Many women want to see the same one or two midwives throughout, and want to chose where they give birth. And when the time comes, they want a vaginal birth, with less intervention.
‘Catching a baby’ or caring for new parents on Christmas Day is special, midwives say. But Christmas can also be a vulnerable time for many women, especially so during a pandemic.
Many women are turning away from hospital births during the pandemic, preferring to give birth at home. But midwives aren’t always available to support them. So some are birthing without one.
During a pandemic, a home birth starts looking better every second. Midwives with their specialized skills in low-risk normal birth can be of great service.
Childbirth used to be a terrifying ordeal. But women were surrounded by others – mothers, aunts, sisters – who brought love and experience. But midway through the 19th century, this changed.
Evidence suggests that microbes play a vital role in health. But what microbes we get depends whether we were born in a hospital versus at home. That could impact our health decades later.