International Midwives’ Day

 

Happy International Midwives’ Day!

 

Thanks to all the midwives and student midwives who sacrifice so much to make normal births in all settings available to moms and babies and families!! Thank you for your wonderful open hearts, loving and caring hands.  Thanks to all doctors and Obstetricians who struggle inside the system to serve following the Midwives Model of Care.  May 5th is “International Midwives Day”. The idea of having a day to recognize and honor midwives came out of the 1987 International Confederation of Midwives conference in the Netherlands. International Midwives’ Day was first celebrated May 5, 1991, and has been observed in over 50 nations around the world. On Midwives’ Day we can celebrate, share stories and take a day to give thanks for midwives.

The Midwives Model of Care includes:

  • Monitoring the physical, psychological, and social well-being of the pregnant person throughout the childbearing cycle
  • Providing the client with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum support
  • Minimizing technological interventions
  • Identifying and referring those who require obstetrical attention

The application of this person-centered model of care has been proven to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.
Copyright (c) 1996-2008, Midwifery Task Force, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

Midwives take a fundamentally different approach to prenatal care and labor and delivery from the more common medical model usually practiced by doctors. They create a partnership of care with the client, providing information and recommendations, fostering respect and trust, minimizing interventions and referring those to obstetrical care when needed.

When asked what kind of a birth they want, many clients will say they want to have one “as naturally as possible.” Midwives allow their clients the best chance to meet that goal.

Midwives Respect the Birth Process

The relationship of midwife to client is one that is more peer to peer rather than authority figure to subordinate. Your midwife will respect you and your family members, your beliefs, religion, and birth philosophy. Your midwife will also respect your decisions regarding your prenatal care, birth plans, and postpartum care.

Midwives also show respect for the birth process and the birthing person. You will have the freedom to move about and eat and drink as you wish. Your midwife will not “allow” or “prohibit” anything, although if you are giving birth in a hospital setting you both may be restricted by its policies.

“In all cultures, the midwife’s place is on the threshold of life, where intense human emotions, fear, hope, longing, triumph, and incredible physical power enable a new human being to emerge. Their vocation is unique.”

~~Sheila Kitzinger

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