfeeding mothers have an increased protection against iron deficiency.
- Breastfeeding mothers enjoy a delayed return of menstruation.
- Breastmilk is a natural antibiotic and helps to heal wounds.
- Breastmilk comes in a nicer package than formula!
We offer plenty of assistance to our new mothers to give them their best chance at having a successful and beautiful breastfeeding relationship with their baby.
DOULAS
What a Doula is and is not...
A doula is an educated birth professional offering support and comfort to the mother during her labor. Doulas try to assist mothers in having a more satisfying birth experience by not only being there during their labor, but offering education and resources throughout the pregnancy so that a mother can feel confident in the decisions that she makes regarding her birth. A doula's overall goal is to help a mother have a memorable and empowering birth experience.
A doula is NOT a Doctor, a Nurse or a Midwife. Doulas do not provide prenatal care, offer health or vaginal examinations, check fetal heart tones, provide medical treatment or deliver babies. Doulas are there for the comfort of the mother only and should not attend births without a skilled Primary Care Provider in attendance. Often times doulas provide the best benefit to mothers birthing at the hospital and wanting a knowledgable person there to help advocate for their desires.
We offer professional doula services to anyone wanting the additional support and presence of a doula at their birth. Contact us to learn more.
PLACENTAS
Many women experience some form of postpartum depression or baby blues after birth. This can happen for a variety of reasons including major flucuations in hormone levels that occur after birth. The practice of placenta encapsulation is a wonderful way to assist the body in regulating these major hormonal changes. Placentas are completely dehydrated and turned into powder and placed in simple, easy to swallow capsules. Taking just a couple of these capsules a day can help the body to regulate these hormones. The placenta remained the complete life source of the baby you carried for a full 9 months. It has the perfect balance of nutrients and hormones to cater to your changing needs in the weeks following the birth.
Tinctures are another popular way to consume the nutrients extracted from the placenta. Tinctures are highly concentrated liquids steeped for 6-8 weeks after birth and just a small dropper full can help a mother to receive the boost of hormones and energy she needs to help with her postpartum recovery.
We offer placenta encapsulation and tincture services to anyone wishing to preserve their placenta in this way. Contact us using the form below to learn more.
VACCINES
With all the illnesses circulating in our world today vaccines have become a very heated topic of discussion. Deciding which, if any, vaccines to give and when to give them is very important, especially when it comes to your brand new baby. As parents it is always our desire to do the very best that we can for our children. We want our kids to remain strong and healthy all throughout their years.
The best way to decide if and which vaccines are right for your family is to be well researched. Any doctor's office or health department will simply provide you with the recommended vaccine schedule for children. It is our desire that you will become as educated as possible before making a decision.
The following websites may be helpful while you do your research. Copy and paste them into your web browser.
go.thetruthaboutvaccines.com
www.vaccinetruth.com
vaccines.procon.org
worldmercuryproject.org
www.vaccinetruth.org
vaxxedthemovie.com
If you would like to speak with someone about vaccines feel free to contact us.
Celebrating Life
Children are a blessing and a gift from God. Their lives should be loved, celebrated and always protected.
Below are several websites that strive to protect innocent lives and offer counseling and resources to mothers dealing with the pressures of an unexpected pregnancy.
40DaysforLife
AbbyJohnson
LiveAction
MarchforLife
Home Birth Videos
Below are several birth videos from births that have taken place either at home or in a birth center. Getting a feel for what birth is really like and watching it unfold naturally cen give expecting mothers a sense of peace about what to expect at their own birth. Enjoy!
Olivia Hope
Isla Ray
Joelle Quinn
Penelope
Greyson
Judah Jax
Elizabeth
