“Attending births is like growing roses.You have to marvel at the ones that just open up and bloom at the first kiss of the sunbut you wouldn’t dream of pulling open the petals of the tightly closed buds andforcing them to blossom to your time line.” —Gloria Lemay, Birth Attendant
What is a Midwife
A midwife is a healthcare practitioner who provides primary care for women during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. Midwifes offer individualized care and attention that is based on research and experience. Many midwives attend births in homes, hospitals, and birthing centers. Although the term midwife refers to both women and men in this profession, the majority of midwifes are women.
What Does a Midwife Do?
Although the term midwife is well-known, many people wonder, “What does a midwife do?” The duties of a midwife are dependent on the child-bearing stage a woman is in.
During pregnancy, a midwife will consult with a family to discuss their options, questions, and concerns. A midwife will offer information and advice to empower a family to make informed decisions.
During labor and birth, a midwife offers expert medical care, and support. Many midwifes favor the use of natural labor techniques over medical intervention, and they may offer suggestions and methods that assist a woman to manage pain naturally and deliver without medication.
After birth, a midwife will support the family as they transition to life with their new little one. A midwife will schedule postpartum visits to make sure the mother is healing as she should, answer any questions the family may have, and offer breastfeeding support if the family needs it.
The Care of a Midwife Comes with a Number of Key Benefits
Parents-to-be have several options when they decide who will support them during pregnancy and birth. Choosing the care of a midwife has a number of key benefits. According to the World Health Organization, midwife attended births result in fewer C-sections, fewer infections, and fewer general complications. Additionally, midwives tend to work in partnership with parents offering information and support that enables parents to make empowered decisions. Because of this partnership approach, many families who work with midwives feel highly respected, encouraged, and supported.
What does a midwife do? A midwife supports a family through the powerful transition of birth. Midwives offer expert care that is respectful of a woman’s body, and they aim to empower the entire family. According to statistics, this approach has a valuable impact.
“The whole point of woman-centered birth is the knowledge that a woman is the birth power source. She may need, and deserve, help, but in essence, she always had, currently has, and will have the power.”—Heather McCue, Birth Educator/Doula
This post was originally published as a post at www.AsanteGeorge.com entitled What Does a Midwife Do? Simple Answers to a Common Question
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