Posts Tagged ‘pregnancy’

Midwifery and the wrong things people think about it

Midwifery is a health care profession that helps expectant mothers.  They provide prenatal care as well attend the birth. Postpartum care is also provided by them as well.  In general, midwives are not usually nurses although they can be. But they have rules and regulations and they also have a governing body.But what are the wrong things that people think of midwives and midwifery in general?

In general, the misunderstandings happen for those that do homebirths.  In my practice of helping women as a midwife in San Diego, homebirths are where people get confused.  People usually think delivering a baby at home is unsafe. But for low-risk pregnancy undergoing home birthing is very safe.  Midwives do have some medical equipment for emergencies.Most complications are avoided because of the method that they deliver babies.

This is the part where the benefits come in.  As some homebirth midwife San Diego perform their services they do it with a natural delivery.This is the kind of delivery where medicine is not needed or rather, no medicine is administered to help in labor.No medicine is administered to the mother during birthing.But not using medication to help ease the pain of birthing is a good thing since it makes the delivery happen faster.  Because most women don’t realize medication actually slows down delivery.  So by avoiding medication they don’t slow down the delivery.

Another good thing would be when women deliver using water birth method because this has a lot of benefits for the baby and the mother. From doing water birth in San Diego in my practice the water eases the delivery.The water soothes the muscles of the pregnant mother resulting to an easier delivery of the baby. And another good thing about water birth is that the shock and stress that the baby endures during birthing is reduced.

As you can see there are misunderstanding with midwives.But here’s hoping that people would recognize the safety of this method as long as the pregnancy is low-risk.Also, they have a regulating body.  So midwives do have to go to extensive schooling.They know some medical procedures that may be needed in their said profession.That is why mothers should not be worried about their safety since all necessary medical equipments are with the midwife.  It is a viable choice for women.

Is homebirth safe

How they deliver their babies is one of the choices that women can make during their pregnancy. When I say how they will deliver I am referring to a hospital delivery or a homebirth. Most women don’t know that they have a choice on how to deliver their babies because they think that giving birth at their own homes is dangerous.But of course there are those who doubt the safety of this method.  But with careful research they can see there is a lot of evidence to show that it is.

There are definitely critics who do not believe in the safety of a homebirth.  From my observations from my practice as a midwife in San Diego I have found it to be absolutely safe. I have witnessed 300 homebirths and I can say that the dangers are just the same either you deliver a baby at home or at the hospital.  Having it in a hospital or at home doesn’t minimize those risks.But the risks would also not increase.

So what are the risks of doing this method?One danger that people worry about this method is when complications arise while having a baby.They presume that the people who administer homebirths are not nurses and they are not medically inclined.  Well as a midwives San Diego we do know medical procedures.We have all the required medical equipment for all the common complications that appear when giving birth.It is but natural that any serious complications that would arise during birthing should be addressed by a doctor.  But that isn’t any different then in a hospital. 

Homebirths are only recommended for women who have pregnancies that are low in risk.If it is known that a woman has possible complications while giving birth then the midwife would not recommend this method if she is good.  This is standard procedure for all licensed midwife in San Diego.This is standard procedure because they are limited in the medical procedures that they can do.That the reason why they make sure that all high risk pregnancies be delivered in a hospital.

For those who do not like this method it will be very hard to convince them to do so.But for the women who likes to try this method then they should know that this method is safe if not as safe as a delivery in the hospital.

Advantages of having a baby through water birth

One of the ways of having a baby that isn’t common but is gaining in some popularity is water birth.  It isn’t the usual way of having a baby on a medical bed.But it is safe to use when delivering a baby. 

So what we are going to do is look at the water birth process and it’s benefits. These are going to come from experience that I have gained as a midwife in San Diego.  First of all water birth is the process of having a baby in water.  Usually in a tub of warm water.One reason why they say water birthing is good for the baby is because the baby will enter an evironment similar to where he lived for 9 months which is water.The babies have been in water inside the mother’s womb for 9 months and using this method helps the babies get adjusted.

It is also shown in studies that it helps in pain management.  For women that is a big relief to here. A lot of times it allows the use of no medicine.  I have performed many without medicine as well as many other homebirth midwife San Diego I have spoken with.

Is water birth a safe way to deliver?  Studies have shown that most of the time it is.  There are a few instances when it isn’t advisable due to certain medical conditions. I have had that happen in my waterbirth San Diego service. Going to a specialist first is the best way.

Another benefit of having a water birth is it reduces the risk of skin tears.It can be a very painful experience during delivery.  But having a baby in water helps lessen that possibility.Because it calms the skin.

If you follow these procedures this could be a choice of delivery for you.  It has many benefits for both the mother as well as the baby.Consult your doctor first to know if it is okay for you.

Some options for your pregnancy

One of the happiest times for a woman is during pregnancy.Quite a few women desire to have children.It is during those pregnancy months that those desires start to now come true.

