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I birthed both of my children at home with a midwife.  During my prenatal visits, which lasted at least an hour, my midwife, a trained professional, checked my blood pressure, the baby's heart rate, the position of the baby, etc.  She also listened to any concerns that I might have about the birth.  If any concerns arose between visits, I could call and talk directly to her.

During the birth, she checked dilation when necessary (a lot with Baby #1, not at all with Baby #2), and checked the baby's heartrate with the Doppler.  She was there with me the whole time, providing support, medical advice, and experience. 

Her services also included 6 weeks of post partum check-ups.  When we had a concern about our newborn, she drove out to our house at 11 pm to check on our daughter.

I had average, low-risk pregnancies.  But if I had been in the situation of a VBAC, twins, or breech birth, I think I would have felt more comfortable in a hospital with midwives, attempting a vaginal birth.  However, many hospitals have the policy that these pregnancies mean an automatic C-section, which is not always warranted.

posted 2 years, 10 months ago
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