In Bloom Doula Services

When I discuss birth with other mothers or anyone really, inevitably I bring up that I had a midwife, a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) to be exact instead of an obstetrician, or OB/GYN. This often brings up several questions, some confusion, and many misconceptions. So, I’m here to clear it all up.

For as long as I can remember I have wanted an all natural, unmedicated birth. When I began researching and learning more about pregnancy and labor, I realized that women have many more options at their disposal than they may know of. A home birth just wasn’t what I had envisioned, although I believe 100% that home births are a safe and wonderful choice. I just always pictured myself delivering at a hospital, which is why I never considered a midwife. I thought midwives went hand in hand with home births. I assumed that if I wasn’t choosing a home birth that a midwife just wasn’t an option for me. Luckily, that isn’t the case. 

I found my midwife on accident. I had absolutely no idea that I could receive midwifery care in a hospital setting until about 4 months before I found out I was pregnant. I had just started a new insurance policy and called a women’s health office to schedule my first well woman’s exam with my new doctor. I said on the phone that I would only be comfortable with a woman OB, and they said “would you like to see a midwife?” I was confused. A midwife? Instead of a gynecologist? I asked a few questions like “they do regular well woman exams?” They said “yes they do.” And got really excited. I said that I would like to see a midwife instead and that is how I found out you can deliver with a midwife in a hospital. To my surprise though, many people are unaware of this option, and unaware of what a midwife actually does. 

I’m sure I know what you’re thinking now. “Well what is the difference between a midwife and an OB/GYN?” When I told people I had a midwife instead of an OB they were often times confused and sometimes gave me a look of disapproval. I would explain that I still get pretty much the same prenatal care (ultrasound, blood tests, and routine check ins) just in a much more hands off manner. A much more holistic approach to child birth. I wanted a care provider who viewed pregnancy as a normal life event instead of an illness or a problem waiting to happen. My midwife did just this. She never once scared me about the state of my pregnancy or baby. She never talked to me as a patient who must not have a clue about what is going on. She never pressured me into an induction or any medication for that matter (i.e. birth control- that I don’t take). She never questioned my ability to make informed decisions about my prenatal care, and most importantly she supported my birth plan 100%. It was an environment of love, support, empowerment, and belief in the power of my body to birth my baby.

Obstetricians are surgically trained. They are experts at cesareans. They go through medical school expecting to treat your pregnancy. The thing is typically there is nothing to treat. The majority of pregnancies are low risk, and most complications that happen in a hospital setting are caused by the slew of interventions doctors impose on a laboring woman. This interferes with the body’s natural way of processing child birth. Birth is so physiological and there is no one labor that is the same, which is why following a text book check list of expectations is often times asking for a hiccup in the natural progression of things. The labor process progresses by a series of triggers that enable the next thing to happen. Interfering with this process often leads to complications that would not have happened had the body been able to handle the labor naturally.

Midwifes are specially trained to handle the natural process of birth. They are fully qualified to handle any and every situation a birth may throw at you, minus a cesarean, but thats what OB’s are for. I would often find myself explaining the validity of having a CNM, that I was receiving adequate prenatal care, and that I was in great hands. The best hands as far as I was concerned.

I knew I wanted minimal interventions, no induction, no pressure for a c-section, and to listen to and trust my body, which is exactly what happened. Midwifery care was one of the best decisions I made for my pregnancy. My midwife was always very calm, composed, and made me feel very at ease through out my entire pregnancy. I was never made to feel nervous, incompetent or doubt my self or my wants. She would hug me, listen to me, talk to me about my job, my health and my family. It was exactly the type of care everyone deserves.

I’m sure you are wondering, “well why not have a home birth? Why deliver with a midwife in a hospital?” For me a hospital birth is what I had always pictured when I imagined the birth of my baby. I envisioned this natural, unmedicated birth beginning in the middle of the night, and counting contractions until it was time to wake up my husband and excitedly tell him “it’s time!” I imagined packing our bags and driving on dark empty roads to the hospital. I pictured a labor and delivery room, and having visitors after with flowers and balloons, and nervously putting him in his car seat for the first time and driving him home to start our new life. Which is exactly how it happened. I liked the idea of having nurses at my disposal 24/7 if I had questions or was nervous that something was wrong.

I tried to incorporate the comforts of home, like my own clothes, my own pillow. A birth playlist, essential oils, dim lights, and all. In all honestly I am just not put off by hospitals the way many women who choose a home birth are. I felt like I was being proactive by going to the hospital- it just felt like the next step. In my tiny garage apartment I felt cramped and trapped during each contraction and in the hospital each contraction was productive. I may consider a home birth in the future and I assure you that my reasoning for a hospital birth has nothing to do with that “just in case something happens,” side not that people often suggested to me wide eyed and concerned as I told them about my midwife.

For some reason our culture has completely rejected that idea that a woman can birth a baby with minimal intervention. We have bought into this idea that pregnancy and labor need fixing, overseeing, monitoring, and medication. Doubting the body God created to perfectly welcome the life of a new human. Not to mention the fact that women have been birthing babies for centuries. For some reason we still view that laboring body incompetent. When a woman chooses a midwife whether it be in a hospital, birthing center, or at home, she is making an empowered choice. She is choosing to trust her body and her baby. Choosing to let the pregnancy and labor run it’s course in an effort to have the best outcomes.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there is a time and a place for a cesarean, induction, pitocin, pain management and interventions, but we can’t deny that all are being insanely over used and not for the better of women or babies. 1/3 of babies born in America are born via c-section. Only 15% of American women are breastfeeding until the baby is 6 months old. Infant and maternal mortality rates are at an unacceptable high, and it is time that we question the system at the root of all of this. Changing the way our medical system treats birth is vital to the well being of women, and that change can start with a midwife.