Search Results for: blog choosing a home birth midwife

At the Midwife’s

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When our first child was born a few years ago — and what a wonderful son he is — we employed a midwife for our care and the delivery. This was a remarkably fortuitous decision as hospitals have always made me uneasy. In contrast to the sterile hallways and the smell of bleach (something that has always put me off) we were able to spend the labor and the birth in a home with a nice bedroom, plenty of room to move, and zero pressure to do anything we didn’t want to do. I cannot tell you how wonderful it … Continue reading →

Our First Meeting with the Midwife

Once I found the midwife that I wanted to attend me and my pregnancy, I gave her a call to see if she would take me on as a client. I introduced myself and told her that I was seeking a homebirth after having a birth center birth with my first child. I added that she knows my mom. She got really excited when she realized who I was because she had recently talked to my mother about my husband and I trying to get pregnant and potentially moving back. Then she asked my due date. I told her sometime … Continue reading →

Choosing a Midwife

Choosing a health care practitioner for the duration of one’s pregnancy, labor, and delivery is not necessarily easy especially if you, like me, just moved. In anticipation for our big move back to the midwest, I began looking into the options available in the city where we were going to move. This city isn’t a huge city but it is significantly larger than the city we just left, with more than half a million people, surely there would be lots of prenatal and birthing options. Given that there are three major hospitals in the area, there are literally hundreds of … Continue reading →

Vermont May Make Insurance Cover Midwife Services

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Should private insurance companies be required to cover the cost of prenatal care, deliveries, and after care from a licensed midwife? This is the question currently being debated by lawmakers in Vermont. The Senate in Vermont has passed this bill. Now, it is up to the House of Representatives in Vermont to vote on it. Since the year 2000, the State of Vermont has been licensing midwives who are not nurses. It is perfectly legal for couples in Vermont to seek the services of a licensed midwife, instead of choosing a hospital to give birth in. However, not all private … Continue reading →

10 Reasons Why We Chose a Midwife

My quest for a midwife was largely motivated by my dislike of shots, needles, drugs, and hospitals. After reading a large number of books and several articles comparing and contrasting birthing options, the benefits of using a midwife for the pregnancy and birth of our son was undeniable and 100% desirable. Here are our top ten reasons for choosing a midwife in no particular order: Reason Number One — More Control: Instead of being a passive participant with things happening to me, I was actively seeking to ensure the best possible outcome for both pregnancy and birth. The midwives supported … Continue reading →

The Midwife Reflection

Tonight my wife began taking a trip down memory lane. She started by looking at the large number of photos and videos we’ve taken over the last two years. Everything from her progressing through the pregnancy to our son a couple of days ago at the park. This went on for a good long while (as we’ve got lots of material to go through). We really enjoyed seeing how much both we and our son has changed over the past couple of years. We’ve lived in three different places, had a number of different jobs, earned a degree, and we’re … Continue reading →

Top Tips for Creating a Birth Plan

Today’s blog topic comes from Elizabeth Stein, a women’s health expert and certified nurse midwife of 25 years. She is also a patient advocate of patient empowerment, so she has put together a list of tips on how to create a birth plan to ensure a positive emotional experience for the mother-to-be, and to give her as much control over her birthing experience as possible. When Ms. Stein’s publicist contacted me to share this list, I just knew I had to share it with you. A birth plan can be a very valuable tool. To learn more about Elizabeth Stein, … Continue reading →

ACOG Resolution Against Home Births

Home birth has gained media attention in recent years. The reason is that more women are staying home to have their babies. Midwives generally attend these births, as they have throughout most of human history. The trend has been seen in Hollywood as well. Former talk show host Ricki Lake created the documentary The Business of Being Born after her second baby was born at home. The Business of Being Born is a documentary that looks at birth in America and the culture of birth. Is child birth a natural part of life or a medical emergency? The film advocates … Continue reading →

The Pregnancy Blog Review Feb 10 – 23

A wide range of topics related to infertility, pregnancy and birth have been covered recently in the pregnancy blog. Wherever you are on the road to parenthood, you will find something relevant in this review and the pregnancy blog archives. A big hurdle for many couples is the cost of the medications used with infertility treatments. Insurance often does not cover the cost, which can be as high as over $2000 for one cycle. Read more in Affording Fertility Medications. A relatively rare, but sometimes serious, complication of injectable fertility medications is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. These medications work by stimulating … Continue reading →

Pregnancy Blog Review for January 16-27

The pregnancy blog covers issues related to fertility, pregnancy, birth and the post partum period. I try to cover a wide variety of topics each week. The blog review is a good place to view the content in one place. Can Being Underweight Affect Fertility? A study in Australia found that underweight women have a higher rate of infertility than women in the normal weight range. This blog discusses the effect of being too thin on fertility. A small but growing number of women are choosing to give birth at home, without the help of a midwife or doctor. This … Continue reading →