Midwives | Coronavirus
It’s such an interesting time to be a midwife. We’ve seen a huge shift toward home birth and midwifery care with precautions and restrictions continuing to change nearly daily.
Below are the answers to many of the questions I have repeatedly been asked in the last 6 weeks. Whether you are considering a change in care, or are homebirth and midwife (Orange County) curious, this information will remain relevant pandemic or not.
Baby showers have become virtual. Birth plans have been updated according to recent information. Moms and families to-be have had to adjust and create a new normal. Expecting moms are considering different ways to welcome their newest family member as uncertainty increases around how hospitals will care for the possible surge of patients with COVID-19 and how long precautions will remain in place. This includes using a midwife for a home birth.
Physician-attended hospital births remain the leading method of delivery for moms across the United States. However, with hospital policies and regulations around labor and delivery during COVID-19 having changed, families are now considering midwives as part of their birth plan. Over time, data is debunking myths that have previously caused many to choose against the centuries-old tradition of midwife-attended birth.
For women with low-risk pregnancies, using a midwife is a safe option to consider — especially for a home birth. According to a 2014 study published in the Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, planned home births among women with low-risk pregnancies had low rates of interventions. The deliveries were also without an increase in adverse outcomes, according to the study. Homebirth and midwifery care didn’t just become a safe option in the wake of COVID-19. Birthing at home always has been and always will be a safe option (for low-risk pregnancies).
While plans have changed, the need to safely and comfortably welcome a new baby has remained the same. Ask questions, do your research, inform and educate yourselves, and speak with a midwife. The following information is an excellent place to start in considering if this delivery option is best for you and your family.
Know the facts
There are many assumptions about the role of midwives, including their qualifications. Midwives can also be confused with doulas and birth assistants. Below are a few facts and answers to commonly asked questions:
Midwives have medical training, skills, and knowledge.
Most midwives have medical training and have graduated from years of rigorous programs that include many, many, hours of clinical and skills training and pre-med school requirements. This includes being able to safely obtain and carry emergency medications and supplies. To name a few, we carry medication for postpartum hemorrhage, IV supplies, antibiotics, supplies for suturing (including numbing medications), and resuscitation equipment. We have strict protocols and guidelines that reflect our state laws and are required to re-license and re-certify in CPR and neonatal resuscitation every couple of years. The California Licensed Midwife (Orange County) is licensed through the California State Medical Board and is a primary care provider and health professional that provides care to healthy, low-risk women and their babies through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, and interconception.
Safety
Midwives have always been used for low-risk women. Studies have shown that for women with low-risk pregnancies, home births are just as safe when compared to hospital births. Research also supports that women who have midwives have more access to prenatal care, have lower instances of interventions like cesarean births, and have babies with higher, healthier birth weights. Our focus is on wellness and prevention. Birth at home means the avoidance of exposure to viruses in hospitals.
Midwives provide not only physical support but also emotional and relational support.
Midwife means “with woman.” This description describes how our role is driven by a nurturing and family-centered attitude. Deep and lasting relationships are formed with the families we care for. Our visits are scheduled to last 60 minutes, even if they must be virtual during a pandemic. Support during prenatal visits, labor, delivery, and postpartum is highly individualized. Birth is considered a family-centered event and a transformative life experience. See my prenatal care and postpartum blogs for specifics on what these visits may look like.
Less invasive birth options are standard among midwives.
Avoidance of perceived unnecessary medical intervention is standard to our care. Pregnancy and birth are believed to be a normal process. Studies have shown that moms who use midwives are more likely to have a natural vaginal birth and recover more quickly. A hospital is the only place to receive an epidural or cesarean section.
Know your health coverage
Most Licensed Midwives are not in-network with health insurance. Instead, they will provide you with a superbill to submit to your insurance to get reimbursed after the birth, or they may work with a medical insurance biller. Many insurance providers will reimburse a portion or even all of your investment. Here are some great resources on how to get homebirth reimbursement:
https://www.birthful.com/homebirthreimbursement/
Consider not allowing insurance coverage to be a leading motivator in making such an intimate, personalized decision. Contact your specific provider about your plan to learn more about how the specifics of home birth reimbursement may look for you.
How can I find out more?
For more information on midwives and how to make a safe, well-informed decision about your birth, please contact us. Questions are always welcomed by your Orange County midwife. These wonderful documentaries also give an in-depth look at midwifery care, home birth, and the studies done on its safety. Both can easily be found online. The podcast Happy Homebirth is also a wonderful platform and community where women share their homebirth stories and is a very resourceful listen.
An in-depth film that explores the contemporary experience of childbirth in the United States
“What if the choice of where to give birth wasn’t limited by cost or insurance coverage, fear or misinformation? What would change if families had access to the care provider of their choice in the setting that best fits their unique needs and values? It’s worth at least asking, “Why not home?”
- PRODUCER/DIRECTOR, Jessicca Moore”
The Happy Homebirth is a podcast dedicated to, and in celebration of, homebirth mothers.
This time is such a testament to what midwives have always known. Pregnancy and birth are normal, physiological events in the human experience. It is such a gift. You deserve the birth and the team you desire.