It seems like everybody is doing it. Your great grandmother probably did it. Ricki Lake certainly did it. And that girl in your prenatal yoga class? You know…the one who never seems to sweat, even after ten minutes of tree-pose? She’s probably planning it. We’re talking about homebirth, the newest oldest way to have a baby. Just why are so many of your girlfriends hiring midwives, renting tubs, and pushing out their babies in their living rooms? What is it about this model of care that accounts for a 20% — 28% (depending on ethnicity) increase between 2004 and 2008? This series of articles will hopefully introduce homebirth to those of you who have never considered it, and spread some truth amongst those of you who are already familiar with it. We would love your feedback and questions; after all, midwifery care is all about sharing and trust.
With all of the hub-bub about-out-of-hospital birthing and America’s rate of homebirths skyrocketing, it seems like a good time to share what we midwives know about why this trend is on the rise. The women who plan homebirths don’t all look like they once did. On a typical clinic day, we will see highly educated, career-driven, professional women who work in upper management, own their own businesses or are high powered attorneys. We see stay-at-home moms, artists, and a surprising number of nurses. Women who are married, in partnerships or single mothers by choice are all coming in droves to midwifery care.
The midwifery model of care centers around continuity of care, from prenatal visits through birthing, and six-weeks of postpartum care for both mother and baby. This is very different from the routine care offered by obstetricians, with their large group practices. (Of course, some midwives, especially Certified Nurse Midwives, (CNMs) have group practices. But even then, the appointments tend to be longer, and the care more personal) In fact, many OBs no longer even deliver babies. They leave that most sacred of all moments to a new breed of doctor, a “hospitalist,” an MD who has no prenatal or postpartum contact with women, except to deliver her baby.
A homebirth midwife, on the other hand, usually works in a solo practice, or with a partner. We spend between 30 and 60 minutes with you, at every appointment. We teach you how to interpret all those juicy little baby kicks, and how to test your own urine for common issues. We get to know your family, your job, your hopes and dreams. We invite your toddler to hold the doppler, as you hear your baby’s heartbeat for the first time. And when the time comes to catch your little one, you know exactly who is going to be there.
Many families are worried about getting entrenched in a medical model of care for a healthy and normal life experience. They want to avoid the increased likelihood of interventions or a surgical delivery. (It is very difficult, some may say impossible to have a c-section in your living room!) The bottom line is that mothers need to birth where they feel safest, and for many, that is not a hospital. While the research has shown that there is a pretty clean draw in terms of outcomes between home and hospital, each mother will find that one or the other “clicks” with her and is the right place for her family during this time. Homebirth midwives are not anti-hospital. We simply provide another option, one we are excited to share with you over the coming weeks.