• Lindsay Lutes-Etzold (3 hours)
• Saundra Rozenboom (10 hours)
• Ashley Anders

There are two types of midwife in the United States:

**Nurse-midwives are educated and licensed as nurses first, and then complete additional education in midwifery. They are known as Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs). CNMs are licensed to practice in all 50 states. They are usually licensed in individual states as Nurse Practitioners (NPs).

**Direct-entry midwives are educated or trained as midwives without having to become nurses first. They may be Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) or Certified Midwives (CMs). The legal status and requirements for direct-entry (non-nurse) midwives vary from state. They are usually licensed in individual states as Licensed Midwives (LMs) or Registered Midwives (RMs). The Midwives Alliance of North America tracks the laws and regulations in each state for direct-entry midwives.

"A midwife is…a health care provider and a doula is more of a childbirth coach. You might choose to have a midwife instead of an OB for prenatal care and to deliver your baby — midwives can deliver babies in hospitals, birthing centers or even in your home. A doula, on the other hand, doesn’t replace your healthcare practitioner but rather can add extra services, such as helping you with techniques to manage pain during labor and even providing support and help during baby’s early days." 

A midwife's main scope of practice is the health and well-being of the Mother and the Baby.  She is doing "watchful waiting" through the pregnancy and birth, ensuring that everything is proceeding and staying healthy and low-risk.  If things start to vary or complications develop, depending on the midwife and whether they are home- or hospital-based, they may encourage the family to seek co-care or transfer care to an obstetrician who is trained to manage pregnancy that is moving away from low-risk.  

The first study to compare birth outcomes between midwifery and obstetrical care was published in 1998.  Here are the conclusions:

"Among 16,924 women who planned home births at the onset of labor, 89.1% gave birth at home. The majority of intrapartum transfers were for failure to progress, and only 4.5% of the total sample required oxytocin augmentation and/or epidural analgesia. The rates of spontaneous vaginal birth, assisted vaginal birth, and cesarean were 93.6%, 1.2%, and 5.2%, respectively. Of the 1054 women who attempted a vaginal birth after cesarean, 87% were successful. Low Apgar scores (< 7) occurred in 1.5% of newborns. Postpartum maternal (1.5%) and neonatal (0.9%) transfers were infrequent. The majority (86%) of newborns were exclusively breastfeeding at 6 weeks of age. Excluding lethal anomalies, the intrapartum, early neonatal, and late neonatal mortality rates were 1.30, 0.41, and 0.35 per 1000, respectively."

~Excerpt from THIS article

Disclaimer: 

For today...another one from the archives, originally published in April 9, 2013.  Updated April 30, 2014 to include information about microbiome seeding; and a gentle cesarean checklist of options to review with your provider and prepare for a cesarean birth journey.

"The natural cesarean, or family centered cesarean, is a procedure developed in the UK which takes a “woman centered” approach to the surgery that now accounts for one third of all births in America, a cesarean. This approach to a c-section incorporates many important aspects of a vaginal birth, parent participation for one."

• Mother watches the birth of her child by having the surgical screen lowered at the time of delivery
• Baby is delivered slowly so that they can get some benefit from uterine contractions to clear fluid from the lungs and nasal passages
• Immediate skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby
• Delayed cord clamping
• Breastfeeding soon after birth
• Continuous contact between mother and baby
• "Seeding" of the mother's microbiome - read more about that HERE and HERE.

There is a difference between the microbiome of a baby born vaginally compared to a baby born by c-section (Azad, et al. 2013; Penders et al. 2006; Prince et al. 2014). During a vaginal birth the baby is colonised by maternal vaginal and faecal bacteria. Initial human bacterial colonies resemble the maternal vaginal microbiota – predominately Lactobacillus, Prevotella and Sneathia. A baby born by c-section is colonised by the bacteria in the hospital environment and maternal skin – predominately Staphylocci and C difficile. They also have significantly lower levels of Bifidobacterium and lower bacterial diversity than vaginally born babies. These differences in the microbiome ‘seeding’ may be the reason for the long-term increased risk of particular diseases for babies born by c-section.

~Rachel Reed, Midwife Thinking

• In the event of a c-section, be proactive. Mamas, we know this recommendation is not without its “icky-factor," but WOW it makes perfect sense when you think about it, and some believe it will be a standard recommendation in the future. Here goes: if your baby is born via c-section, consider taking a swab of your vaginal secretions and rubbing it on your baby’s skin and in her/his mouth. I know, ick. But when babies traverse the birth canal, they are coated in and swallowing those secretions/bacteria in a health-promoting way, so all you’re doing is mimicking that exposure. Don’t be afraid to ask your midwife or OB to help you collect the vaginal swabs—or do it yourself, if you’re comfortable. You have all the available evidence on your side.
  ~Michelle Bennet, MD, mamaseeds blog

• Less traumatic birth experience
• Moms get to *see the birth* of their baby
• Greater sense of satisfaction in regards to their birth
• Establishment of the MotherBaby dyad immediately after the birth
• Better breastfeeding outcomes

• Someone who had an emergency cesarean with a previous child and does not feel comfortable with anything other than a repeat cesarean
• A family with a known complication who wants to allow labor to start on the day of baby's choosing, but knows they will have a cesarean delivery
• A family who planned a natural birth and had their course of labor  change before they were in an emergent situation

Disclaimer: 
The material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation.  Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®.

