Denise Doerr ~ Midwife
Selection Criteria for Home Birth
Women who choose to birth at home or in the birth center are accepting a high level of responsibility for themselves and their baby. Clients need to be self-motivated to take on that responsibility, and to make necessary changes in their lives to ensure the best possible outcome. These changes may involve nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, devoting time for prenatal care and education, and avoiding substances that could be harmful to the developing baby.
Time must be spent to gather birth supplies and prepare your home and family for the birth. Clients must meet several medical and non-medical criteria to be accepted. These include but are not limited to:
~ Attend childbirth classes or private instruction (unless she has already done so)
~ Agree to make required preparations at home, including the
selection of a support person for any siblings that will be attending the birth
~ Breast feed
~ Work to achieve optimal nutrition
~ Be a non-smoker
~ Agree to transfer of care to a physician for herself or her baby if the midwife feels it is necessary
~ Assume financial responsibility for services rendered
The physical exam and lab tests of clients must be within normal
limits which is defined as no evidence of the following:
~ Chronic hypertension
~ Epilepsy or seizure disorder
~ HIV positive
~ Severe psychiatric disease
~ Persistant anemia
~ Diabetes
~ Heart disease
~ Kidney disease
~ Endocrine disease
~ Multiple gestation
~ Substance abuse
The physical and emotional environment of the client’s home or chosen place of birth should be conducive to having a natural delivery as well. Client and partner must both be comfortable with the birth plan.
~ Attend childbirth classes or private instruction (unless she has already done so)
~ Agree to make required preparations at home, including the
selection of a support person for any siblings that will be attending the birth
~ Breast feed
~ Work to achieve optimal nutrition
~ Be a non-smoker
~ Agree to transfer of care to a physician for herself or her baby if the midwife feels it is necessary
~ Assume financial responsibility for services rendered
The physical exam and lab tests of clients must be within normal
limits which is defined as no evidence of the following:
~ Chronic hypertension
~ Epilepsy or seizure disorder
~ HIV positive
~ Severe psychiatric disease
~ Persistant anemia
~ Diabetes
~ Heart disease
~ Kidney disease
~ Endocrine disease
~ Multiple gestation
~ Substance abuse
The physical and emotional environment of the client’s home or chosen place of birth should be conducive to having a natural delivery as well. Client and partner must both be comfortable with the birth plan.