safety
how do you monitor safety at
welcome home community birth center?
Prenatal care visits are scheduled in 60-minute blocks to ensure all of your questions are answered. This also gives the midwife time to take your blood pressure and pulse, measure your growing belly, and determine the position of your baby. We use a stethoscope, fetoscope (a special stethoscope for hearing the fetal heart beat), a handheld doppler, and/or occasionally a bedside ultrasound to carefully determine how your baby is doing.
During labor, we routinely check each client's vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, temperature) every four hours or more frequently if there is a need. We use a handheld doppler to monitor your baby's heart rate every 15-30 minutes in active labor and every 5-15 minutes during pushing. Using a handheld doppler for fetal monitoring is proven to be effective, and usually does not restrict your ability to move freely and use water for pain relief. We are able to offer intravenous fluids and some medications, but we do not use IVs unless there is a reason. Our clients are encouraged to eat and drink throughout labor and immediately following the birth.
A freestanding birth center cannot safely offer epidurals or medicine to intensify labor, both of which require continuous fetal monitoring. We can use antibiotics to prevent GBS infection. We also have medicines to facilitate the delivery of the placenta and reduce postpartum bleeding. We have local anesthetic available for stitches if you need them. We also offer nitrous oxide, which can be used for relaxation and pain management. We have oxygen, and have devices to perform suctioning. These interventions are not routine in our practice.
Following the birth, we immediately place newborns skin-to-skin with the client. Clients and newborns usually remain skin-to-skin as long as desired. All routine procedures (such as monitoring heart rate, respirations, and temperature) are performed without interrupting skin-to-skin contact.
Before you go home from the birth center (3-5 hours after the birth), we clamp and cut the umbilical cord and conduct a head-to-toe newborn exam. At this time we offer the Vitamin K shot and erythromycin eye ointment.
Once you are home, the midwife will visit you and your baby at home at 24 hours, 72 hours, and 1 week in order to conduct additional assessments, provide infant feeding support, and complete routine blood tests. Additional checkups take place at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks in our office or in your home. You and your newborn are within the midwife's scope of practice as a primary care provider to 6 weeks postpartum, and having a pediatrician see your well baby is optional (not required). If your baby is unwell, your midwife will facilitate a referral to a pediatrician.
All clients are welcome to schedule additional postpartum office visits, gynecological visits, and family planning visits on an as-needed basis.
During labor, we routinely check each client's vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, temperature) every four hours or more frequently if there is a need. We use a handheld doppler to monitor your baby's heart rate every 15-30 minutes in active labor and every 5-15 minutes during pushing. Using a handheld doppler for fetal monitoring is proven to be effective, and usually does not restrict your ability to move freely and use water for pain relief. We are able to offer intravenous fluids and some medications, but we do not use IVs unless there is a reason. Our clients are encouraged to eat and drink throughout labor and immediately following the birth.
A freestanding birth center cannot safely offer epidurals or medicine to intensify labor, both of which require continuous fetal monitoring. We can use antibiotics to prevent GBS infection. We also have medicines to facilitate the delivery of the placenta and reduce postpartum bleeding. We have local anesthetic available for stitches if you need them. We also offer nitrous oxide, which can be used for relaxation and pain management. We have oxygen, and have devices to perform suctioning. These interventions are not routine in our practice.
Following the birth, we immediately place newborns skin-to-skin with the client. Clients and newborns usually remain skin-to-skin as long as desired. All routine procedures (such as monitoring heart rate, respirations, and temperature) are performed without interrupting skin-to-skin contact.
Before you go home from the birth center (3-5 hours after the birth), we clamp and cut the umbilical cord and conduct a head-to-toe newborn exam. At this time we offer the Vitamin K shot and erythromycin eye ointment.
Once you are home, the midwife will visit you and your baby at home at 24 hours, 72 hours, and 1 week in order to conduct additional assessments, provide infant feeding support, and complete routine blood tests. Additional checkups take place at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks in our office or in your home. You and your newborn are within the midwife's scope of practice as a primary care provider to 6 weeks postpartum, and having a pediatrician see your well baby is optional (not required). If your baby is unwell, your midwife will facilitate a referral to a pediatrician.
All clients are welcome to schedule additional postpartum office visits, gynecological visits, and family planning visits on an as-needed basis.
What if i become high-risk during care?
Healthy clients are able to birth in our freestanding birth center. Occasionally, our midwife may determine that a hospital birth would be safer for an individual client or baby. This determination may be made during the course of prenatal care, or while the client is in labor. We assess each client’s risk status at regular intervals throughout the pregnancy. If a risk factor is identified, your midwife talk with you about recommended hospital-based midwifery and physician practices.
do i need to see an ob-gyn during my care?
The Licensed Midwife is a primary provider during your pregnancy and seeing an OB-GYN throughout your care is not necessary for clients within the midwife's scope of practice. Occasionally the midwife may recommend or require that you consult with a physician in order to clarify whether or not you are a suitable candidate for community birth.
