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Considering homebirth due to COVID-19?
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in pregnant people reaching out to home birth midwives like myself to transfer to planned home birth care. Community midwives are in a unique position of providing a model of care that works well in pandemics because our clients have less exposure to waiting rooms, hospitals, and only see one provider during visits and two providers during your birth. Our midwifery community is doing everything we can to increase our capacity to absorb the volume of new clients, and tailor our care to support folks who are now choosing to birth at home.
COVID-19 Best Practices.
Update January 20, 2022: The situation with the global pandemic is constantly evolving. The following protocols remain in place, even for people who are fully vaccinated. I will update this page as things continue to change. I'll update my current clients verbally or by email right away if there is a change in my protocols during their care. I am eager to return to my pre-COVID-19 policies as soon as it's safe to do so. In the meantime, safety for everyone concerned remains my primary focus. All of my clients, their babies, and families are so very precious in this world. Even though we're going into the second year, there is still so much we don't know. It is paramount that we stay careful.
In alignment with CDC guidelines, I have made the following changes to my prenatal and postpartum care:
In alignment with CDC guidelines, I have made the following changes to my prenatal and postpartum care:
- Prenatal visits and some postpartum visits take place in my office, and it is critical that I maintain that space in the safest ways possible. For that reason, I ask that you do not bring anyone to your appointments who does not live in your home with you.
- You will need to let me know if you (or anyone in your household) has had a close covid contact, is experiencing symptoms, or has tested positive for covid. If you are scheduled for an appointment during your quarantine/isolation, we will meet via Zoom instead. Similarly, we'll meet via Zoom if I have a close contact, experience symptoms, or test positive.
- If you have a close contact or develop symptoms consistent with covid-19, you will need to test (rapid or PCR) and notify me of the results. People who contract covid during pregnancy often require some extra monitoring until they give birth. This doesn't automatically mean that you can't have a community birth, only that we will take extra care to ensure that you and baby are thriving.
- CDC guidance clearly states that masks should be worn in all healthcare settings. I will be wearing a KN-95 or N-95 for all client contact. I request that everyone wear masks during your prenatal and postpartum appointments. This includes the appointments that are in your home. During your birth, I request that anyone who does not live in your home wear a mask throughout your labor, birth, and immediate postpartum.
- To minimize exposure and navigate increasing midwifery capacity, I will no longer have the second midwife/assistant meet clients at the 36 week visit. I will invite her to join us via Zoom for a video appointment if you wish. If you will have a doula or other support person at your birth, I would love to meet them during a video visit as well.
- At your birth I ask that you limit attendance to one additional support person aside from partner (doula, mom, best friend, etc.) All attendees must answer no to all of the COVID-19 screening questions, and must remain masked throughout your birth and immediate postpartum.
Screening for Symptoms.
If we have an in-person visit scheduled and you answer yes to any of these questions, please stay home and call me to set up an online appointment:
- Have you had a cough, fever, body aches, or a sore throat in the last 14 days?
- Has anyone in your household had the above symptoms?
- Have you been in direct contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or a person whose test is pending?
- Do you currently have an elevated temperature?
Is homebirth right for you?
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