Did you skip the section on Cesareans in your birth book and then wind up in recovery? Are you looking for more information on VBAC? Has your doctor recommended a cesarean? ICAN wants you to know that during your pregnancy, we want to be your resource!

 

The average expecting mom goes into pregnancy excited. At first, she isn’t thinking about labor or delivery. She’s thinking of new outfits, will she be a good mother, can she afford a baby? Then as pregnancy progresses and she begins to think about how to have her baby, she has no idea she’s already on the road to her birth!  Here are some vital things for all pregnant women to be considering:

 

 

Many women realize that there are a variety of options such as homebirth, hospital birth or birth centers but they aren’t so sure of who is actually at those facilities and what services are covered. Licensed or direct-entry midwives are typically homebirth providers or work in a birth center while certified nurse-midwives (CNM’s) work in partnership with an obstetrician either through a home birth or birth center or under the direct supervision of an obstetrician in a hospital setting. See this link to care provider organizations to find out more about training or legality in your area.

 

We want to encourage you to think of care provider shopping like you would if you were searching for a new mechanic. Shop around and don’t necessarily take the first person your insurance company offers! If you don’t feel a care provider is being straight with you or is saying things you don’t agree with, it’s better to continue interviewing providers and possibly pay a little bit more out of pocket. After all, this is your baby’s entry into the world. You not only want good care with someone you trust, you also want to know that they aren’t going to put you on a cascade of interventions that you might not need. The Midwives Model of Care is the most comprehensive statement of care to keep you and your baby in safe hands.