From: jackie@ssdss3.asl.dl.nec.com (technicalwriter)
Subject: Re: YEA, Baby #3 ... Midwife Info
Summary: Midwife Info 
Organization: NEC America, Inc. Irving, Texas
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 21:38:26 GMT

Maureen, Sorry this bounced, so I'll post it.  Maybe the net
will be interested.


In article <1992Sep30.151905.26228@cbnewsj.cb.att.com> you write:
>Anyway, I
>do have a question to ask. With my first two children, both
>births occurred in a hospital. Bryan was born via caserean
>due to his large size (9.2oz) and Shawn was born via vacuum
>extractor and forceps.

No fun at all.

>Well I was thinking of having this
>baby at home with a midwife, or at a hospital with a midwife.

Good decision.

>My husband seems to think I'm delirious. Actually most people
>I've talked to think I am! Its not very common around here.     
>But anyway what I would like are peoples experiences with
>midwives, or midwives vs doctors. Good and bad. I would like
>to show my husband that it isnt so uncommon, and perhaps
>we could both learn a little bit more about this practice.

You'll find that most people don't know much about midwives.  Which is
sad.  In fact, in some states in the US, you can be put in jail for
child abuse for having a midwife catch your baby at home.  So, check
out the laws in your state before you get too far in your decision 
making.

As a midwife, here in Texas where it is legal and regulated, I might
be able to answer some of your other questions if you have specific ones.

As for the general ones:

Texas midwives have a 5% c-section rate in comparison to the Texas
doctors 25% rate.  And the difference is not the difference in risk
rating of the mother.  The difference is that doctors don't know how
to deliver babies naturally.  In an instance where a midwife would
get the laboring woman up and have her walk around the block, a 
doctor would do a c-section.

An episiotomy is where the doctor cuts the tissue at the vaginal
outlet.  The theory is that this reduces the chances of mom tearing.
In reality, an episiotomy increases the risk of a MAJOR tear by 50!!!!!
times.  Texas midwives do episiotomies in roughly 1% of their clients.
Less than 10% of midwife clients tear enough to require stitches, and
in 1990 there were no 4th degree tears (into the rectum) of midwife clients,  
which is a regular occurance in an OB practice.

Texas midwives have 1/8th the perinatal death rate of Texas doctors.
The difference, again, cannot be fully accounted for by the higher
risk clients that doctors get.  This statistic (lower midwife death
rates) has been proven again and again in studies across the world
starting as far back as 1900.  The explanation is that midwives spend
more time with their clients and pay more attention to their
nutrition and end up with healthier moms and babies.

Texas midwives do not carry pain medication, other than tylenol, no
forceps or other such instruments of torture.  We rely on natural
remedies for our mothers.  If mom is tense, we don't give her
demerol (sp.), we put her in the bath tub.  If mom is tired, we
don't induce the labor, we let her sleep.  If mom wants friends at
the labor, we don't say "hospital rules say you can have only one
support person at the birth", we say "have whoever at the birth who
makes you feel happy and comfortable."  

As "lay" midwives here in Texas we cannot catch babies in a hospital
setting.  We catch babies in a midwife-run birthing center or at
the client's home.  In Texas, "Certified Nurse Midwives" who have a RN plus a
midwifery degree from a hospital, do delivery babies in hospitals but
they do no prenatal care, and they have no choice over the 
women they take, nor are you assured of getting a CNM at you birth
at the hospitals they practice in.

In the Dallas/Ft. Worth area of Texas, where I practice, the midwives
offer complete prenatal care, including all standard lab testing.  The
prenatal visits are usually scheduled to be an hour long, in case the
mom has a lot of questions that day or has some things she wants to
talk about.  Dad is always welcome at all appointments.  We catch the
babies at the client's home and stay for at least two hours after the
birth, or until mother and baby are stable and sleeping.  Anybody is
welcome at the birth.  Siblings are welcome, although it is recommended
that another adult be there for the kids in case somebody gets scared
and needs to be taken from the room.  After the birth and mom has her
second wind, we put mom and baby into the bath tub with some wonderful
smelling herbs, and mom gives the baby its first bath.  We do a complete
newborn exam, which detects any malformation and abnormalities in the
infant, but we strongly recommend that the parents take the baby to the
pediatrition when mom is strong enough to be up for that long.  Also
included in the fee is a day-after home visit from the midwife, and a
six-week checkup and pap smear.  All for between $1100 and $1600.  What
a deal!

If you have more questions, let me know.  While I can't give you
information specific to Columbus (? I've been away from AT&T for a
while and I think cb is Columbus, sorry if it's not) midwives, I can
give you lots about midwives and midwifery, in general.

Congrats! and at least as far as I'm concerned, midwives are the only
way to go, and with #3 12 weeks along, I'm definitely going that way.

Jackie Wallis
jackie@asl.dl.nec.com

Newsgroups: misc.kids