What makes midwives special?

Midwives specialize in normal birth. Their training focuses on the normal physiology of childbirth. Midwives work closely with pregnant women to monitor their risk and assist women in keeping their pregnancies normal.

Midwives spend time during prenatal visits and postpartum visits to address the particular issues that the woman and her family may have. With a midwife, prenatal and postpartum visits may be 1-2 hours long, depending on the need of the woman.

Midwives answer questions completely, believing that every woman who asks has the capacity to understand the answers. Midwives address fears, give support, and emphasize the wishes of the pregnant woman. Midwives believe that what a woman knows about her own body and her own needs is paramount to her birth experience.

Midwives minimize interventions during pregnancy and birth, understanding that birth is a normal body function. Midwives explore with a pregnant woman the path she needs to follow to complete the birth process, believing in the woman and her ability to birth.

Midwives promote nutrition, healthy exercise, smoking cessation and work directly with the pregnant woman and address social and psychological issues that may be stressors.