Labor & Birth
As your baby's birth date approaches, your midwives will ask you about your birth plans. Who will be here? How will others that you have invited to your birth participate? Is there anything else that will make your birth experience what you desire it to be? You may request anything as long as it is safe for you and your baby! We want to help you to make this one of the most memorable, sensitive, and special moments of your lives! We know that labor and birth is some of the hardest work you will ever do--we want to help you and encourage you!
You may bring your favorite items (pillows, blankets, family pictures, stuffed animals, music...no pets please. Your family and friends may bring prepared food (soups and small casseroles are great) and use the kitchen facilities (refrigerator, microwave, range-top and toaster) or you may plan a catered meal. Smoking and alcohol are not permitted in the birth center. A birthday cake is a fun way to celebrate baby's actual BIRTH day. Cameras and video equipment may be used. If you wish to have children present during the labor and birth process, an adult other than your primary support person must be present to supervise them and meet their individual needs.
The signs of labor, as well as the articles that you and your support person should bring to the center, will be discussed fully during your visits and your pregnancy and birth classes. When you feel that labor has begun, and is well established, call the birthing home. The on-call midwife will call you back to discuss how things are going and you will make the plan together about "what's next." When it is time, the midwife will meet you at the birthing home or your home. Because the center is not staffed around the clock with an in-house person please talk to the midwife before coming to the birthing home! During labor you will be free to walk around, enjoy the garden, eat lightly and drink plenty, shower and use the tub.
Your midwife will encourage and advise you (if needed) in allowing your body to normally birth your baby. You may choose your place and position for the birth unless the midwife advises otherwise. As birth approaches the midwife will call the birth assistant to come in to help care for you and your family during and after the birth. Our birth assistants are specially trained and highly qualified to assist families in the normal birth process, identify problems, and assist the midwife in the event of a problem or complication. There are no routine prepping procedures, no mandatory positions, and no routine use of IVs and/or electronic fetal monitors (we do of course monitor the baby frequently by listening with a hand-held Doppler).
