When supported to labor undisturbed, in her own time, in her own way, a woman can give birth naturally with very little intervention. This experience profoundly affects women, babies, fathers, and families, and has important and long-lasting effects on society.
As midwives, we are honored to be witness to the beauty and awe of natural birth, taking place at home. We believe that welcoming a baby into the world should be as undisturbed as possible.
A woman’s body holds the innate wisdom and strength to birth her child. We strive to provide professional, compassionate care that includes the whole family.
What is a midwife?
A midwife is a trained professional, specializing in supporting women through normal, healthy pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experiences. A midwife offers unique individualized care that honors and respects women, babies, and families. A midwife knows that women can grow a baby, give birth and nourish a baby. Midwifes work with healthy, normal situations and are very skilled at recognizing potential complications and make appropriate referrals to proper medical care when necessary. Midwives all over the world are considered to be "expert" of normal birth.
Advantages of Homebirth and Safety
"Birth Is As Safe As Life Gets"
Research shows that planned birth at home with a skilled attendant is just as safe, if not safer than birth in the hospital for low-risk women. This statement has been most recently supported by a major study of homebirth in North America with Certified Professional Midwives, published in the prestigious British Medical Journal. (BMJ 2005 330:1816, 18 June) This study found that in the 5,000 women participating, less than 4% gave birth via cesarean section, and far fewer intervening than similar births in the hospital.
Advantages of homebirth and midwifery:
- Respectful treatment of mother and baby
- Personal attention to meet your unique needs
- Emotional support
- Confidence and trust in our bodies
- Comprehensive, holistic health care
- Economical
- Informed decision making
- Honoring mother/baby unit, with no separation of mother and baby
- Focus on individuals, less on technology
- No exposure to unnecessary and potentially harmful interventions
Quotes
"Research shows that midwives are the safest care providers for the majority of women with healthy normal pregnancies and births"
"Midwives are the most appropriate primary health care provider to be assigned to the care of normal birth." - WHO, 1996
"Midwives attend the vast majority of births in those nations with the best perinatal outcomes..." - Coalition for Improving Maternity Services, The Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative, 1996
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