Routine nursing schedules for blood pressure, temperature checks, vaginal exams, etc. are constantly bombarding the laboring woman. How the constant stimulation and interventions that occur in the hospital setting might effect a woman's labor is an important question to consider. The home environment can be more easily controlled by the client. There is no fear of being subjected to routine fire drills, unexpected construction or painting, overhead paging, noises of other patients etc. Additionally, clients may use items such as candles or incense which are prohibited in hospitals due to fire department regulations.
Midwives have the goal of keeping the perineum intact whenever possible.
This helps to facilitate early bonding since the woman is not distracted by episiotomy pain and the needed suturing. Most spontaneously occurring lacerations are smaller and less painful than episiotomies and do not interfere with bowel elimination as significantly. It has been proven by research that episiotomies are the greatest cause of the worst lacerations since the surgically split tissue rips more easily that intact tissue when stretched by the birthing baby. It is known that many Nurse Midwife attended births have less blood loss than physician deliveries. This is because episiotomies are not routinely performed.