If you have decided to be cared for by a midwife during your pregnancy, you should start your search early.After all, they are booked up quickly and you want someone who meets your needs. But how do you find the right midwife?
Table of contents
Different Midwives
There are some differences in midwives that can influence your decision.
1. The Freelance Midwife
Freelance midwives work without a permanent position. They are a good choice if you want a midwife to accompany you before and after birth. They are also a good choice for a home birth.
2. The Midwife On Call
The assisted midwife is also a freelance midwife. However, she also has a contract with clinics. If you want to be accompanied during the birth, then you need a midwife. However, this midwife must have a contract with the clinic where you want to give birth.
3. The Employed Midwife
This midwife will only support you during the delivery. It is advisable to secure pre- and post-natal care from a freelance midwife.
4. The Aftercare Midwife
If you do not want a midwife for prenatal care, you can still use an aftercare midwife. You can also ask the hospital if an attending midwife will provide follow-up care.
How Do You Find The Right Midwife?
After you know what kind of midwife you want, you can start researching. Since midwives are only allowed to care for a certain number of women at a time, it’s best to contact more than one right away. After a phone call, the midwife will then come to you for a preliminary interview.
When Should I Start Looking For A Midwife?
It is never too early to start looking for a midwife! If you have just become pregnant, you can already start looking. Even in early pregnancy, you may have many questions. What good is it if these do not resolve themselves until the 20th SSW?
The Initial Consultation – A Question Of Gut Feeling
Before you meet with the midwife, you can answer some questions for yourself. What is important to you? Do you rather want an older, maternal midwife? Or dear one of the same age who acts like a friend?
The Interview
The goal of the interview is for you to get to know each other better. The midwife will check your maternity record and see if everything is okay with the baby. The midwife will explain to you how she works and what the postpartum care is like.
Selection Criteria
Sympathy
The chemistry between you and your midwife should be right. It is important that you can feel comfortable.
Offer
Different midwives offer different services. Make sure that the midwife also offers what you are looking for.
Treatment Methods
Some midwives are also familiar with alternative medicine. If you value this, you should ask beforehand if your midwife offers such treatments.
Birthplace
If you want to give birth in a hospital, you should choose a staff midwife.
For a home birth, you will need a midwife who is prepared to do this.
Group Practice Or Individual Midwife
In the case of a practice, a colleague can step in if you are ill. You should also take this into account.
Distance From Home
The distance of the midwife to your home is also important. After all, if anything happens, she should be able to be with you quickly.
Course Offers
Many midwives offer various courses. Be it a birth preparation course, breastfeeding counseling, hypnobirthing, or the like.
Setting
You do not have to share exactly the same views with your midwife, but she should support you in your decisions. A midwife should inform you and be open to your wishes.
Prices For Additional Services
Special course offers, are not covered by health insurance. Therefore, inform yourself about the prices beforehand.
Fall Back On Recommendations
There may already be people in your circle of friends who can recommend a good midwife. However, you should still form your own opinion afterwards.
After The Interview – The Decision
After the first interview, you will have a feeling whether this is the right midwife for you. If the midwife does not meet your expectations, keep looking. Above all, it is important that you feel comfortable. After all, pregnancy is also a very intimate experience.
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