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What Does a Midwife Do? Understanding the Role of Midwives
If you're pregnant and exploring your care options, you may be wondering what exactly a midwife does and how midwifery differs from traditional obstetric care. In this post, I break it down for you — from prenatal visits to birth support and beyond.
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Prenatal Testing: Understanding Your Options
During pregnancy, you’ll hear about different kinds of prenatal tests. These tests are tools that can give you information about your baby’s growth and development. Some people find this information reassuring, while others may choose not to have testing at all. Both choices are valid.
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Understanding Your Baby's Circulation Before Birth
As a midwife, one of the most fascinating aspects of pregnancy I love sharing with parents is how their baby's circulation works in the womb. Your baby's circulatory system is beautifully designed to support their growth and development before birth, and it functions quite differently from how it will after they take their first breath.
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What's That on My Baby? Understanding Common Newborn Features
As midwives, we're often the first to help parents understand what's expected when meeting their baby for the first time. It's perfectly natural for parents to marvel at their little one's features—and it's equally natural to ask, "Is this normal?" Here's a guide to some of the most common newborn findings that might surprise new parents but are, in fact, completely typical.
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Understanding Estimated Due Dates in Pregnancy
One of the most significant questions expectant parents often ask is, "When is the baby due?" The estimated due date (EDD) or "guess date" as some prefer to call it, provides an answer to this question. This date will guide time sensitive testing throughout the prenatal care, it helps healthcare providers track the baby's development and also helps parents prepare for the arrival of their newborn. While the actual birth date may vary, having a reliable estimate allows for better preparation and follow up care of the pregnancy.
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Preparing Your Child for a Homebirth - A Comprehensive Guide
Introducing a new sibling through a homebirth can be a beautiful and intimate experience for the entire family. However, it’s essential to prepare your older children adequately, helping them understand and feel comfortable with what will happen. This guide will provide you with practical tips to ensure your children are ready for the arrival of their new sibling in a home birth setting.
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Myth Busting Homebirth Midwives: Separating Fact from Fiction
As a certified nurse midwife with a passion for home births, I often encounter numerous misconceptions and myths surrounding the practice of midwifery care in the home setting. These misconceptions occurred in my own home when my partner and I were discussing the type of care we wanted during my second pregnancy. It was clear to me what I wanted and knew was the safest and best place for me, but he needed some education and myth busting.
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Homebirth Midwife Interview Questionnaire
Choosing to have a homebirth can be one of the most significant life choices you make for yourself and your growing family. To join you on this journey you may need to choose a midwife that you trust, feels a connection with and best aligns with your philosophy. Most, if not all midwives offer a free consultation where you can ask all your questions. In order to facilitate this process I’ve created a questionnaire that can help you gather essential information and to make an informed decision about who to hire. You can find a downloadable worksheet that includes all these questions below.
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Jaundice and Breastfeeding
Bringing a newborn into the world can be an experience filled with awe and wonder, but can also bring about concerns and questions, especially when it comes to your baby's health. Like Jaundice for instance. Jaundice, a common condition in newborns, occurs when there is a buildup of bilirubin (explanation below, in the next few paragraphs) in the bloodstream due a change in baby's circulation. But did you know that continued breastfeeding plays a crucial role in supporting your baby through this phase? Rare is the case where the parents need to stop breastfeeding altogether or switch to complete supplementation with formula.
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