Midwifery or Obstetrics

Midwifery is a system of wellness-care given by professional midwives to women and infants during the childbearing year.  The midwifery Model of Care respects the physiology of birth, the needs of the mother, the baby, and the family.

Obstetrics is a surgical specialty. The surgeon is bound by hospital routines, protocols and staffing. Save the obstetrician for high risk cases.

The countries in the world with the best outcomes keep all normal births in the care of midwives.

Safer

Midwives are experts in normal birth. No studies indicate that the hospital is the safest place for a healthy woman to have a baby.  In fact, studies show that planned homebirths have the best outcomes. Modern medicine has not been able to improve the design of the human body.  The healthy woman is more likely to have an uncomplicated birth without routine medical interventions.

The Cryn Study shows that home is the safest place to have a baby. View the Study

Interventions and Informed Choice

During midwifery care, the mother and father receive much information about the choices they will be making before, during and after the birth of their child. The Midwifery Model is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life processes.

In the hospital, routines that protect the hospital and surgeon against lawsuits are not well explained before a descision must be made.  The US has the highest obstetrical intervention rates, as well as a serious problem with malpractice suits.

The Midwifery Model of Care includes:

• Monitoring the physical, psychological, and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle
• Providing the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum support Minimizing technological interventions Identifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention