5 Things You Need to Know Before Choosing a Midwife

While health care is an essential part of human existence, finding the correct health care provider to handle all your health needs can be daunting. The task becomes much more complicated if you are looking for services to aid you while you are pregnant.

There are myriads of things you have to consider before choosing a reliable midwife; finances, location, accessibility, philosophy on wellness, among others.

Needless to say, when it comes to any pregnancy, it’s quite impossible to be completely prepared. It’s for this reason that you will need to choose a competent midwife clinic such as Hearth and Home, who can comfortably handle all your obstetric needs. 

Once you decide that you want a midwife to take care of all your obstetric needs, it’s of utter importance to find one that you can completely trust and feel comfortable around. But how can you find a midwife who checks all your boxes?

The best thing is to do thorough research. You can start by digging around the internet for midwifery services offered near your vicinity. Once you have identified a number of them, you can then go ahead to ask questions about their practice. This way, you will be able to get a pretty good idea if the services offered are a good match for you.

Even so, this entire task is not a walk in the park. Here are some of the things you need to know before choosing a midwife.

1. How Does Practice Work?

One of the most crucial things to know before choosing a midwife is the type of practice offered. This is because different parts of the world and communities offer different forms of practice.

So, while you may be well versed in one form of practice offered in your community, there may be other forms of practice that may suit you well.

Check whether a given practice is centered on continuity of care or more concerned with shared care. Try to find out what each model offers, including the benefits and disadvantages of each model.

2. How Does Prenatal Care Look Like?

For any pregnant woman, prenatal care plays a crucial role in the overall outcome of the pregnancy. Basically, this is the care offered to a pregnant mother from conception to the actual delivery of the baby.

Ensure to find out what the midwife has in store for this period. Ask the midwife the number of appointments you will be required to attend and what is included in each appointment.

Additionally, inquire from the midwife the types of screenings you will have to undertake during this period. Answers to these questions will help you make an informed decision when choosing the best midwife.

3. How Does the Clinic Integrate Teaching and Training During Birth?

With the rise in the number of women giving birth, there has been a surge in the need for more professional midwives. Due to this, many clinics and hospitals integrate holistic training and teaching in their day to day activities.

However, it’s of utter importance to ensure that the clinic clearly defines the line between training and professionalism in their practice. The role of the students should be clearly spelt out to you before the actual process.

4. How Will the Midwife Handle Emergencies During the Pregnancy?

Just like any other medical situation, you can always develop complications during pregnancies. However, while this is a common occurrence with pregnancies, how your midwife will handle the emergency will go a long way in determining the outcome of your pregnancy.

Ensure to thoroughly inquire from your midwife the type of emergency protocol they have in place. Does the clinic have an ambulance to pick you in case of an emergency? Is there a standby physician to deal with any complications that may warrant an emergency procedure? And is the midwife in a better situation to offer any supportive care in times of emergency?

5. Home Birth or Hospital Birth, What’s Best?

When choosing a midwife, it’s essential to determine whether they can provide care for you, regardless of where you decide to give birth. Basically, all midwives should offer their clients care for the entire pregnancy.

Apart from offering care during the pregnancy period, the midwife should also offer care during birth. This means that whether you decide to give birth at a birth center, clinic or home, you should ensure that the midwife can offer her services to you. 

If your midwife is situated away from your locality, she should be able to come to you directly during birth. Always avoid a midwife who insists that you have to deliver on their clinic. Remember your comfort during birth should be a priority.