Pregnancy, birth, and newborn care come with many decisions. My goal as your midwife is to provide you with information and resources so that you can understand your options, ask questions, and make thoughtful, informed choices for yourself and your family.
The resources shared on this page represent a variety of perspectives and are provided for educational purposes. A link to an outside resource does not necessarily mean that I agree with every statement or recommendation it contains. I encourage you to consider the available evidence, discuss questions with your healthcare providers, and consider how the benefits, risks, and alternatives apply to your individual circumstances.
Please feel free to bring your questions to your prenatal appointments. I am happy to talk through these topics with you as we make plans for your care.
Choosing where to give birth is an important and personal decision. For healthy, low-risk mothers, giving birth at home can offer a peaceful and familiar environment with individualized, continuous care.
Some of the benefits families value about home birth include freedom to move, eat, drink, and labor in positions that feel comfortable; the option of using water for comfort or birth; fewer routine interventions; greater privacy; involvement of family members as desired; and uninterrupted time for bonding and breastfeeding after birth.
Home birth also has limitations and risks to consider. Emergency medical services, surgical care, blood products, epidural anesthesia, and advanced newborn care are not immediately available in the home. If complications develop that cannot be safely managed at home, transfer to a hospital may be necessary. Because transport takes time, careful prenatal screening, ongoing assessment during labor, and a clear plan for consultation and hospital transfer are important parts of responsible home-birth care.
Hospital birth provides immediate access to a broader range of medical interventions, pain-management options, surgical services, and specialized newborn care. At the same time, the environment and routines of hospital birth may be different from what some families desire for their birth experience.
No birth setting is without risk. Understanding your individual health, pregnancy, available birth settings, distance from emergency care, and your midwife's scope of practice and transfer plan can help you make an informed decision about where you feel most comfortable giving birth.
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that can develop during pregnancy, even in women who did not have diabetes before becoming pregnant. Because it often has no noticeable symptoms, glucose screening is commonly offered between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.
There are different approaches to screening and diagnosing gestational diabetes. Understanding what the testing involves, what your results mean, and what your options are can help you make an informed decision about your care.
Learn more about glucose screening and gestational diabetes →
Group B Streptococcus, or GBS, is a common bacterium that can naturally live in the digestive or genital tract without causing illness. Testing positive for GBS does not mean that you are sick. However, GBS can sometimes be passed to a baby during birth and, in a small number of babies, cause serious infection.
GBS screening is generally recommended late in pregnancy, around 36–37 weeks. If your test is positive, antibiotics during labor are the standard preventive treatment because they substantially reduce the baby's risk of early-onset GBS disease. Your GBS status, labor circumstances, and other individual risk factors can all be discussed as you make plans for your birth.
Learn more about GBS screening, risks, and treatment →
Your blood type includes an Rh factor, which is either positive or negative. If you are Rh-negative and your baby is Rh-positive, exposure to your baby's blood can sometimes cause your immune system to develop antibodies against Rh-positive blood. This is called Rh sensitization.
Rh immune globulin, commonly known by the brand name RhoGAM, can help prevent this sensitization. Understanding your blood type, antibody-screen results, your baby's possible Rh status, and when Rh immune globulin may be recommended can help you make an informed decision about your care.
Learn more about Rh compatibility and RhoGAM →
A due date is an estimate—not an expiration date—and normal pregnancies vary in length. As pregnancy continues beyond the estimated due date, however, certain risks gradually change, which is why your midwife will pay close attention to both you and your baby as the pregnancy progresses.
Understanding how due dates are calculated, the difference between “past your due date” and medically defined late- or post-term pregnancy, what monitoring may be recommended, and when consultation or induction may be considered can help you feel prepared if your baby decides to take a little more time.
Learn more about due dates and pregnancy beyond 40 weeks →
Sometimes the amniotic sac—or “bag of waters”—breaks before regular labor contractions begin. You may experience an obvious gush of fluid or simply notice a persistent trickle or leaking.
If you think your water has broken, your midwife will want to know when it happened, the color and amount of the fluid, whether your baby is moving normally, whether contractions have begun, and whether there are any other concerning symptoms. Your GBS status, your baby's well-being, the amount of time since your membranes ruptured, and signs of infection are among the factors that can affect the plan for your care.
Learn more about rupture of membranes and what to expect →
Having had a cesarean does not necessarily mean that all future babies must be born by cesarean. For some mothers, a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) may be an option.
Your previous uterine incision, reason for the cesarean, number of previous cesareans, current pregnancy, overall health, and other factors are important when considering VBAC. One uncommon but serious complication is uterine rupture, so understanding both the potential benefits and risks—as well as plans for monitoring and emergency care—is an important part of informed decision-making.
Learn more about VBAC and birth after cesarean →
Most babies settle into a head-down position before birth, but some remain breech, meaning the baby's bottom or feet are positioned to be born first.
If your baby is breech late in pregnancy, there may be several things to consider, including the type of breech presentation, whether an attempt can be made to turn the baby, your individual pregnancy circumstances, and the available options for birth. Vaginal breech birth carries different risks and requires careful assessment and an appropriately skilled birth attendant.
Learn more about breech presentation and birth options →
External cephalic version, or ECV, is a procedure in which a healthcare professional attempts to turn a breech baby into a head-down position by applying pressure to the mother's abdomen.
If your baby remains breech near the end of pregnancy, your midwife may discuss whether ECV is an appropriate option for you. Learning how the procedure is performed, when it is typically attempted, its success rate, possible risks, and circumstances in which it may not be recommended can help you decide whether you would like to pursue it.
Learn more about External Cephalic Version →
Babies are naturally born with relatively small stores of vitamin K, which the body needs for normal blood clotting. In rare occurances, low vitamin K can result in vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB). Bleeding can occur during the first days, weeks or months of life, and internal bleeding can happen without obvious warning signs.
A vitamin K injection shortly after birth is the standard preventive treatment and is effective at preventing VKDB. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a one-time intramuscular dose for newborns.
Understanding why vitamin K is offered and the risk it is intended to prevent can help you make an informed decision for your baby.
Learn more about Vitamin K for your baby→
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that can be transmitted through blood and certain body fluids. An important part of prenatal care is screening the mother for hepatitis B because the infection can be passed to a baby around the time of birth. Infection acquired during infancy is particularly concerning because it is much more likely to become chronic.
Understanding your own test results, your baby's risk factors, and the benefits and considerations of vaccination can help you make an informed decision for your family.
Learn more about Hepatitis B and your newborn →
The first days and weeks after birth include several screenings and preventive-care decisions for your new baby. These may include newborn metabolic screening (sometimes called the PKU test), hearing screening, newborn eye care, and heart screening.
We have gathered information about these newborn screenings in one place so you can understand what each screening is designed to detect, when it is performed, and what to expect.
Learn more about newborn screenings and preventive care →
