Choosing a Midwife/Is Homebirth Safe????

I often get people asking me for recommendations for midwives. I also often get the “What if something happens???” -type questions. I have got a great story that answers both these questions.

It was Labor Day Weekend. Sarah thought “this might be it!” A walk, a shower, some rest, it wasn’t. A week later, Sarah thought “this might be it!” Again, it wasn’t. Another week goes by, and Sarah is now past 41 weeks. Any pregnant woman knows those last few weeks seem like the looooongest ones. I was pretty sure she meant business this time when she sent me a text at 1:30am

Sarah had prepared wonderfully for her homebirth. Mentally, she wanted a non-invasive, unmedicated birth for her child. Emotionally, she desired this to be a beautiful journey she & Dan would take in welcoming their daughter into their family. Physically, Sarah is a yoga instructor and she & Dan had attended a Hypnobirthing class. Sarah could meditate and breath like a pro.

A quick side note here about Moose. I love Moose. And I am not a “dog person.” When I came to Sarah’s house a few weeks prior to her labor day, Moose very calmly put his head in my lap. He was very snuggly in a nice, non-overbearing way. On the day of the birth, Moose was aware, slightly concerned, and just loving. He had a very calming presence. (I even felt bad asking him to leave the room as things got towards the end!)

Sarah’s labor progressed, and then she was ready to push. And she pushed and pushed and pushed. It seemed that this baby was going to make her mama wait just a little bit longer before making her entrance! Throughout this prolonged pushing stage, Sarah and the baby were constantly monitored by midwife April & assistant Marcie. Eventually, April said the words “We need to go to the hospital.” April assured Sarah it was not an emergency, but she wanted to get to the hospital before it turned into an emergency. The baby’s heart tones weren’t as chipper as they once were, Sarah was getting exhausted, and the baby’s head just wasn’t coming out. April figured the baby just needed a little help from a vacuum, and that’s something midwives don’t do. So, we quickly packed up and got to the hospital.

At St. Rose Siena Hospital, Sarah had wonderful nurses and Dr. Sauter was on-call. A few more pushes and a little vacuuming and the baby was out! It turns out the little miss Kate decided she was coming into the world how SHE wanted to – face up and slightly crooked! It was her head position that was making the labor so difficult. In the end, Sarah still had an unmedicated birth, she was surrounded by three times as many supportive people, and she was tired but ecstatic! Sarah’s positive, easy-going attitude and never-ending pleasant-ness really made the difference in this birth. With how long the labor was and how long she was pushing, it would be very easy to get discouraged. Not Sarah! She was upbeat the whole way through (ok, in between contractions!)

Homebirth is a safe option for healthy, low-risk mothers. Hire a midwife who is knowledgeable and experienced. An experienced midwife can recognize “problems” before they become problems. So “what if something happens???” Notice that Sarah’s midwife did not wait until the last minute to say “Let’s go!” She did not wait until the situation was beyond her abilities to care for. She assessed the situation calmly and made the decision. The birthing party was moved to the hospital quickly, but not recklessly. Kate, due to her position, was having a long, hard labor and just needed a little help. Sarah is an amazing woman for laboring as she did, and staying so positive the whole time. Dan, while concerned, was beautifully supportive and strong for his wife. This is a wonderful new family and I am so pleased to have been a part of this experience. I know Sarah and Dan are stronger because of these events and they now have a darling baby girl to cherish.

Midwife April Kermani with assistant Marcie Webb

Doula and Photographer Jessica Benson

Hypnobirthing class with Mandie Medford

Transfer to St. Rose Sienna Hospital with Dr. Timothy Sauter