Birth at Home Services
BwB
believes Beginnings are important. Every baby deserves a good beginning
and the opportunity to be born safely, drug-free and aware into the
gentle and loving arms of their mothers while surrounded by family,
friends and siblings. Women and babies are designed to experience birth
together.
Bellywater Birth is an Equal Opportunity Service.
BwB offers a safe, gentle, alternative choice in birthing for all healthy
low-risk
pregnant women and their babies regardless of religion, race,
alternative lifestyles, ethnic origin, or financial ability to pay full
fee
(see bartering option & sliding scale) for rendered services.
Offering
“Evidence
Based” comprehensive holistic, preventive supervision, care,
and advice to a woman during normal pregnancy, labor and the postpartum
period; conducting normal delivery of a child and providing normal
newborn care.
Holistic Midwifery Prenatal Care includes:
*Woman & Family Centered - Private*Reasonable Rates-Income Flexible Sliding Scale
*New client informational packet
*Flexible Schedule and E-mail/Phone communication
*Prenatal Screening- Monthly visits to 36 wks, 2x monthly 36-40, weekly until birth
*Maternal
assessments: nutritional consultation, urinalysis, B/P, fundal height,
palpation for fetal position, fetal heart tones, iron & sugar
counts as indicated.
*Client informed choice/consent, education & handouts
*Informed Choice Education for Complications & Unexpected Outcomes*Available for borrowing-books & videos
*Personalized Pregnancy Parenting Guidebook
*Psycho/social & Family education/coaching
*Natural Childbirth Preparation
*Judicious
development of a birth plan for use of drugs, interventions if needed
in the event of a transfer of care to the hospital of your choice.
*36wk run through visit with family & birth party
*Starting at 37 wks, Birth Team (Midwife& attendants) “On Call” status for your birth
Mother directed Labor & Birth Care includes:
*Mother-controlled
environment (place) for labor and birth (location of choice...home,
family/friends home, Amish birth house, guest house) *Provisions for appropriate psychological privacy (maternal control of persons present)
*Full-time presence of the midwife during active labor
*Labor checks including effacement, dilation & ROM
*Fetal & Maternal assessments
throughout all stages of labor: urinalysis, B/P, fundal height,
palpation for fetal position, fetal heart tones, iron and sugar counts
as indicated.
*Patience with nature, Absence of arbitrary time limits when mom & baby are making progress
*Labor
support- Relaxation, Comfort Techniques & Non-pharmaceutical pain
management strategies such as walking, one-to-one care, touch
relaxation, showers, deep water tubs, doulas, and other traditional
midwifery methods.
*Mother-directed upright mobile activities & positions for all stages of labor & birth
*Birth position of maternal choice unless medical factors require otherwise
*Vertical postures, pelvic mobility and the right use of gravity for 2nd stage/pushing
*Mother-directed pushing – without prolonged breath-holding
*Physiological cord clamping/cutting, after circulation between baby & placenta has stopped
*Immediate possession & control of healthy newborn by mother & partner
*Birth Supplies & Equipment (non-disposables)
*Suturing of Perineal Tissue, if needed 1st & 2nd only (3rd & 4th will be referred out)
*Clean up supplies after birth
*Newborn Exam & Care
*Monitoring of baby and mother a minimum of 2 hrs postpartum
*Breastfeeding Instruction, Support & problem solving
*Emergency Care as indicated
Postpartum Care for approximately 4 to 6 weeks after birth includes:
On-going & unified care and support of the mother-baby during the postpartum/postnatal period.*24 hr phone follow up for mother and child.
*3 day postpartum home visit, PKU screening
*7-10 day postpartum home visit
*Phone follow-up as needed
*3 week postpartum & Final 6 week postpartum visit
*Circumcision & Immunization education
*Parenting Preparation & Family wellness- adjusting to the changes
*Family planning education & Coaching
*Access via phone & email for breastfeeding, new mother, newborn concerns, family planning, as needed
*Additional visits may be arranged if an unusual circumstances are encountered in the course of postpartum care.
Other Services we offer:
Monitrice Labor Monitoring Service:
for those who “want freedom to stay at home as long as possible” before having a traditional hospital birth.
House Calls Coaching Services:
*for those who are pre-pregnant or newly pregnant and are investigating birth care options.
*Conception counseling
*Empowerment to get past fears to trusting your instincts
*Self discovery (weed through concerns)
*Education
for informed choice for the best birth location for you & baby
(birth plan) including Complications & Unexpected Outcomes- what to
expect in your birth location of choice
