opinions about homebirthing

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

I have a few friends who've decided to have homebirths. I'm curious about this seemingly growing trend. I'd love to hear some opinions from those who've done it, participated in it, and delivered some of these babies at home.

TIA!! :redpinkhe

Specializes in Emergency Department.
So on a home birth, what happens if at birth the mom and the baby both need attention?

I do not attend births alone. I often bring two assistants and never less than one. They know everything from how to give an injection, prep an IV, to resuscitation.

Meanwhile, the mom was delivering the placenta, and she needed some repair, fundal massage, etc. How would a midwife at home deal with both?

Just like it goes in the hospital. The doc/midwife in the hospital is not trying to simultaneously manage a bleed and repair a tear. One step at a time.

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So on a home birth, what happens if at birth the mom and the baby both need attention?

On a good birth, once you dry off the baby and place on mom's tummy, baby is fine while you tend to mom and the placenta, etc.

Last night a baby was born, and I was the baby nurse. He was having a hard time breathing. He took a long time to turn pink and then was extra moist, grunting with a weak cry. I spent about 20 minutes with him until I felt OK with his breathing. Meanwhile, the mom was delivering the placenta, and she needed some repair, fundal massage, etc. How would a midwife at home deal with both?

Most MW's bring an assistant or a "backup" midwife. Our midwife used a 2nd midwife in attendance. In our area a lot of the midwives back each other up despite not officially working together...one MW from one group will help out another and vise versa... so this way if the "backup" is busy with her own births there is always more help around.

With the birth of my 2nd (who was hospital birth but was initially planned to be a homebirth)... in the hospital only my OB and nurse were in the room. No residents no 2nd nurse for baby and all was fine...With my daughter same thing despite me needing to be sutured and nurse was with baby because she needed some major suction (fast birth)

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Specializes in OB.
What's a PNM? I'm a midwife and thought I've heard all the acronyms for us...

ps: I'd like to point out that while nursing education is a plus, it's not a requirement for being a midwife.

The town I live in has 3 PNM- Practicing Nurse Midwives.. "lay" midwives. Not certified. They are very good, and know their stuff, but they are not RNs. no meds, no pit no repairs, no oxygen.

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Specializes in OB.
The town I live in has 3 PNM- Practicing Nurse Midwives.. "lay" midwives. Not certified. They are very good, and know their stuff, but they are not RNs. no meds, no pit no repairs, no oxygen.

Just wondering how they can be refered to as "Practicing NURSE Midwives" if they are not nurses? Not questioning their skills but to my knowlege "nurse" is a protected title in most places.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.
The town I live in has 3 PNM- Practicing Nurse Midwives.. "lay" midwives. Not certified. They are very good, and know their stuff, but they are not RNs. no meds, no pit no repairs, no oxygen.

I hope you don't mind me pointing out the obvious, but if these "PNMs" you speak of are not nurses, they are not 'practicing nurse midwives'. Further, there is no such thing as a PNM.

There are these midwives:

CNM, CM, and CPM titles are credentials, not licenses. A CNM can apply for a license in all 50 US states while licenses for CMs and CPMs are not available everywhere (yet).

Furthermore direct-entry midwife is the term used to refer to a midwife who is not a nurse-midwife meaning her education is directly related to midwifery. I am a direct-entry midwife who also has a CPM credential and a state license to practice.

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Specializes in OB.
Just wondering how they can be refered to as "Practicing NURSE Midwives" if they are not nurses? Not questioning their skills but to my knowlege "nurse" is a protected title in most places.

not a clue!! But when I was in nursing school ,our OB instructor who was also a CNM, Family practitioner and now has her PHD told us to never never assist with a birth with a PNM, as RNs, OUR license would be in jeporady because they dont have one. They are knowledgable, and I know many many women who have had sucessful home births with them.. and the ones who dont end up on my unit ;).. but still as I said, no meds, no 02..no pit. very scary. I have also watched " the business of being born" and thought it had very very good points. I was impressed with the midwives that were featured.

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Specializes in OB.
I hope you don't mind me pointing out the obvious, but if these "PNMs" you speak of are not nurses, they are not 'practicing nurse midwives'. Further, there is no such thing as a PNM.

There are these midwives:

CNM, CM, and CPM titles are credentials, not licenses. A CNM can apply for a license in all 50 US states while licenses for CMs and CPMs are not available everywhere (yet).

Furthermore direct-entry midwife is the term used to refer to a midwife who is not a nurse-midwife meaning her education is directly related to midwifery. I am a direct-entry midwife who also has a CPM credential and a state license to practice.

well... I could send you a picture of the sign on their building that has their names follwed by the words " Practicing Nurse Midwives." I dunno... all I am telling you is what I see. I am an RN, OB. I live in a small town who has three of these women who deliver babies in peoples homes. They come with a bulb syringe, a protective cover for the bed and when they mess up, they drive 40 miles to my facility.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

I'd actually like to see that sign ;) It's incredible to think they are uncertified (implying unlicensed as well) and not nurses advertising right out there in the open something that isn't true.

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I'd like to see the sign, too! LOL

I think if these women are passing themselves off as nurses when they are not nurses is a crime in (I assume) all states and they should be reported.

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Specializes in Rural Health.
I'd like to see the sign, too! LOL

I think if these women are passing themselves off as nurses when they are not nurses is a crime in (I assume) all states and they should be reported.

Actually the phrase "nurse" is not protected in all 50 states. RN and LPN is protected where I live, the word "nurse" is not.

Home births are also considered illegal where I live as well.

Also, the only midwife the state recognizes to practice legally is a CNM.

:banghead: I won't stay here when I finally become a CNM because it's beyond backwards.

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Specializes in geriatrics, L&D, newborns.

I had my second child at home with a CNM. It was a fantastic experience!!! I wouldn't want to do it any other way. (of course, I'm 60 now and don't have to worry about it.) At any rate, my sister decided to have her 2nd at home also and she and I agree that it was terrific. Almost hard to explain the euphoria associated with the home delivery. But you have to take LaMaze classes and have a good coach to help you through the rough spots - especially transition.

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Home births are also considered illegal where I live as well.

Homebirth is not illegal anywhere. You cannot legislate place of birth. It may be illegal for certain providers to attend births because they are "practicing medicine without a license." Licensed professionals attending homebirths is not illegal anywhere, nor is giving birth at home. Practicing midwifery may be "alegal" meaning there is no legislation against it, just no licensing process, or they may be illegal meaning that there are laws in place with penalties for those practicing midwifery.

I only know this because I also live in a backwards state. Luckily I am a CNM student and CNM students can practice legally in all 50 states.

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