I loved the OB that cared for me during my pregnancy and birth of Leon. She is one of those docs that asks lots of questions, listens well, gives you hugs when you need them, never makes you feel rushed… She is amazing and a bit more holistic than other doctors I have ever met. She was the one who subscribed physical therapy after my grade 2 bladder prolapse and said we would try that before even considering surgery. All of this makes my heart happy.
After attending physical therapy to heal my prolapse, I learned that pelvic floor dysfunction can be caused by labor and delivery techniques that are pretty standard on American labor and delivery floors. This includes medical interventions like epidurals and induction techniques (pitocin) as well as birthing babies on our backs, breathing techniques during pushing, etc. For more details on what caused my prolapse, read my post, Four Causes of Bladder Prolapse.
All in all, I have learned that most medical interventions used on healthy moms and babies will cascade to even more medical interventions. Now, don’t get me wrong, medical interventions are absolutely amazing for high risk moms, high risks babies, and for those times when life throws unexpected punches our way. But as long as my baby and I stay healthy throughout my pregnancy and delivery, all my personal research and guidance from my pelvic floor physical therapist say that natural childbirth would be the best option for my body and baby.
Even though my OB had some holistic tools in her toolbox, she still delivered babies at a hospital with nurses who were all experts at medical intervention. During my delivery with Leon, there wasn’t any advice that didn’t involve needles. Plus, majority of OBs, including mine, don’t show up until there is an emergency or when you are ready to push, so until then, you are really at the mercy of your nurses to keep you comfortable and healthy.
To sum it up, midwives are the experts of natural childbirth. They use non-medical techniques to keep you and your baby healthy during pregnancy and delivery. They are also open minded to all birthing positions and are up-to-date on breathing techniques to protect your pelvic floor. To learn more, I would suggest reading Ina May’s Guide To Childbirth and watching the documentary, The Business of Being Born. Midwifery became the obvious route for me.
Midwives can deliver babies at your home, in birthing centers, or are sometimes employed by hospitals. Your environment is important while birthing your baby. If you don’t feel safe and comfortable, it is unlikely your cervix will naturally open. As beautiful as a home birth sounds, my husband and I feel safest in an environment with all medical intervention at hand in case of an emergency. Therefore, I was excited to learn that I live 30 minutes away from a hospital (AMITA Health in Hinsdale, Illinois) that employs midwifes and doulas, whom I have met and love. Other reasons why I like this environment:
There are tubs in the labor and delivery rooms. Warm baths, aka hydrotherapy, can be a wonderful way to stay relaxed, reduce pain and prevent tearing. As long as mom and baby qualify, water births are also an option.
Because the nurses work with midwives and doulas, they are educated and comfortable with offering and supporting non-medical techniques to keep mom comfortable and keep the labor progressing.
This is an example of a labor and delivery position that utilizes a stability ball.
The kicker to my OB “break-up” was her response to my desire to deliver my next baby off my back. She was really open to all my other desires and even suggested hiring a doula to help make sure they were followed through on until she was able to be with me. But when I asked about alternative birthing positions (hands and knees, squatting…), she hesitated. She paused and said that she had done it before, but it wasn’t ideal. I think she could sense my disappointment in that response. And of course, when I asked the midwives if I could deliver off my back, there response was, “Absolutely! You can be in any position you want!”
I hope this post serves any mommas out there who are researching their care options! Just to reiterate, I am not here to say that OBs and traditional hospitals are bad. Not at all! I am here to say, I hope you educate yourself on your options and choose one that serves you and your baby best, whether it is an OB or a midwife! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions!