As a doula, I'm pretty tapped into the birth community, and I've definitely noticed a trend toward midwifery care and low-intervention births. Indeed, a 2012 study showed that more babies than ever before are being delivered by midwives.
Now, a new film is documenting how midwives and obstetricians are increasingly teaming up to offer great maternity care. "The Mama Sherpas," directed by Brigid Maher and produced by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein (the same people behind the well-known "The Business of Being Born"), showcases the growing popularity of Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) in hospital births.
CNMs are registered nurses who have a master's degree in midwifery and who adhere to the "woman-centered" Midwives Model of Care. According to the film, collaborative care between CNMs and obstetricians can lead to decreased C-section rates, increased VBAC rates (vaginal birth after cesarean), far lower health-care costs, and mothers who are more satisfied with their birth experience.
I had the chance to attend an advance screening, sponsored by the Nurse-Midwives of Monterey Bay, last week, and I was particularly impressed by the footage of the births of the women chronicled. While highly graphic, it provided beautiful portraits of calm and powerful vaginal births, a life-saving caesarian, and even a vaginal breech birth - which I and many in the audience of birth workers had never seen before! Afterwards, the panel of CNMs and obstetricians from hospitals in Santa Cruz and Davis called for more obstetricians to be trained in vaginal delivery of breech births, and in turning breech babies by performing external versions, so that those options can be offered to women.
Previously: In poorest countries, increase in midwives could save lives of mothers and their babies, A reminder that prenatal care is key to a healthy pregnancy, Unneeded cesareans are risky and expensive and Tensions high in debate over safety of home births
Photo by Bridget Colla