• Courtney was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes via blood glucose test (usually administered between 24 – 28 weeks of pregnancy)
• High Blood Pressure was measured at office visits from 36 weeks on; whenever she checked her blood pressure at home, it was normal
• Midwife recommended induction at 38 weeks due to risks of having gestational diabetes (large baby, possible stillbirth) – Courtney negotiated for more office visits, more monitoring, and extra ultrasounds to “buy” two extra weeks of pregnancy

• Courtney and Jake agreed to induction on her due date with prostaglandin gels
• After about 12 hours at the hospital, the couple was told that labor had not progressed enough so they agreed to an amniotomy (artificial rupture of membranes)
• Baby was born vaginally with no other interventions at 11:56 pm

• Changing positions and moving around: we the used birth tub, knees on bed and arms draped over back of the bed, side lying position
• Being surrounded by people who support your choices is probably the most important thing: husband spoke up and asked people who were in the room to leave; midwife was amazing; everyone on staff who walked in the room acknowledged reading and supporting their birth plan
• Peppermint oil for nausea – helped control the pace of her breathing
• Unspoken communication with a loving coach – even though it felt silly at the time, the practice in classes and at home paid off because he knew what she wanted with the wave of a hand.

• Be prepared for everything
• Expect everything to not go the way you want it
• Try to predict what she needs so she does not have to say it

Courtney & Jake's Birth Journey Early labor after induction with prostaglandin gels. They are using the labor position we call "The Prom Dance".

Courtney & Jake's Birth Journey Using the deep tubs available for laboring at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center

Courtney & Jake's Birth Journey The awe that hits many couples after Sweet Pea arrives...we hope that you are supported in your birth choices so you can feel awed by your birth journey, too.

Disclaimer: 
The material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation.  Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®.

Excerpt:

“In the draft rules, there are a handful of tests that women need to take if she wants to have Licensed Midwifery services.  These tests (HIV, Hepatitis B, blood glucose, and blood Rh factor) are the only way for the midwife to establish that the birth will be low risk and safe for the health of the newborn and mom.  The mom-to-be can still refuse the tests, but that means she wouldn’t be able to have a Licensed Midwife present during the home-birth because it wouldn’t be possible to determine if the birth is low-risk and suitable for a home delivery.”

       ~Will Humble, Arizona Department of Health Services Director

"The ADHS is approaching birth as something that needs to be established as “low-risk” in order to proceed at home. Those of us who have had a homebirth, and the care providers who support us, have a belief that pregnancy and birth are low-risk from the outset.

The medical model wants birth to be proven safe; the midwifery model believes birth is safe until it is proven otherwise. We will continue to go around and around about what is best for mothers and babies until some sort of resolution is found between those two disconnected approaches to pregnancy and birth."

Maria Manriquez, MD, FACOG, President of ACOG Arizona: “In your explanation, that’s then inferring that you continue care of the neonate.  Does that imply that you are not providing the infant with a pediatrician or a doctor of it’s own at the appropriate time?  Correct me; I am assuming you are not implying that you then become the provider for the newborn?  You are practicing out of scope of practice! You’re not pediatricians or lay pediatricians!” 

Wendi Cleckner, CPM, points out that on page 24 of the May 24, 2013 version of the rules, the parameters of a midwife’s care for the newborn are clearly stated.  (There are 16 different clinical observations a midwife must make about the newborn, and if necessary, protocols for referrals that she will follow that are in the best interest of the baby, before she can say her role in that infant’s care is complete.)

Janice Bovee, CNM, MSN, “Midwifery, including Certified Professional Midwives and Certified Nurse Midwives, in our programs, and in our training; we include mother’s pregnancy, intrapartum care, birth, postpartum care and care of the newborn.  We are trained in that.  That is part of the midwifery model.”

Maria Manriquez, MD, FACOG, President of ACOG Arizona: “Is there any room for demonstrating actual; I know that you’re at least, that’s what Wendi has communicated, that you have to demonstrate physical competency?  So, all of the physician providers have to demonstrate competency.  So what physical competency is demonstrated by licensed midwives?  So there’s an exam, there’s NARM certification, but it doesn’t spell out specifically what and who signs off on that particular practitioner.”

Wendi Cleckner, CPM: “That’s what we’re adopting as the CPM process, is NARM.  The national organization does all of that and there is a clinical aspect; that you are in front of a qualified examiner who takes you through scenarios, you have to work on models, you have to demonstrate your clinical skills in front of them, and then they pass or fail you.”

Maria Manriquez: “We break it down even more specific.  So you can be knowledge, medical knowledge approved but not clinical, and vice versa.  So, is there an opportunity to have that information?”

Wendi Cleckner: “It’s on the website of NARM.”

