Why use a Midwife?

Whether or not you've ever had a baby (or supported a woman who has), you've likely heard of the term "midwife."  What IS a midwife, you may have wondered, and WHY would someone choose to use one in lieu of an obstetrician?

While the latter question is multi-fold, the former is mostly straightforward.  "Midwife" means, literally, "with woman."  A midwife is a skilled, trained birth attendant (almost always a woman but I have known of male midwives), who supports a woman through pregnancy and childbirth.  Midwives may be nurse-midwives who work primarily in hospital settings; nurse-midwives who work in birth center or home settings; or certified midwives who work in birth centers or at home.  There is some overlap, depending on states and particular midwives.

The common thread behind all midwives is the adherence to the Midwives Model of Care, which includes support for ALL aspects of a woman's well-being (not just the physical aspects of the pregnancy), and a trust in the natural course of birth and the natural design of the woman's body to birth.  Therefore, midwives use far fewer interventions than obstetricians, and most midwife-attended births are "natural" births - vaginal, drug-free, non-interfered-with.  

Many midwives have expertise in alternative treatments and may employ herbal, homeopathic, and common remedies for various issues in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.  Their varied "bag of tricks" often makes them far more successful in dealing with these issues than an obstetrician, who is not trained in handling many of these variances of normal.  Midwives will also carry oxygen for mother and baby, pitocin for handling heavy bleeding after the birth, and tools for suturing.  In some states, they may also carry IVs or other equipment.

So, now you know what a midwife is.  But why do people choose them?  There are many reasons, to be sure, but one of the primary reasons is SAFETY.  Many studies have shown that, for a woman with a low-risk pregnancy, birthing at home with a skilled midwife is as safe - or SAFER - than a hospital birth.  

This is a short film that covers this question thoroughly, "Why Choose a Midwife?"  In the film, a variety of doctors, including obstetricians, speak on why midwifery and home birth are good and safe options for many women, and why it is beneficial to states to support access to midwifery.

Comments

[Veelana]

I would have loved to give birth naturally and my gynecologist was a bit of a midwife in disguise - I tend to trust men more than women (something to do with past best friends, I'd say) and I love that guy.

Both my pregnancies were healthy and uneventful, I gained very little weight (7 kilos with my first, two with my second baby), my OB/GYN was very supportive, I picked a hospital that encouraged vaginal birth and I was prepared to go home right after the birth. We all thought that this set the scene to a very natural birth, but it didn't happen that way. With both my babies, my water broke and they where delivered via c-section two days later. In both cases, the doctors and midwives were scared that the risk for infection got to high for the baby. We tried all tricks known to the midwives (and I got to know all of them - I was there for almost two days) and labour just didn't start. They even induced me - even with the second kid, we where all very commited.

I think when you come to that point you have to fogive yourself for making the decision for a cesarian. My Doctor came to the hospital to visit me afterwards (Dorian picked a date during his vacation to arrive) and all he said about the birth was this: If a birth ends with a healthy mom and a healthy baby, it was a good birth. You're on top of the mountain - who cares how you got there? And even though I don't really agree with his statement, It was exactly what I needed to hear :-)

*deep breath*
sorry for the long post, I know I really didn't stay on topic, I originally wanted to write about my doctor, but my fingers ran away with my brain..

thank you for this post, though :-)

Vee

[Austin Midwives]

i like your video this is so Attractive.