During the pregnancy plenty of choices and decisions are going to have to be made.  One of those choices is how to deliver the baby.  Sounds strange to say it is a choice but it is.Most women will chose to use medicine to help them have the baby.But there is a strong movement of women who make the choice of going natural.  That means no medicine to aid in delivery.  I have seen this from first hand experience as a San Diego midwife.  It is from that experience that I want to share some benefits.

So why is it that quite a few women are opting for a non medical delivery.  A couple of reasons.First point is that a lot of women are now realizing that medicine actually makes the delivery go slower.  When you are in pain and want to deliver as fast as possible, medicine defeats the purpose.Quite a few women are now realizing that.What a lot of women fail to understand is that they are able to do it in that fashion. If they decide to go that route, they can decide on going with a midwife.  In my part of the country there are quite a few midwives in San Diego.

A midwife is able to help a woman gently deliver.They could pick maybe delivering through waterbirth.Waterbirth is a form of delivery that utilizes water to help with the pain and help during delivery. 

Also if a woman chooses, a midwife can help if they choose to deliver at home. Once again you can find a homebirth midwife in San Diego if you look.

The many benefits of having the delivery at home is that the environment is less stressed and more relaxed. These two benefits makes a natural delivery inviting.If you are with child, it could be a decision you might want to consider.

Benefits of having a baby at home

Having a baby is the one of the most precious moments for a woman.The happiness of being able to deliver a new life is like nothing else.  Although it comes with great pain, most women will agree it is worth it. 

As a San Diego midwife I would like to share with you a method that you might not be aware of.It is also known as waterbirth.

Waterbirth has been called probably of all the methods of delivery the gentlest.It utilizes and requires the use of a bath or pool that is heated.A few woman will just use the water for the pain of the labor part.They will do it because heated water is actually a good pain reliever.  It is soothing to the tissues.

Other women will also delivery the baby through it.  They stay in the water all the way through delivery.  Even all the way through delivering the placenta.

The whole procedure is usually overseen by a person called a midwife.  If you are in San Diego there are plenty of midwives San Diego.You will want one that is very experienced. 

Why do quite a few women pick this way of delivering over the hosptial method? As described earlier, delivery and the labor part is extremely painful.A majority of women will use the drugs to try and stop the pain.But for quite a few women they do not want to introduce drugs into their body in fear of harming the baby.Using waterbirth for delivery helps ease some of the pain.  Because of the
water heated it is soothing to the tissues and helps reduce the pain.

Most women will have this done through a natural process.  They will not use any drugs to cope with the pain.Often what this does is cause the labor and delivery to happen a lot faster.Because using drugs actually can cause the labor to slow down. 

It is a safe alternative of delivery.  For women looking to having their baby naturally this might be the way to go.  I have seen many happy deliveries as a San Diego licensed midwife.All it will require of a woman is to do a little research and see for themselves
how safe it really is.

Safety of a Homebirth

Having your baby at home?  Who would do such a thing? Wasn’t that just back in the western days when doctor’s had to deliver babies at home out on the prairie?

Not quite.  There is a growing group of women who realize the benefits of a homebirth and having your baby at home.

It is called midwifery the practice of having your baby at home.  Although usually not nurses or doctors, the people who are in midwifery are professionally regulated.  I myself have seen the steady rise of homebirths through my practice as a San Diego certified midwife.

The people, generally women, who perform this line of work are called homebirth midwives.  Midwives is a more common term that people are familiar with and means a person who attends childbirth and provides support during labor and delivery.

Now why the midwife generally isn’t a doctor or nurse is because having your baby at home, or midwifery, is usually the belief that pregnancy and delivery are natural events.  This is contrasted with the medical model which believes that pregnancy and delivery should be accompanied by medicine to assist and improve the situation.

That out of the way, lets take a look at why women are having their babies at home.  What are the reasons why women are choosing homebirths?

First off, with the continued presence of the midwife, the length of labor can be reduced.  Most women don’t realize that the use of pain medications although seemingly helpful in regards to pain, actually slows the labor down.  This actually creates more pain and makes the labor last longer.

Second, midwifery practices actually causes a reduction in the need for forceps and other devices in a delivery.  The process of naturally allowing the birh and delivery to occur is what causes the reduction of the need for those devices.

Third, is it reduces the possibility of a cesarean delivery.  Most c-sections happen when during labor, it was thought that a natural birth process was not possible.  Either it was the baby’s safety that was in mind or the mother’s safety.  Well in reality, complications were caused when the natural process was stopped and not allowed to continue.

These were 3 benefits of having a homebirth naturally.  There are plenty more benefits, but most women would agree for pregnancy these are 3 huge benefits. 

So although, most might consider it strange to want to have a child at home, studies have shown that allowing the natural birth process to happen is safer for the mother and the baby.  With over 300 births attended as a homebirth midwife in San Diego, this has proven to be the case time and time again.