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Pregnancy can be a miraculous and memorable time for everyone involved in the process. If this is the first time you are going through the whole experience, it is natural to be overwhelmed with so many new things. That’s when to hire a Portland midwife! Midwives are the best people to help you go through pregnancy without any hassle.
Midwives come with a lot of experience and first-hand knowledge about pregnancies. A lot of people don’t hire midwives because they are not aware of the kind of work they do. If you are one of them, then you are missing out on some important assistance when it’s the most required! Let’s take a look at some reasons why midwives are important in a pregnancy journey.
Who Are Midwives?
Here’s a quick explanation about midwifery in case you are unaware of them. Midwives are trained healthcare professionals who work towards helping women before, during and after childbirth. Most of the time midwives are hired to assist during the critical time of childbirth to carry out the process of vaginal birthing. However, their expertise goes beyond that as well.
Just like your regular obgyn, midwives can also prescribe treatments, medicines and tests as required. They are usually hired to facilitate the childbirth process naturally by eliminating any complex surgeries involved. However, midwives are well-trained to understand when a particular case is fit for natural childbirth and whether it should be pushed for a hospital birth or not.
You can learn more from the Midwives Alliance of North America.
Why Hire a Portland Midwife?
1. Natural pregnancy journey
Comparing midwives VS hospital birth, hiring a midwife ensures that your pregnancy journey becomes as natural as possible. It eliminates unnecessary medications to a great extent. Midwives are trained to maintain diets and take appropriate pregnancy care for a perfectly natural pregnancy.
2. Support system
Midwives are a huge support system for women going through pregnancy. Apart from medical support, midwives also provide physical, psychological and physiological support. Handling mood swings, advising the right exercises and just looking after women’s entire healthcare is a midwives’ forte. With years of training and experience of birth after birth, they are the right person to guide women which is why midwives are important in day-to-day life during pregnancy.
3. Choice of birth location
Yes! Hospitals are not the only place you can give birth! With midwives, you get the option of choosing where you want to give birth. Fascinating, isn’t it? You are usually presented with three options by your midwives to give birth at – hospital, home or birth center.
You can find more information in this blog post about birth centers.
If you compare midwives VS hospital birth, Hospital birth is usually considered the safest option because you are already surrounded by state-of-the-art medical equipment just in case something goes wrong or an emergency arises. As opposed to this, even though midwives are well prepared with medical equipment, the same treatment cannot be provided anywhere else.
However, if you have a normal case without any complications, you can choose to have a delivery at home or a birth center. These are convenient places. Home delivery is extremely comforting for the mothers while birth centers can make a great compromise between home and hospital surroundings.
Midwives can provide correct medical assistance at all these places. You can also consult with them considering your medical case and then make an informed decision!
4. Assistance in childbirth
Along with the assistance that a midwife provides throughout the journey of pregnancy, her ultimate support during childbirth is the most important. In most cases for home births or birth center childbirths, your hired midwife is the very person who delivers a child. This is another plus point for you to hire a Portland midwife. You will get to know in advance about the person who will be delivering your child – who they are, their experience, and the kind of person they are, isn’t that amazing?
5. Home Visits
Midwives are also a great option for post-childbirth care. They always put your comfort first and are open to doing home visits until you are completely recovered to visit them. Their post-delivery care is also second to none. The first 6 weeks after pregnancy are the most crucial for mothers and babies. Midwives ensure that all proper health checkups are done for the baby and mother. They also help in the mothers’ healing process and provide future guidance on breastfeeding, baby care and self-care.
How to Find The Right Portland Midwife ?
If you are looking to find the right midwife for you then here’s what to Look for in the ideal pick!
1. Medical qualifications
Understand the medical certifications she holds and whether she is licensed to provide healthcare by the state or not. Ask whether she has a working experience in childbirth or whether she has been affiliated with any hospitals or birth centers.
2. Practical experience as a midwife
Get to know about the practical experience as a midwife. How many patients has she handled as a midwife? What were their chosen birth settings? Check whether you can get a few references from her to check her reputation. Also remember to talk about in case of emergency contacts, her replacements in her absence and emergency backups for consultations and medical care.
3. Style of Working
Discuss what is her style of working. Ask in what situations does she recommend Medical Intervention? When does she include painkillers and other stimulants if required? How does she determine which birth setting would be best for a case?
Final Words
Midwives are well experienced to handle childbirth and pre and post-care for the same. Now that you have seen the reasons why you should hire a midwife, you will feel more confident in them! They are as good as professional doctors with even more time, attention and added comfort for your healthy delivery!
Before your baby gets here, make sure to document this amazing time in your life. Learn more about maternity photos on my Portland Maternity Photographers website
Want more useful local tips? Start here:
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