Midwife Present During Labor
In many countries, having a midwife present in a hospital during birth is utterly common, and in many cases would be highly unusual without. In America, however, midwives are less common and, in cases of birth in a hospital, are more often not present. We do have midwives, however, and many women might take comfort from the presence of a midwife in the hospital delivery room if they only knew them to be a possibility. This is particularly true because midwives are often women who are hired several months before the baby is due to help the mother prepare for birth, either in a hospital or not, and grow to become very close to the mother giving birth. For women who are considering having a midwife present in their hospital birth, the following reasons might help to convince them.
1. Comfort
Because midwives are trained in ways to make the mother feel comfortable while giving birth, having a midwife in the hospital, specifically to offer words and advice for comfort might make for a far more comfortable experience. In addition, since midwives often become very close to their patients long before the patient is admitted to the hospital, a midwife may offer a soothing presence, especially for women who are unable or unwilling to have another relative or friend in the hospital delivery room. Thus, midwife services offered in hospitals could greatly benefit women in making them feel calm and comforted.
2. As a liaison
Having a midwife present in the hospital might also make the mother feel more comfortable that her wishes are being followed during birth. For instance, some mothers might prefer to have or not have anesthetic, though time spent in hospitals during labor often does not lend time to careful discussion. A midwife’s presence during labor in these hospitals will allow the woman to have a liaison on her behalf to the hospital. There are a variety of other procedures that hospitals often wish to put expectant mothers through as well, that mothers might or might not wish to undertake, all of which midwives can communicate to said hospitals when the time comes.
3. To offer another perspective
Midwives often provide labor services differently than hospitals. Having midwives present in hospitals, therefore, might provide hospitals with a more rounded view of birth, including some holistic medicine or more natural birth process. Moreover, since these midwives would be giving this information in the hospitals, both the hospitals and the midwives would be giving care that is greatly improved, from a meeting of their different perspectives and ideas.