IS HOME BIRTH SAFE?
Fact-Based
Q&A
from Home Birth Licensed Midwives
Regarding home birth
&
Birth Center Birth⠀
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Licensed Midwife Christa West from Coastal Midwifery, serving clients in the tri-county area for 8 years and over 400 births, answers one of the most common questions from south FL families: ⠀
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Is home birth safe?⠀
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Midwife Christa:
Studies have proven home birth to be just as safe as hospital birth when the provider and client have a back up plan in place. ⠀
Midwives are trained to handle emergency situations but what we really do is detect complications before they are even complications. Most obstetrical emergencies give little hints prior to arising and since you are the only client your midwife is present with during labor, it makes it much easier to detect these abnormal situations early on. If our remedies are not resolving the concerns, then we go to the hospital. Many midwives recommend a prearranged back-up doctor that we will transfer to if complications arise. ⠀
We carry supplies like oxygen, IV supplies, deep suctioning equipment for baby and medication to stop bleeding. We also attend births with a trained assistant, both parties are certified in CPR and Neonatal resuscitation. ⠀
98% of home birth transfers are non-emergent meaning you get in your car, I get in mine and we drive to the hospital. ⠀
Most people think that a midwife shows up to a birth “bare handed” to catch a baby, with little to no supplies and prays everything goes well. This is certainly not the case, we monitor our clients throughout pregnancy labor and postpartum to ensure they remain low risk.⠀
It is important to remember that pregnancy and childbirth are a natural occurrence and the majority of the time everything goes very smoothly. Our bodies are made to do this work. The midwife is present to ensure everything is normal and safe throughout the pregnancy, birth and postpartum period. Home birth with a trained midwife IS A SAFE OPTION for low risk pregnancies.⠀
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You can follow midwife Christa: @coastalmidwife⠀
coastalmidwifery.com⠀
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Stay tuned these next 2 weeks for other local licensed midwives answering questions in written posts + live Q&A
