Why You Should Consider Midwifery Care
[This is also an episode of Friday Free Talk on The Tranquility Tribe Podcast on iTunes. Listen here.]
Hey, Tranquility Tribe!
Have you ever wondered about the differences between a midwife and an
OB/GYN? Are you considering finding a
midwife but not sure what type to look for?
Did you know that many midwives do more than just birth work? Today, Hehe sits down with Hannah Proctor, a
certified nurse midwife who graduated from Vanderbilt, to talk about the ins
and outs of midwifery!
Differences in
approach
Midwives and OB/GYNs differ mainly in how they approach the
birth process. Midwives tend to have a
more individualized perspective when interacting with an expectant parent, with
a stronger focus on viewing the woman as a whole person and taking into account
her hobbies, family, and past experiences.
Because of this approach, midwives typically think about an expectant
parent as more of a partner than a patient.
On the other hand, OB/GYNs take more of a standardized and medicalized
approach, which can make them especially beneficial when an expectant parent is
high risk.
Another important difference between midwives and OB/GYNs is
that midwives view the processes of pregnancy, labor, and birth as natural
phenomenons that the body is capable of performing, even in the case of some
complications. This approach makes
midwives especially suitable for women who want their births to be as natural
as possible, although you don’t need to have a natural birth to have a
midwife! In addition, midwives tend to
be present throughout the entirety of the labor, which is not traditional among
OB/GYNs.
Regardless of who you decide to name for your birth team,
the most important thing is that you are aware that you have options and are
educated about what those options entail.
It is your pregnancy and your delivery, so you deserve to make choices
that will allow you to have the best experience possible. And there are so many choices that can be
made and so many options to make your birth experience just right! There is way more than one right way to give
birth. This is especially important for
parents who have previous traumatic birth experiences. Giving birth is daunting, and even more so if
a past birth did not go as well as planned or expected. Making sure that the expectant parent knows
her options and feels empowered to make decisions is a very important way to
respect that everyone has their own story and is approaching birth in their own
way. Remember, you deserve to be heard!
Another decision that you can make is where you want your
birth to take place. From home births to
hospital births and everything in between (like birth centers!), it’s important
to choose a location where you will feel comfortable and supported. Of course, as Hannah points out, there are
some safety tips that need to be considered – for example, if the expectant
parent is a high risk patient due to conditions such as preeclampsia or Type 1
diabetes, it might be medically necessary for her to see an OB/GYN and have her
birth in a hospital. However, just
because you may be high risk does not mean that you no longer have choices for
your birth.
So if you want a
midwife, how do you decide which one is the best for you?
There are multiple different types of midwives, each with
different types of education, scopes of practice, and levels of autonomy. Certified nurse midwives, or CNMs, are able
to practice in all 50 states and often provide a variety of services for all
individuals between puberty and menopause, from primary care to family planning
and even providing treatment to partners of patients who have been diagnosed
with an STI. On the other hand,
certified professional midwives, or CPMs, receive their training through
apprenticeship and more often work outside of the hospital, providing prenatal,
pregnancy, and birth support in birth centers or at home births. There are many options within these two
categories – these options may seem overwhelming at first, but they are a great
opportunity to help you to find the midwife that is just right for your
birthing needs!
The rise of the
midwives!
Midwifery is becoming more and more popular as an increasing
number of expecting parents decide to choose more natural birth options and opt
for providers that help them feel like their voices are heard. Although there is still a lot of confusion
surrounding the true abilities and qualifications of midwives, these
practitioners are truly very qualified and safe options that women deserve to
have. An increasing amount of
legislation around the independence and authority of midwives has helped to
make midwives accessible options for a greater number of women, but more
education about the abilities and benefits of having a midwife is needed.
And these benefits aren’t just limited to the expectant
parent! Research has suggested that care
by a midwife under the midwifery model decreases a woman’s risk of having a
c-section, reduces the rate of labor induction, decreases the risk of 3rd
and 4th degree perineal tears, and even decreases the costs of
births to payers. Furthermore, having a
system of team-based care enables midwives to treat low-risk mothers with
support from physicians only when necessary, which allows the physicians to
focus more on the high-risk mothers who need more medical attention, creating a
more effective and efficient system of labor and delivery.
Regardless of the type of practitioner that you choose for
your birth, the fact that there are so many options that provide women with more
autonomy and support in the birth world is incredible! Even if you aren’t expecting, don’t be afraid
to speak up, use your voice, and get the care that you want and deserve!
If you have more questions or want to reach out to Hannah,
email Hehe at tranquilitybyhehe@gmail.com!
Don’t forget to join our private
Facebook, The
Tranquility Tribe Podcast,
and follow us on Instagram at @tranquilitybyhehe!
"Welcome to the Tranquility Tribe"
Written by our Guest Blogger, Kyra Shreeve. She is a Biochemistry, Health Policy, and Music student at Brandeis University.
Comments
Post a Comment