Pregnancy and delivery; a source of joy and pain for the woman.Obviously joy is involved with the new baby, but if you ask most woman, they will also describe it was a source of unspeakable pain.

Well because of the pain that woman go through, there are two different schools of thought on how labor and delivery should happen.  I am going to offer some perspective on one particular school of thought that I have gained first hand experience with by being a homebirth midwife San Diego.

There is the medical model for delivery which is associated with drugs to kill the pain, and sometimes cesarean to complete the delivery.

There is one other model, though not as common or accepted, but for those that practice it and believe in it, consider it a safer alternative for the woman.

That model is the midwifery model as it is called.  That model is in stark contrast with the medical model.The medical model is where you rely heavily on medicine, while the midwifery model relies on the natural.Midwifery philosphy believes that pregnancy, labor, and delivery should happen as naturally as possible because it is a natural process.

This model is a profession practiced by midwives. Midwives San Diego are generally woman, who attend the birth, often times at the mother’s home.This midwife would help with some techniques that help the woman go through labor as naturally as possible without drugs.

Against most popular beliefs, not using medicine during labor actually allows the labor to happen quite a bit faster because drugs usually slow down the labor.

The midwife is a profession that has a regulatory board that oversees, certifies, and licenses the individual. 

Although usually not a nurse or doctor, a midwife can be a nurse as well.

Even though they are not a doctor or nurse, they do carry with them some medical equipment, such as resuscitation devices and suturing equipment.

So this is what a midwife is and what midwifery is in regards to pregnancy and delivery.

Their goals are to let the labor and delivery happen as naturally possible.This reduced the need and use of a c-section.Does not subject you to hospital procedures that are invasive such as episiotomys.  Less medical management like breaking the water or using drugs to slow or speed up the pregnancy.  And the best part of all that a woman will love, generally labor happens much quicker naturally.

Hopefully this article sheds some light on the benefits of midwifery and having a midwife for your pregnancy.  At the very least, hopefully it gives you more options to explore.  Remember this is first hand knowledge from a San Diego midwife.