Midwifing Myself

Now that the baby news is out to our entire world, I've been getting tons of questions from people who are super curious about how a midwife goes about planning her own pregnancy and birth. I find it fascinating, really. The question I keep receiving is a variation of, "Will you deliver your own baby?" It was kind of cute the first 500 times I heard it, but now it just makes me cringe.

I realize, though, that most people are asking it because they genuinely don't know how midwifery works. *sigh* Have I accomplished nothing after blogging for four years? :)

To help clarify things:

Yes, I plan to deliver my own baby. In my own home. On my own terms. Surrounded by people I know and love. My midwife will be there to help catch, but the delivering will be all me. I have never "delivered" any woman's baby - that honor is hers alone.

Louis and I have hired a midwife who is licensed by the state of CA and is not affiliated with any hospital. As a midwife, she has attended more than 15,000 births and she is the only person around whom I believe I can completely relax and purposely not midwife myself. I respect her very much and have complete faith and trust in her ability to keep me and my baby safe during labor and birth.

While we have Kaiser insurance, I do not need their assistance for any part of my pregnancy, birth, or postpartum, as long as all is normal and healthy. I have no plans to visit a doctor at any point during my pregnancy.

I have a lab account with LabCorp, which is where I will have all my labwork done. Technically, I could have asked a colleague to draw my blood for me and then dropped it off at the lab to be tested, but because I'm such a wimp when it comes to needles, I prefer to have my pokes done by someone who draws blood all day every day. The lab tech I saw this past weekend when I had my first labs drawn was so good I didn't even feel the poke! The results will be faxed to me in a couple days and the charge gets billed to Generations Midwifery Service. Because I am part of the group lab account for all California midwives, the fees I pay for labs are significantly less than what I would have to pay at Kaiser.

I encourage all my clients with Kaiser insurance to schedule at least three visits with a nurse-midwife there, so that a chart will be established and on record in case medical care is needed during pregnancy or the birth. I'll be following my own advice, and my first visit with the CNM will be next week. I'll introduce myself, give her a copy of my lab results, let her know about my intention to birth at home, and chat with her midwife to midwife for a few minutes before I'm on my way. No exam, no routine ultrasound, no advice needed.

Because my midwife lives out of the area (but will be here with plenty of time before the birth), I am taking responsibility for my prenatal visits. Every four weeks I take my own blood pressure and pulse, dip my urine, listen to the baby's heart beat, and measure my belly (with Louis' help). I took my own health history and started my own chart, which is already full of consent forms. I have notes about my signs and symptoms of pregnancy, the prenatal vitamins, iron supplement, probiotics, herbal tea, and vitamin D that I'm taking and the exercise I'm getting through walking, prenatal yoga, and zumba. LOL, someone recently said I was hardcore, but I don't believe that at all. I just really know what I want. I know my body and baby best and I'm taking full responsibility for our health.

Because I understand the risks and benefits of ultrasound, I will be requesting one (and only one) at 20 weeks. This ultrasound is a full anatomy scan of the baby and will detect any major issues, but it also gives valuable information about the location and condition of the placenta, which is important for me to know. We'll be able to know the baby's sex, but Louis and I are still trying to wait and be surprised at the birth. My CNM at Kaiser will order the ultrasound for me, but technically I could order my own through any of the diagnostic centers around the Bay Area. Ok, ok, I'll let Kaiser have this one :)

So, as a midwife, my experience with prenatal care is slightly different than the average homebirthing woman, but really the point is that licensed midwives are able to provide much more care than most people realize. From labs to heart tone monitoring to nutrition advice, just about all prenatal care can be provided to the woman in her own home at her own convenience. The medical system is there just as it is for any medical issue - as a "just in case" situation. For healthy women with normal pregnancies, doctors aren't necessary any more than Pottery Barn nurseries are. My personal opinion is that women who work with midwives actually receive better care than those who hire doctors. By comparison, our visits are long and personal, giving midwives the chance to establish real relationships with women and their whole families. This personal, trusting relationship is key to helping the woman cope with labor and manage any difficulties that may come up. Midwifery care is empowering for mothers and fathers. Louis has been equally involved in every step of the process so far. He was the one who told me I was pregnant!

Our family is definitely a midwifery family. I just could not imagine doing it any other way.