What is a midwife?

Midwives are health care professionals specializing in pregnancy and childbirth who develop a trusting relationship with their clients, which results in confident, supported labor and birth. While there are different types of midwives practicing in various settings, all midwives are trained to provide comprehensive prenatal care and education, guide labor and birth, address complications, and care for newborns. Many midwives also provide preconception care and routine well-body reproductive care throughout the life cycle.

The Midwifery Model of Care is a fundamentally different approach to pregnancy and childbirth than contemporary obstetrics. Our model of care includes:

• Monitoring the physical, psychological and social well-being of the birthing parent throughout the childbearing cycle

• Providing the birth parent and family with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum support

• Minimizing technological interventions and

• Identifying and referring individuals who require obstetrical attention.

What are the benefits of home birth?

• Individualized care: All decisions about your care are made together with you. We will have thorough conversation about your needs, preferences, and values, your individual health, and the options available to you. I respect you as the expert of your own body, family and your baby's primary care provider.

• Continuity of care: I follow you throughout the course of your prenatal, birth, and postpartum care. At every point in your parenting journey, you will have a familiar provider to call or reach out to with concerns at any point- no answering services or advice nurses. We get to know each other pretty well throughout the course of care and the established trust is what makes home birth safe.

• Evidence-based care: I do my best to stay current on the research around pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and breast/chest feeding so that I can provide up-to-date information to assist you in your decision-making.

• Your own sacred environment: You choose who attends your birth and who cares for you. You choose what to eat and drink. You can dance, be in bed, walking in your backyard, we follow you! We can listen to the baby in labor with the handheld doppler, even while you’re in the shower or bathtub. Some people use candles, guided meditations, music, or other ways they typically relax to help them establish a rhythm in labor. The beauty of home birth is that you can make the environment sacred to you, in whatever ways you need.

• Postpartum care: From the first minutes of your baby's life to your six week postpartum checkup, Dos Latidos Birth Services provides attentive, personal support and education necessary for your baby's growth, help your family bond with your newborn, develop long-lasting breastfeeding or chestfeeding relationships, and heal your body in the postpartum.

Is homebirth safe?

Homebirth is a safe option for pregnant people whose pregnancies are without complications and are full-term at the start of labor when monitored and attended by professional midwives. For some babies and parents who are at higher risk for complications, a hospital birth is a safer option.

What equipment do you bring to homebirth?

Midwives in California are legally licensed to carry equipment and medications to safely manage normal deliveries at home.

Some of the equipment I bring includes:

• Monitoring equipment for you and your baby, including a doppler, blood pressure cuff and stethoscope, thermometer, and infant stethoscope.

• Supplies for the newborn exam and any newborn procedures that you choose, including a scale, measuring tape, erythromycin ointment, and vitamin K.

• Antihemorrhagic drugs to stop excessive postpartum bleeding.

• Resuscitation equipment for baby and birth parent: a bag and mask resuscitator and oxygen.

• Suturing equipment to do repairs if any tearing occurred, and lidocaine to numb for suturing.

Can my friends and family attend my birth at home?

Yes! I truly appreciate the presence of loved ones who bring positivity and their love for you into your birthing space. I can also offer support for setting boundaries when you desire privacy. Whomever you feel safe around is welcome!

What about ultrasounds and lab tests?

With my license I am typically able to order any ultrasounds or lab tests you need. I work with a laboratory that has affordable out-of-pocket pricing, however often labs are covered by your insurance. We can do blood draws, urine tests, pap smear screenings and infection swabs during regular appointments or in between if any concerns arise. I also provide referrals to medical imaging professionals in order to obtain ultrasounds as needed or desired. I am able to refer you to other professionals for additional testing if it becomes necessary.

What happens if something goes wrong or there is an emergency during my birth?

Midwives are trained to handle certain complications at home and to know when a transport to the hospital may be necessary. We are constantly making assessments while looking about ten steps ahead, in order to prevent transfer to local hospitals. One of the most common complications we handle at home is excessive bleeding from the uterus immediately after the baby is born, and we carry the same medications used in hospitals to stop the bleeding. The second most common complication in a home birth is a baby who needs some help to take his or her first breaths. About one in ten babies needs this extra help to have a smooth transition. Every midwife at your birth is certified in neonatal resuscitation. Again, in this scenario, we follow the same standards as the hospital. Our most common reason for transporting a pregnant person to the hospital happens during a very long labor where the birth parent nears clinical exhaustion. In this case, the hospital can provide epidural and Pitocin, which are the best tools to support sleep and enable a safe delivery. I am incredibly grateful for the tools available to us in local hospitals, when we need them.

Does insurance cover midwifery care?

Often, PPO insurance companies will reimburse for midwifery services at the out-of-network or sometimes the in-network rate. I work with an insurance biller to help you get the best reimbursement. Most people will have to pay out of pocket, then be reimbursed after the birth of their baby. Most HMO plans do not reimburse for home birth services. I want this service to be accessible to families- let’s talk and see what works for you!

What if i do not have a home to birth in?

If you are without a long-term home, we can find the resources to still accommodate your out-of-hospital birth and come up with a plan for housing resources that would be helpful to you beyond birthing. I am very familiar with local resources due to my background in social work.

What about the birth certificate and social security card?

Licensed midwives in California are able to file all the paperwork for you to get the birth certificate for your baby. The Social Security office has a procedure related to out-of-hospital birth that I will provide instructions for to be able to get the social security card for your baby as well.

Do I need to see a doctor for prenatal care too?

No, not typically. Licensed Midwives in the state of California are autonomous primary providers for low-risk pregnant people. If you become high-risk, we would have to consult an Obstetrician and it might be appropriate to begin seeing one at that time.

Who will attend my birth?

As far as providers, I will attend your birth and I always call another licensed midwife in the community to come assist me when you are closer to the pushing phase so that we have two pairs of skilled hands ready if you need extra help or emergencies occur in the immediate postpartum.