SAFE CARE WHEN GIVING BIRTH AT HOME
Holding space and providing guidance as people transition into parenthood, finding the power within themselves they may not have known they had, are some of our favorite things about doing this work, and we are committed to providing safe, evidence-based care that allows birthing people to feel supported and respected. There are ways we increase the safety of birthing at home while still providing an individualized and respectful environment. They include:
1.
Two birth attendants, one a certified professional midwife always in attendance at your birth- You will not have a student or assistant alone at your birth. You have hired a midwife and you deserve the knowledge and expertise she brings. The vast majority of the time you will have two trained midwives at your birth.
2.
Timely Transport- While having the baby at home is always the plan, sometimes plans change. There are situations that arise in labor that may require a higher level of care, or even surveillance of baby with facilities capable of emergency care should the need arise. There are times when people have lovely, satisfying vaginal births in the hospital after a transport.
3.
A qualified back-up midwife- in the rare event that two births happen at the same time, you will have a qualified midwife in attendance at your birth
4.
Access to objective information regarding tests, procedures, and interventions- there is no right answer when it comes to having a baby, and each person comes with their own unique biology, history, wants, needs, and requirements. Midwifery is a partnership and as such, decisions are made through shared decision-making, the childbearing person bringing their expertise on their own body and the midwife bringing her expertise on normal, healthy birth. The blending of these two bodies of knowledge are the foundation of the midwifery model of care.
5.
Carrying emergency equipment that includes oxygen, resuscitation equipment, medications, IV fluids, and antibiotics, as well as herbs and homeopathics for non-emergent scenarios. A midwife will remain with you for a minimum of 2 hours, staying until both mom and baby are stable, comfortable and all questions have been answered. We return within 24 hours to check on both you and your baby.
6.
Current resuscitation certifications- we believe it is our duty to stay current in our resuscitation certifications, including neonatal resuscitation and care provider CPR.
7.
We are available for questions and concerns during business hours and available for emergent concerns and issues 24 hours a day. You should be able to get in touch with your care provider and receive answers in a timely fashion.
8.
Transparency in your care- our electronic medical records system creates complete transparency regarding your care. You will have access to all prenatal visit notes, care related messages, and all test results so that you can ask questions and correct any erroneous information.
