10 Reasons Why You Should Consider Hiring a Midwife
What is a midwife? Midwives are extremely skilled medical professionals. They are an excellent choice for anyone with a low-risk pregnancy who is hoping for a vaginal delivery. Some midwives will even share care with an OB upon request in a higher-risk situation. Many people don’t hire midwives for their births only because they don’t know what they do. Midwifery care is free in Canada and covered by MSP.
Midwives can order all pregnancy-related tests and ultrasounds, and prescriptions, just as any other care provider can. They have attended birth after birth, from start to finish. They are experienced at handling both physiological birth and emergency situations and know if/when they need to transfer care to an OB or transfer to a hospital. Midwives tend to lean less toward interventions in their approach to birth, however they do have the ability to offer interventions when they are necessary or requested.
How do I choose a Midwife? Not all midwives are the same, just as in any profession. Some are a bit more medical and feel more comfortable working at hospitals, others are more comfortable at home births and lean toward the more ‘natural’ side of birth. It is highly recommended to meet with a few midwives, ask questions, and get a feel for whether they are a good fit for you and how you want your birth to go. Be sure to call very early in your pregnancy, as midwives do often fill up quite quickly.
That being said, if you are unhappy with any care provider(s) at any point during your pregnancy, you can switch at any time! Care providers often have spots open up later in pregnancy due to clients moving or changing care providers, so there’s no harm in asking around if you start to feel like your care provider is no longer a good fit.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. I have taken this information from reputable sources, and from my own experiences and knowledge. Be sure to do your own research and/or check with your care provider before making any medical decisions.
1. Midwifery care is statistically more likely to coincide with a positive birth experience.
“Those who have received continuity of care from a midwife they know are:
24% less likely to experience preterm birth,
19% less likely to lose their baby before 24 weeks' gestation, and
16% less likely to lose their baby at any gestation.
These birthers are also more likely to have a vaginal birth, fewer interventions during birth (instrumental birth, amniotomy, epidural and episiotomy), and are likely to have a more positive experience of labour and birth. These findings apply to both low- and mixed-risk populations of women, and there are no significant differences in outcomes between caseload and team care models.”
2. Appointments are around 45 minutes long. Many midwives work in groups, but schedule your appointments so you are able to meet and build relationships with each midwife on the team. Midwives feel it is important to build trust with each birthing person, so the time spent at prenatal appointments is pretty essential.
3. They thoroughly explain the benefits and risks of tests and procedures. Due to the length of each visit, they have the time to answer questions and explain things every step of the way. They will give you your choices and all the information you need to make educated decisions in each area.
4. You know who will be at your birth. If having that continuous support of a care provider that you know and are comfortable with is important to you, birthing with a midwife is a great choice.
5. You have a choice on where you want to birth.
Home, Hospital or Birth Center.
Hospitals are a great choice if it is where you feel the safest, or if anything in your situation risks you out of a home birth. They have unlimited hot water for showers, laughing gas, access to pain medication, nurses at the push of a button, and an operating room in case of an emergency. Midwives work very well alongside the hospital nurses and doctors to provide care for their birthing families.
Home Births are intimate, safe and convenient. You can birth wherever and however you’d like to birth; in a birth pool, on a bed, in the bathroom or even on the living room floor. Once you birth, you can have a shower in your own shower, have your partner make you a post-birth snack, crawl into your comfy bed snuggled up with your baby, and have a wonderful night of sleep. There is SO much great information on the safety and statistics of home birth. If you’re unfamiliar with how home birth works, I highly recommend reading up on it from some reputable sources (see the bottom of this post), so you can make an informed choice on where you’d like to birth. Keep in mind, that if you choose a home birth, you can change your mind at any point during your labour and head to the hospital.
Unfortunately, there are very few birth centers in Canada, but if you live near one, you are lucky! Birth centers are a great compromise between home and hospital. We have one local to Calgary called Arbour Birth Center, and they are specifically designed & equipped as a safe and comfortable place for women & their families to give birth when attended by their registered midwife. If you aren’t near a birth center, but you’d prefer not to/cannot birth at your own home, there are still more options. You can always birth at a friend or relatives home, rent a vacation rental, or even get a hotel room to birth in.
6. You still have access to an epidural or any other pain medication you want. If you anticipate needing pain medication during your birth, you can still get it under the care of a midwife! You will need to be at a hospital to be able to receive pain relief, as midwives are not able to bring pain medication to home births due to the heightened risks of side effects. At the hospital, pain medication is administered usually by nurses, doctors or anesthetists, depending on what it is.
7. They are with you for your entire birth. Midwives are generally by your side from before the onset of active labour until well after your birth.
8. Midwives do home-visits. Once you have your baby, your midwife will come visit you at your home for the first week or two, until you are healed up and able to make the trek to the midwifery clinic.
9. The aftercare is second to none. During the first 6 weeks of your baby’s life, your midwives will continue to check your baby’s health as well as your own healing. Your midwife will provide you with guidance on how to care for your baby, and they are available to answer any questions or concerns you have by phone between visits. They provide breastfeeding support, emotional support, and will even do your PAP test for you at your 6 week visit so you don’t have to go to your family doctor to get it done.
10. They are incredible humans. There is just something special about the people who choose to become midwives. You’ll see.
DOULA OR MIDWIFE?
What is the difference between a doula and a midwife? A doula is a support person with no formal medical training. They cannot do exams, offer medical advice, or catch your baby.
Should I still hire a doula if I have a midwife? Yes, definitely! Though many midwives were doulas before becoming midwives, they just don’t have the time to offer the same type of support. They spend a lot of time during and after your birth charting and keeping records of everything that is happening, along with listening to baby, checking your blood pressure, temperature etc. It’s a big job! Doulas are able to be there consistently to offer that physical and emotional support that most need during birth. HERE is some more information on what Doulas do.
Do you have any questions about midwives or birth? I love chatting about birth, and I’m happy to help you find the information you’re looking for!
“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou