"Unlike the typical 10- to 15-minute OB check-up, Booher and Doyle spent a full hour together in early March, chatting on a comfortable sofa at Moonstone Midwives Birth Center in Eureka, California. The cozy room where they met has kids' toys in one corner, calm pastel-colored paintings on the wall, and feels more like a friend's living room than a clinic."
"Doyle listened to the baby's heartbeat, took Booher's blood pressure, and reviewed her blood test results. The midwife also asked about Booher's stress levels, whether she's exercising, and if she's getting enough time to herself."
""People are coming from a couple hours [away] to have their babies," Doyle said. "We only have one hospital that is doing deliveries for hours in every direction. It's super stressful.""
"Abundant research has shown that midwifery care leads to better outcomes for many of these challenges. As medically-trained healthcare professionals, midwives offer a different kind of care that can help meet this need. They can place IVs, do sutures, and give antibiotics - but they don't administer epidurals or perform c-sections."
A patient seeking prenatal care spent a full hour with a midwife in a home-like clinic setting rather than a typical 10 to 15 minute OB-GYN checkup. The visit included listening to the fetal heartbeat, taking blood pressure, reviewing blood tests, and asking about stress, exercise, and personal time. The midwife noted that many patients travel hours because nearby delivery options are limited and hospital access can be stressful. Midwives are medically trained and can perform tasks such as placing IVs, doing sutures, and giving antibiotics, while not providing epidurals or performing C-sections. Birth experiences at the center included dim lighting and intermittent checks without continuous monitoring, allowing more time alone.
Read at Kqed
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