Midwifery

The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, "When you help the Hebrew women in childbirth and observe them on the delivery stool, if it is a boy, kill him;  if it is a girl, let her live."  The midwives, however feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do;  they let the boys live.  Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, "Why have you done this?  Why have you let the  boys live?"

The midwives answered Pharaoh, "Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women;  they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive."

So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous.  And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

Exodus 1: 15-21

It has been said that midwifery is the world's oldest profession.  Even in Biblical times, the government wanted to control the midwives actions. And even then, the midwives knew that just because something was legal, didn't make it right.  And God blessed them for their obedience. 

Today, most people accept without question that babies should be born in hospitals.  In many places, believe it or not, women do not have the right to choose where they will give birth, or who their attendant will be.  And for many women, that situation is okay. There are always going to be women who feel safest when the operating room is within arm's reach during their labor.  Those women should definitely go to the hospital!  They would be a nervous wreck at home.  However, if a woman wants utmost control of her birthing experience, and wants to be sure that no bizarre interventions are forced upon her precious newborn, then a homebirth could be her answer!

This page is intended to help parents decide whether or not a homebirth is right for them, and if so, to give them help in making decisions regarding that choice.

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Below are some links to different midwifery sites.  I have not included a lot of sites on purpose, because they support a model of midwifery that is very hard to distinguish from clinical obstetrics.  I believe that midwifery is an art, not a science (although I firmly believe in the importance of a solid and thorough education).  I also believe passionately in the apprenticeship model, which seems to be dying.  More and more midwives are getting their training from clinical programs and hospitals.  And, many practicing midwives are unwilling to help new midwives get the training they need.  They have forgotten where they came from.  Sadly, many of today's midwives are really ''MEDwives'', and are so reliant upon interventions and devices that they no longer recognize birth as the miracle that it is. 

That said, here are the links:

Ancient Art Midwifery Institute  I am a big fan of this place, and of Carla Hartley, who is the boss lady there.  They provide an outstanding midwifery home study course, among other things, and they stand for all that is good and pure in the world of birth.  Check this one out...it's worth it!

Midwifery Today  A pricey, but excellent publication.  I have the whole collection!  In addition to the magazine, they offer all sorts of conferences, training aids, birth jewelry, you-name-it.  A wealth of information.

Birth and Beyond This used to be ''Spirit-Led Childbirth''. They offer a wide range of supplies for all things birth. This is where I used to get all of my birth kits and supplies for my clients. I haven't actually dealt with them since they changed, but if they offer the same service as before, they're worth recommending! It is so rare to find anything in the world of Birth with a Christian foundation. :)

World Health Organization This is a link to their document (online version) on "Care in Normal Birth:  A practical guide".  They recommend midwives as the caregivers of choice, worldwide.  This is a good place to start, if you're still just not sure about this whole midwife thing! (Start with Section 1.6).

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In the course of my midwifery studies, I have created some Information Sheets to help clients make informed decisions reagrding their birth experience. I am including a few of them here. If you have any questions or comments, please email me. I would love to hear from you!

Is Homebirth Right For You? Homebirth isn't for everyone. However, if you are considering whether or not to have a homebirth, this article can help you decide if that's the right choice for you.

Preparation and Responsibility Planning a homebirth takes a lot of work and committment. This is a short article about how to prepare for the big event.

Prenatal Nutrition One of the most important preparations a woman can make in planning for the birth of her baby is good nutrition. This article gives suggestions on how to make sure you eat properly during pregnancy, as well as ideas for finding non-vitamin sources of iron.

Who Should I Invite? Once you've decided to have your baby at home, you'll be bombarded with offers from well-meaning framily and friends who would like to be there for the big event. Some women are okay with a large audience, but others prefer a more private atmosphere. At home, you have complete control over this situation.

Kegels One of the most important and ignored exercises for women. This article explains how to do them properly, and why.

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