It makes sense that the term “midwife” means “with woman.” After all, the midwifery model of care is built on the philosophy that pregnancy, labor, and delivery are normal, natural life processes and that medical intervention during childbirth should only happen when absolutely necessary.
As traditional care providers who’ve been assisting women before, during, and after childbirth in every corner of the globe for centuries, midwives currently attend the vast majority of births throughout the world. All told, four in five women worldwide rely on the support, care, and expertise of a certified midwife to help them welcome their babies into the world.
Although midwives haven’t played as central a role as primary caregivers in childbirth across the United States, an ever-increasing number of American women are choosing to deliver their babies with midwives each year.
That’s because more and more American women are discovering that modern midwives are highly trained professionals who use up-to-date and evidence-based information to help women have healthier pregnancies, more natural births, and optimal postpartum recoveries.
Here are 5 great reasons to consider using a midwife for your delivery.
Above all else, the midwifery model of care strives to offer support and expertise that helps facilitate a healthy and safe pregnancy, labor, and delivery for you and your baby.
The midwife mindset also recognizes the importance of the birthing experience and believes in empowering you through the birthing process so you’re less likely to want unnecessary medical intervention. It’s not surprising that most women who chose a midwife for prenatal care and delivery do so because they’d like to experience a natural childbirth.
Evidence shows that using a midwife is actually associated with reduced rates of medically induced labor, epidural use, and episiotomy surgery. Midwives are also associated with a decreased risk of having an unexpected Cesarean delivery, even if your baby isn’t in the right position when labor begins.
Because midwives take a whole-person approach to every aspect of pregnancy and childbirth, their care is designed to meet your physical, mental, and emotional needs, while also taking your spiritual and cultural needs into account.
Choosing a Certified Nurse Midwife as your partner in prenatal care and childbirth can help you feel relaxed and fully supported throughout your pregnancy, during labor and delivery, and in your early postpartum months as a new mom.
Midwifery is a relationship-based, woman-centered care model that respects your bodily autonomy as well as your personal preferences so you’re more likely to achieve your ideal birth experience.
Besides decreasing your chances of needing medical intervention during childbirth, having a midwife at your side decreases the likelihood that you’ll experience an episiotomy when your baby is born.
Midwifery care is associated with an increased enjoyment of the birth experience, increased likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth, a decreased risk of premature birth, and lower infant mortality rates.
Women who choose midwives are also more likely to have a positive start to breastfeeding and report higher overall satisfaction with the quality of care they’ve received.
Although the vast majority of midwife-attended births in the US occur in traditional hospitals, midwives also help women give birth at home and at freestanding birth centers. Luckily for us in NJ new birth centers are opening up and are assessible around the state.
If you’re interested in planning an alternative birth or simply want to know more about it, a Certified Nurse Midwife can let you know what the process is generally like; as well as what to expect if something unexpected circumstances require you to change your birth plan.
Because midwives are highly trained in every aspect of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, choosing a midwife for your delivery means you’ll receive comprehensive prenatal care and education, hands-on assistance through labor and delivery, and A-to-Z postpartum and newborn care.
Although midwives like to emphasize watchful waiting to help minimize unnecessary medical interventions, they can also determine when obstetrical attention or medical intervention may be necessary.
By providing the kind of personalized, medical-backed care that emphasizes natural childbirth, midwives help create an environment where you can feel safe, cared for, and confident going into childbirth.
To learn more about using a Certified Nurse Midwife at Holistic OB/GYN & Midwifery, call your nearest office in Clifton or Passaic, New Jersey, or use our easy online booking tool to schedule an appointment.
