Common Questions
What equipment do you bring to the birth?
-Most important, a Doppler or fetoscope to monitor the baby's heartbeat
-Oxygen with masks, nasal cannulas and oxygen tubing
-Resuscitation equipment
-Delees, it's a long tube to suck extra mucous from the baby, if necessary- it is used when meconium is present
-Gloves-sterile and non-sterile
-Instruments for cutting the umbilical cord
-Herbs to take in labor
-Some essential oils and massage oil
-Medication used for hemorrhage
-Suturing equipment and numbing medication
-Blood pressure cuff
-Scale and measuring tape to weigh and measure baby
-Newborn medications- Vitamin K and Erythromycin (eye ointment)
-Syringes and alcohol wipes
-A heating pad to warm baby blankets
-Adult and infant stethoscopes
-A loving, calm and caring attitude
What supplies will I need for a homebirth?
-You will need a birth kit that includes:
-24 Large underpads (Chux pads)
-50 Non-sterile gauze pads
-3 pairs of sterile gloves
-3 single sterile gloves
-4oz. of providone iodine scrub
-peri bottle
-oil for perineal support
-1oz. of dried Comfrey leaf
-cord clamp, sterile
-3 alcohol prep pads
-2 flexible straws
-bulb syringe 2.5oz
-4oz. KY lube jelly
-Transmission gel
You will also need:
-Sanitary napkins of your choice
-Plastic sheet or shower curtain to protect your mattress
-Tarps or towels to protect the floor
-3-5 towels for the baby (more if you are planning a waterbirth)
-Trash receptacle
-2-4 qt sauce pan for boiling water
-Juice of your choice
-Food that you would like to eat in labor
-Birth tub if you have decided to have a waterbirth, or just if you want it available to help ease labor
Who should choose homebirth?
Healthy, low-risk women that have a strong commitment to giving birth naturally. A woman who wants to take a responsibility for her own birth by doing research on birth procedures and who wants to be a part of the decision-making process. She should feel very comfortable having her baby with the love of a midwife and the comfort of her own home.
Will my insurance cover homebirth?
Most insurance companies will help to reimburse midwifery fees if you have a PPO and maternity coverage.
What about complications?
A midwife is trained to notice potential problems before they occur. she will use natural remedies and other techniques to try to prevent the problem. If for some reason the complication cannot be controlled at home, transferring care to a physician may become necessary.
When should I call when I go into labor?
I like to be notified immediately when my clients go into labor. I may not go to their home right away if they don't yet need me, but it helps me plan my day, get extra rest, or make sure I have been fed. I usually go out when I've been told I am wanted or at least by the time the contractions are five minutes apart.
Will you do a vaginal birth after cesarean?
Yes. Studies have shown that there isn't much of a difference in uterine rupture rates in someone that has had a previous cesarean and someone who has never had one. A lot of my clients are VBAC's or attempted VBAC's. I am completely comfortable with this.
Is homebirth safe?
Recent studies have shown that for healthy, low-risk women, homebirth is just as safe, if not safer than hospital births. Please refer to www.gentlebirth.org for more information.
Is it safer to have my first baby in the hospital?
Women pregnant with their first child usually suffer the most in a hospital setting because of unnecessary interventions and cesarean sections. Since first-time mothers usually go over their due date (41 weeks on average), they are susceptible to their doctors wanting to induce them. Inductions bring on unnaturally strong contractions which make the mother more likely to take narcotics and/or an epidural. These may lead to fetal distress which can ultimately end in a cesarean section.
What about breech babies?
During prenatal visits I check the position of the baby. If I find the position to be breech, we try to turn it naturally through chiropractic care (the Webster technique works really well for this!), acupuncture, pelvic rocks and assessing what else your body may need to turn the baby.
Is my home too small for a homebirth?
I have attended births in large mansions and in one room shacks made out of cardboard with dirt floors. Whatever size home you have, I'm sure it's not too small.
Will my home get messy from the birth?
We try to do the best we can with clean up. I keep all of the birth trash in one bag, I will start a load of laundry for you and if blood does get on the carpet, I am more than willing to scrub it out for you. I like to leave your home as clean as I can because this is the time when you should be focusing on bonding with your baby, not cleaning.
What do you do with the placenta?
Most of the time I leave the placenta with you to do what you want with it. If you absolutely don't want it, I will take it and dispose of it for you. Usually I put it in a plastic bag and put it in your freezer. Most of my clients either plant it under a tree or plant (it's wonderful fertilizer) or dispose of it one trash day. Other people have it freeze dried and put into capsules to take. It's wonderful for postpartum depression and increasing your milk supply. Very rarely in this country do people cook it and eat it, but that happens too.
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