FAQ
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions. If you have more questions, please feel free to reach out to Angie.
A Florida Licensed Midwife (LM) is a direct-entry, Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) who has completed a three-year midwifery education program and passed the North American Registry of Midwives national exam. Licensed midwives are trained and certified in CPR, neonatal resuscitation, administration of routine antibiotics, antihemorrhagics, and evaluating routine vital signs. LMs are autonomous health care practitioners who provide comprehensive, holistic maternity care to healthy, low-risk women in the out of hospital setting. Midwives have been licensed and regulated in Florida since 1931. They are experts in out of hospital birth in both the home and birth center setting.
Midwives provide all routine medical care throughout pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum. If you have specific questions about the services or procedures our midwives provide, please call the office or schedule a consultation. Briefly, our midwives provide the following basic skills:
- Monitoring blood pressure, pulse, fetal heart tones, and temperature during prenatal, birth, and postpartum care
- Drawing all routine blood work (in-house) and ordering ultrasounds
- Evaluating fetal position utilizing Leopold maneuvers
- Testing for Group Beta Strep (GBS) and Gestational Diabetes Screening, both in the third trimester
- Providing IVs to deliver antibiotics and/or fluids as needed in labor
- Offering informed consent for artificial rupture of membranes (“breaking of waters”) as needed
- Suturing tears after birth (under local anesthesia)
- Administering antihemorrhagic medications in the event of postpartum hemorrhage
- Using oxygen as needed
- Performing a routine newborn exam after birth (including weight, measurements, and monitoring newborn vital signs)
- Providing vitamin K and erythromycin eye prophylaxis under informed consent
- Performing infant metabolic screening (in your home)
- Collaboration with physicians and hospital staff in the event of complications
And much, much more…
The Midwives Model of Care™ is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life events. The Midwives Model of Care includes:
- Monitoring the physical, psychological and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle
- Providing the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum support
- Minimizing technological interventions and
- Identifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention.
The application of this model has been proven to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.
From: MANA.org
No. Licensed midwives are autonomous practitioners who provide standard maternity care including labs and ordering ultrasounds. There is no need to be seen at a hospital in labor or postpartum unless a complication arises. If you began your care with an obstetrician and wish to transfer to Lake City Birth, your records will be requested, reviewed, and included for continuity of care.
Yes. We recommend babies be seen by a pediatrician, family care doctor or nurse practitioner 24-72 hours postpartum. There is no need for the baby to be seen in the hospital postpartum unless a complication arises. All routine care for newborns immediately following birth is provided by your midwife. This may include a newborn exam, measuring weight and length, administration of vitamin K and/or eye ointment.
Florida midwifery law and rule has a guideline that outlines what constitutes the risk in the out of hospital birth setting. The midwives will gladly go over your individual health history to determine if you are a good candidate for an out of hospital birth. Let your midwife know if you are taking any medications, have had complications with previous deliveries, or have an ongoing medical condition.
Florida law permits midwives to attend women who would like a vaginal birth after cesarean at home. Most women who have had a cesarean section are good candidates for a vaginal birth. Labor is an important part of getting baby ready for the outside world, and getting moms hormonally ready for upcoming motherhood. Not all cesarean sections are performed in a way that is conducive to vaginal birth. The midwives can review your previous operative report to help us determine if you’re a good candidate for an out of hospital birth.
For more information on VBACs check out the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN).
No. Florida law prohibits midwives from providing care to women carrying multiples (twins, triplets, etc).
No. Most babies will be breech at some point during pregnancy. However, if your baby is breech at the time of labor you will be transferred to a hospital for delivery.
Prenatal care with Lake City Birth follows a standard schedule of visits. Ideally, your prenatal care will begin in the first trimester (12 weeks or less). However, if you have had prenatal care elsewhere and are transferring your care to Lake City Birth, this is an easy transition.
- Routine prenatal care includes visits every four weeks until 28 weeks
- Every two weeks until 36 weeks
- Every week until the birth of the baby
At each visit in your home, the midwife and client will discuss the pregnancy, address any questions, make referrals and suggestions for information or counseling as needed. The midwife will assess the client’s blood pressure, measurements, weight, and listen for fetal heart tones at each visit.
After birth, the midwife comes to your home 24-48 hours postpartum, at 2 weeks postpartum, and the final visit at 6 weeks.
We respect our client’s time and we work diligently to keep appointments on schedule. Please note that unexpected cancellations can and do occur in the event of a birth. If we know we will be rescheduling appointments we do our best to notify our families as soon as possible. We appreciate understanding in this matter.
We encourage families to start care in the first trimester, typically between 9-12 weeks, although this is not required. If you are in care with another provider and are a candidate for an out of hospital birth, it is never too late to switch care to Lake City Birth. If you are considering transferring your care to us, feel free to contact us for a free consultation with a midwife.