It is nice to have so many options. The option of midwifery continues to grow in popularity as studies prove its safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Longer pre-natal visits, continuous contact and support during labor plus counseling and education for the mother and family all contribute to positive birth experiences. For the 98 percent of normal pregnancies, medical intervention during birth is unnecessary, said Kathi Mulder a certified professional midwife who founded Dance of Life Midwifery in Traverse City. Eighty percent of babies born in the world today had midwives.
Midwives are the true guardians of normal birth.
In fact, the midwifery model of care has been shown to be an asset to both the mother and baby. A 1995 National Center for Health Statistics study showed lower infant mortality rates and less chance of a low birthweight baby compared to physician-attended births. By 1995, midwives caught six percent of all babies born in the United States, up from three percent in 1989. With all that midwives focus on women, fathers of babies are not left out of the midwifery model of care. From the outset, fathers are encouraged to attend prenatal visits and are an integral partner in the birth process.