How Midwifery Care Meets Community Needs
Home Visits
With midwifery care can come home visits for care. Not all midwives work this way but there are some and these are naturally part of the conversation when working with clients for care. This can be incredibly helpful in a community, city, or county that lacks adequate public transportation. This also really supportive as the mother-centered care approach serves the family vs the institution of what’s convenient for a facility.
Maternal Care Deserts
Maternal care deserts are alive and well in America. Making midwifery care part of regular women’s health and integrating it into the standard of care as we see it now, can help relieve some of the disparities that many communities face. This can address many issues when it comes to families not seeking prenatal care regularly, nutrition gaps, home safety awareness, and other implications that effect families globally.
Cultural Competencies
Community midwives are community aware. They’re aware of what their community needs are and more importantly, how to address them. They’ve got a pulse on cultural ways of life and the importance of maintain cultural practices whether it’s part of their culture or not.
They’ve been to their homes, most likely have met their whole families, and develop a real relationship that is consistent and foundational which leads to a more individualized approach.
Maintained Lost Arts
The frequent and ongoing trainings that midwives take part in help them maintain many skills that the westernized medical professional model has lost.
Breech vaginal births, fetoscope use, belly mapping, resolving emergencies in less invasive fashion are all wonderful tools that everyone’s serves access to.
Can Be More Financially Accessible
Insurance is a privilege many don’t have access to. And if they do, it may not lead them to the best quality or care. Many times, during prenatal care, there are preventative measures taken that may or may not be covered by insurance or even during delivery there are times when a family goes home and weeks later receives a bill for medical expenses.
Midwifery care is per midwife or midwifery practice and there are many instances where a family can barter, trade, make payments, or even apply for grants that fund midwifery care.