With Midwives, births are more natural with less intervention, like forceps, and are usually done at home. The rates of episiotomies, c-sections, epidurals, and inductions are all lower. The father can "catch" the baby if desired. And the care is generally more personalHospitals are fully equipped should something go wrong. There are also options of total or partial pain relief. In addition should a c-section be needed one can be performed in the event of an emergency.
According to WHO, the World Health Organization, neither home or hospital births are safer than the other.
Some women opt for home births though because after giving birth in a hospital they said they felt more like an ill patient rather than a women experiencing a special event. Some women say they like the fact that they can have the whole family in the room, and that it makes for more of a private experience within the family itself.
Some however would rather be safe than sorry and prefer to be in a hospital.
If you had the option, what would you chose?
9 comments:
I think that I would feel a little bit uncomfortable out of a hospital. It is probably something to do with the fact that it is our custom to do it in a hospital.. has anyone here used a midwife? I would be open to hearing about some personal experiences.
Midwives can usually deliver in hospital, actually...or birthing centers. It's not always a homebirth.
Personally I could never forgive myself if something happened and being in the hospital *may* have saved the baby, that would litteraly kill me, its just not worth the chance to me..
Plus Im a wuss and want all the drugs they can give me!
That's right, midwives do you use birthing centers, which are usually set up as more of a "bedroom" type of environment, and mothers who give birth in them usually recover in them too, unlike in hospitals.
However, I was not able to find any birthing centers in Fredericton & area.
Actually anonymous the majority of women who do use midwives or doulas do give birth from home. That is their primary reason for using them.
Besides, here is a story, when I was giving birth to twins I casually asked my nurse about birthing midwives and she nearly bit my head off... lol.
Hospitals don't want you using anyone but them so I doubt they would let you use on in the hospital.
In the beginning, midwives in NB will be assigned to hospitals, but eventually may be able to work in the homes of pregnant women. A committee will work out how midwives will be regulated and insured, but in other provinces where they are already regulated by the provincial gov'ts they are paid for my the Heath Care System.. except in Alberta.
UNB has also been in talks with other universities to implement a nurse midwife program here and these nurses would be able to work in hospitals or birthing centers or provide homebirths.
You can have an unassisted homebirth in NB right now with a midwife, but you have to pay them out of pocket. With new legislation, midwives will be covered under medicare as registered health care providers for pregnant women.
Use of a midwife doesn't mean you can't have pain medication if you are in a birthing center or hospital...but a midwife cannot administer pain medications without being liscensed to do so as far as I know..but a nurse midwife can.
I think that midwives for uncomplicated births either in hospital or in birthing centers is a fantastic idea and will greatly decrease wait times for other gynecological needs and will reduce medicare costs because a midwife is cheaper than an OBGYN.
I can't see midwife run birthing centers springing up in the area anytime in the near future though. There are many more pressing infastructure needs that need to be addressed first before the "nice to have" items can get worked on.
I would have loved to have had the option of using a midwife for both of my pregnancies.
Really? Is it the fact that you get to stay at home if you want? I am just curious.. not trying to pry :P
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