Maria Manriquez: “So on the website, I could go and look you up and see that you had passed both the medical knowledge portion and the (unintelligible)?”

Wendi Cleckner: “If I did not pass all the sections, I would not be a CPM.  You would not be certified, you would not get your license, if you didn’t pass all the sections.”

Mary Langlois, CPM: “You also have to pass an apprenticeship.  So, you have a preceptor who is designated to oversee your competency.  So you’re taught by the preceptor, and the preceptor also does skills check offs and oversees you and helps you manage the deliveries.  So not only do you have to complete the clinical side, and then you would have to complete all your documentation, you take it to NARM, you take the practical examination, you pass that, then you take the written.”

Disclaimer: 
The material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation.  Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®.

I open today's post with the reminder that April is Cesarean Awareness Month. The World Health Organization and evidence-based practice only supports a cesarean rate of 15% or less.

While a cesarean birth can be life saving and necessary, and we are so grateful for the technology when our students need this intervention, we encourage you to know the difference between a variation and complication. Is Mom okay? Is Baby okay? If yes to both questions, asking for time can spare both Mom and Baby from an "unnecesarean". 

The current cesarean rate in the US is around 32-33%, so our wish at Sweet Pea Births is that by raising awareness, only the necessary cesareans are performed, and that over time we see our national cesarean rate back down to at or under 15%.

If a VBAC is not an option you want to explore, I encourage you to explore the ideas and additional readings HERE to learn more about a family-centered cesarean that may be a gentler experience for both mother and baby.  With time and planning with your care provider, these are possible and a beautiful option for families that want and/or need a repeat cesarean.

On to the topic:  Where do you begin if you want to plan for a Vaginal Birth After Cesarean?  

These notes are from an ICAN meeting presented by ICAN of Phoenix chapter leaders Stephanie Stanley and Jessica Franks on January 23, 2013, hence they get the author by-line on this one.  Thank you, ladies, for your constant support of the cesarean community in the Phoenix area.  Here are the steps that Stephanie and Jessica identified in hindsight of their VBAC journeys.

Step 1:  Find a supportive care provider
Your options for finding a supportive care provider in Arizona include an obstetrician in a hospital setting, a Certified Nurse-Midwife in a hospital setting, and Naturopathic Doctor who also holds a Certified Professional Midwife license in a home setting.  In addition, you an interview at Women’s Birth and Wellness Center in Mesa, Arizona, to see if you are a candidate for a VBAC at their birth center.  If you are in the Phoenix area, you can check the ICAN Phoenix provider list HERE to see which care providers have been supportive as per first-hand experience from VBAC mothers.

Step 2: How do I know if someone is truly supportive?
The only way to really know if a care provider is going to go along with your choice for a trial of labor that you hope is going to lead to a vaginal birth is the interview them.  Schedule an appointment with them and meet them face-to-face.  Here are some questions you can ask – you want to keep them open-ended so that you hear their spontaneous answer.

• How do you feel about letting a VBAC mom go to forty-two (42) weeks gestation?
• How do you feel about natural birth?
• What are specific protocols and what is the timeline you follow with a VBAC mother?
• Which pushing position do you support when a mom is attempting a VBAC?
• How do you feel about doulas in the labor and delivery space?
• What are my options if I should need a repeat cesarean?

• Work through any fears you had going into your last birth, or that have arisen as a result of your previous birth.
• Strive to reduce stress and tension in your daily life.
• Surround yourself with supportive, positive, and helpful people.
• Be honest with yourself and with your partner – you need to address how both of you are feeling in regards to your past birth and the preparations for a VBAC.
• Identify what your needs are, and what needs to be addressed.  Do the same for your partner.
• Evaluate your mindset: are you going to go along with what your doctor tells you to do, or are you going to educate yourselves as a team so that you can make informed decisions?
  
  

• Birthing From Within
• The Bradley Method®
• Hypnobirthing: might work better if you have a yoga background
• Hypnobabies: some consider it a more “user-friendly” version of Hypnobirthing
• Private Comprehensive Class taught by a doula or independent childbirth educator

• Educate your family – invite them to come along to a cesarean support group meeting, such as ICAN.
• Honestly express why this is important and what led you to this decision.
• Understand that if something or someone is not helpful, supportive or positive, then it or they do not need to be a part of your birth.

• Read, read, read.
• Read positive VBAC birth stories
• Talk with your care provider – know their VBAC numbers
• Ask questions and research the information you are finding

• Write your VBAC plan
• Consider writing your cesarean birth plan
• Talk with your care provider about your birth plan.  If your care provider is not on board, talk with them to explore if there is a way to make it workable.  What are your absolutes, and are your communicating them effectively?

LINK LIST
Family-centered Cesarean
http://blog.ican-online.org/2012/04/14/the-family-centered-cesarean/

ICAN of Phoenix Provider List
http://icanofphoenix.weebly.com/valley-resources.html    

Bradley Method Course Outline
http://www.bradleybirth.com/krystynabowman?Page=5

Disclaimer: 
The material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation.  Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®.