Labor and Birth
Labor monitoring and support includes:
- Labor History – Contraction frequency, duration, and intensity
- Membrane status – intact or ruptured, if so-color, amount, odor, discharge
- Intake – We like for you to eat and drink during labor-we do not do routine IV’s
- Vitals – B/P, P, Temp taken every 2-4 hours
- Fetal Heart Rate – assessed every 30 minutes in active labor and more frequently during pushing – no belts strapped to your tummy during labor and birth. We have portable underwater aqua dopplers so that we can check heartbeat while you are in birthing tub
- Fetal Lie, Presentation, and Position – confirm that the baby is head down and anterior
- Vaginal exams as desired or indicated – dilation, effacement, station
- Pain Relief Techniques – position changes, massage, acupressure points, water immersion/water birth, herbs, homeopathy
- Doulas are welcome at your birth. Ask us for names of excellent doulas!
- Tear Prevention-our midwives are very skilled in helping to prevent tears-warm herbal compresses are applied
- Medications and IV’s are available if needed for postpartum hemorrhage or suturing
Dads, partners, or any family member can help catch their baby or support in whatever way is best for mom. As soon as the baby is born, he/she is immediately handed to the mother and all newborn assessments are done while mom is holding her baby. An Apgar score is done at 1 and 5 minutes. Breastfeeding is encouraged as soon as possible after birth. The baby is usually alert and ready to nurse and it helps to clear the baby’s lungs of any excess fluid, keeps baby warm and content, and causes uterine contractions to help birth the placenta. Baby is never taken from mom… there is no newborn nursery!