Out of hospital birth during and after COVID19 | What you need to know!
Out of hospital birth has always been an option for many, we discuss this often both during the Childbirth Options seminars facilitated quarterly here at TBBN and we have even had a home birth tent set up for educational purposes during our TBBN Expo (don’t worry we will hopefully host a TBBN Birth and Baby Expo late 2020).
During this time of social distancing and the stay at home that we are living, the out of hospital option is becoming more of a realistic and beneficial route for many that are expecting and due soon. Furthermore the limitations on visitors and birth support that hospitals have had to enforce due to this pandemic has made many families turn towards an out of hospital birth.
We sat with some of Tampa Bay Birth Network’s Midwives to offer you some info on what transferring to out of hospital care may look like during and outside of COVID19 watch.
Barefoot Birth’s Midwife Erica Lea during a prenatal visit in the comfort of the clients home.
How can you initiate services with a home birth Midwife
Barefoot Birth’s owner Charlie Rae Young details that the best way to initiate services and schedule a consult is to visit their website. A very detailed home birth section which helps break it down if this is something new to you and your family. Charlie further explains “In times like this with so many folks making a mass exodus from the hospital systems a lot of us community midwives are overwhelmed and a phone call is a lot faster than email. We can quickly go through someone's concerns, background, health history, and find out important details to determine if we can accept them into care or if someone else may be a better fit.”
Midwife Jessica Willoughby who is the owner of The Birth Center of St Pete explains that her birth center supports all families in this time of crisis, however, fear should never be a motivator in choosing out of hospital birth. Jessica further details “Families need to be candidates for the care we provide and while we welcome late transfers to care it it is not as easy as calling and switching care to us.”
Birthing suite at Birth Center of St Pete
The care from out of hospital birth providers is a shared decision making model built on mutual respect and an understanding that birth is fundamentally safe for low risk women, Jessica further explains. .
Zul Ruiz, home birth Midwife and owner of UMA Midwifery details that a late transfer in midwifery care is always possible if you are a candidate for home birth . “If you are due in April it is NOT too late.” You should be making your way to contact a home birth midwife or a birth center as soon as possible.
One way to expedite the process and assist the Midwives in determining if you are a candidate is bringing your prenatal records, should you not have them handy your Midwife can request on your behalf says Zul.
Who is an out of hospital birth candidate?
As detailed by Midwife Charlie “We can only care for normal, low risk pregnant folks. Things like gestational diabetes, hypertension, multiple gestation, and other health complications generally are risked out of homebirth with midwifery attendants. Sometimes situations can be co-managed but that has to be consulted on a case by case basis. In general at home or in a birth center we do 'normal and boring!”
Midwife Jessica explains that- To come into care a prospective patient needs to call the birth center and have a phone consultation with the midwife. This involves going over a risk assessment to ensure that the patient is low risk and a good candidate for out of hospital birth care. Some reasons why someone would not be a candidate for a birth center birth include: “High blood pressure, diabetes, preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, a breech baby at term or any other significant medical history or fetal abnormality.”
Can I have an out of hospital birth if I am positive for COVID19?
Midwife Jessica tells us that “If the patient has a fever in labor she will not be admitted into care and will be transferred to the hospital. Anyone who tests positive for COVID19 must self isolate for 14 days and are not permitted into the birth center for those 14 days. We do not have the same protective equipment as the hospital and cannot take on an influx of sick patients. If the patient or immediate family members are ill they will be asked to stay home for any prenatal visits, they can be done over the phone and we will reschedule them to come in when they are well.”
Charlie further explains that in regard to a home birth experience when testing positive with COVID19 “As of right now the answer to that question is no. As health care providers we are still seeing many clients in our practices. For us, being exposed to COVID exposes our whole practices and our own families. Many of our hospitals have protocols in place for anyone COVID positive who steps foot in their facilities. We are not able to implement the same personal protective equipment (PPE) in a home or birth center setting that these special units are even struggling to find. For now, we are closely screening clients and any positive result would require hospital delivery for everyone's safety.”
What if you have to transfer to the hospital during your home birth?
Midwife Zul explains- In the event that a transfer needs to happen during labor . The mifwife is not allowed to enter to the hospital with the laboring mom. Our practice has created a transfer package for the client to be able to bring with them . Postpartum care by your Midwife will be resumed when hospital discharge occurs.
Learn more about these Midwives
Charlie Rae Young, LM, CPM, CLC
Owner of Barefoot Birth a birth service company specializing in concierge home birth services.
Jessica Willoughby, LM, CPM, RN
Owner of The Birth Center of St Pete offering personalized, family-centered Midwifery services to the greater Tampa Bay area.
Zulgeil Ruiz Ginés, LM
Owner of UMA Midwifery & Holistic services. Supporting families in their journey of pregnancy, birth and postpartum, serving families in the Tampa Bay area. Home birth and holistic services en Español!
Additional Midwives throughout Tampa Bay
Additional out of hospital midwives can be located within our directory.
About the author,
Yamel Belen, RN, Doula, CLC
President of Tampa Bay Birth Network
Owner of One Love Doula Services