Doctors Obstetricians are the most common choice of maternity care provider and birth attendant in the US, especially in situations were a pregnancy is considered “high risk”. Although many obstetricians are becoming more supportive of a less aggressive approach to childbirth, there still seems to be a prevalent belief that childbirth is a condition that needs to be managed, rather than a process that, in most cases, will and should be allowed to occur naturally with little to no intervention. Many women feel that, because of their medical background, training and a perceived ability to handle complications and emergency situations more effectively than a midwife, an obstetrician can provide a higher quality of care. This is not necessarily the case, especially when you consider the fact that the medical community perpetuates the misconception that birth is an inherently dangerous event and our babies need to me “evacuated” from our wombs as quickly as possible by using interventions BEFORE they become necessary. This tendency to over manage birth significantly increases the risk of further complications to mom and baby, including but not limited to an increased risk for cesarean section. General or Family Practitioners are an alternative to obstetricians. They are trained to provide well- and preventive care and more family-oriented, and might view birth as the more natural, family-centered event that it is. Most women that I have know that used a general or family practitioner as their maternity care provider and birth attended were very satisfied with their birth experiences and the more personal care provided by their family physician. Of course, even though they may provider well-woman care, many GPs do not provide maternity care or attend births. For More Information on Obstetrics: ACOG (American College of Obstetrics & Gynocology) Midwives Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) are chosen as the primary attendant for growing percentage of US births and deliver in both freestanding birth centers and hospitals, often times in conjunction with obstetric practices. CNMs are registered nurses with additional training in midwifery, and education is a major theme in their practices. The Midwifery Model of Care is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life events and that philosophy is usually reflected in their approach to childbirth. They tend to be more conscientious in helping women to participate in her own birthing experience and dedicating more time and attention to individual cases, although CNMs are often restricted to some degree by the current obstetric model of care. A CNM is often times limited to provide maternity care for women who have had “low risk” pregnancies (an ambiguous term that seems to eliminate most everyone these days) and any situation involving possible complications would be referred to an obstetrician. Direct-Entry (DEM) or Lay Midwives attend a much smaller percentage of births in the US, most of which are homebirths. Training for a direct entry or lay midwife varies depending on state licensing requirements, but usually involves an apprenticeship with an experienced midwife and a formal midwife-training program. DEMs tend to focus more on whole-body wellness (specifically nutrition and it’s impact on healthy pregnancy and birth) and education, tend to be more conscientious and supportive of their individual clients, dedicate more time and attention to each individual case, and provide more emotional and physiological support to their clients during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. They also provide consistency in care, usually being the only care provider that their clients see during their prenatal visits and who will attend their births – it is not the game of “OB roulette” that you find in so many hospital births. This consistency provides a level of security that, in my opinion, makes for a much more positive and comfortable pregnancy and birth experience. For More Information on Midwifery: Midwifery Today The Midwife Link CFM (Citizens for Midwifery) Unassisted Birthing Unassisted birthing is another option, though relatively uncommon. The basic principal behind unassisted birthing is that birth is a personal, unique and intimate event, not to be intruded upon by strangers... that birth is an inherently natural and normal event, and does not require the presence of a professional attendant. It is extremely important, when considering an unassisted birth, to do research on pregnancy and childbirth, and to make yourself aware of the physiology or childbirth, so that you are able to recognize possible complications and act upon them accordingly. For More Information on Unassisted Birthing: Bornfee! The Unassisted Childbirth Page Journey to Devine Childbirth Informed Consent Questions Here is a list of questions to ask when interventions or unplanned procedures are proposed at any point during your pregnancy or the birth of your child: Is this an emergency or do we have time to talk? What are the benefits of doing this? What are the risks of doing this? If we do this, what other procedures or treatments might we need as a result? What else can we try first or instead? What would happen if we waited before doing this? What would happen if we didn’t do this at all? Click HERE for my list of questions to ask a prospective birth attendant! | Choosing a Care Provider | Choosing a Birth Environment | Building a Birth Plan | | Your Labor Support System | Pain Management | VBAC | Common Interventions & Procedures | | Breastfeeding | Birth Stories | Recommended Reading | Doula Services (Denver) Hosting by WebRing. Navigation by WebRing.