Prenatal
Throughout pregnancy the midwife will continuously be monitoring you and your baby's well-being. She will see you on the same schedule of care that you would receive in the hospital setting. She will continuously be evaluating the safety for an out-of-hospital birth. All routine labwork and testing options are offered. To ensure client and baby safety the midwife will consult with physicians as needed and will transfer care if a higher level of care is needed.
Labor & Birth
The midwife will usually arrive to your house in active labor. She will monitor you and your baby's vitals and assist with the delivery. The midwife prefers to remain as non-interventive as possible but is trained for emergency scenarios. She is equipped with the appropriate tools and medications. She will perform a complete newborn exam and provide immediate postpartum care. She will stay at your home until both you and your baby are stable.
The midwife's main priority is the safety of you and your baby. If complications arise making the safest place for delivery in the hospital, an appropriate transfer of care will be made. In the event of an emergent transfer of care the midwife will accompany you to the hospital.
Postpartum
The midwife will provide routine postpartum care for you throughout the first six weeks. This is more postpartum care than you would receive in a hospital setting. She also provides routine newborn care for the first two weeks of life (or until the baby has been seen by a pediatrician) and will perform all of the available newborn screenings if desired. This includes a one-day postpartum visit in your home as well as a one-week, two-week, and six-week visit in office. Any labwork and testing will be completed as needed. The midwife will complete and submit the birth certificate and social security request for you.