Coronavirus and Out-of-Hospital Birth: How to Know If Birth Center or Home Birth Is Right for You
Will Coronavirus affect your birth plan decisions?
At Magnolia Birth House, we know that for low-risk individuals, out-of-hospital birth with a trained provider is safe. Research has confirmed this, showing a reduction in interventions along with excellent outcomes for infants and birthing parents.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, there has been an increased interest in out-of-hospital birth. People are concerned that hospitals will be overwhelmed with critically ill patients. New policies are restricting support people during labor and birth, and some protocols are requiring parents and babies to be separated.
This is the changing landscape of healthcare during the coronavirus pandemic. And it is affecting countless expectant parents’ plans for pregnancy and birth.
If you’re pregnant and worried about delivering your baby in the hospital during the upcoming weeks and months, you might be considering out-of-hospital birth. However, it’s important to understand that out-of-hospital birth is safest when it’s planned with a trusted, skilled attendant.
In our current environment, suggestions for “birthing in place,” or choosing very late in pregnancy or even during labor to stay home without appropriate education and preparation, are worrisome. Yes, birth is a normal physiological event, but emergencies can arise. Midwives know how to handle many routine complications, but, perhaps more importantly, midwives are trained to see warning signs before emergencies occur.
Magnolia Birth House is accepting new clients for birth center delivery and a limited number of home birth clients. Still, you might be wondering
“Is out-of-hospital birth safe?”
“How do I know if out-of-hospital birth is the right choice?”
“What would switching my care to Magnolia look like?”
We’ve put together this information to help you decide whether out-of-hospital birth with Magnolia might be appropriate.
How Do I Know if Out-of-Hospital Birth Is Right for Me?
If you’re an expectant parent contemplating out-of-hospital birth because of the coronavirus pandemic, the most important requirement is a low-risk pregnancy. What does that mean?
As midwives, we are trained to work with folks with few or no risk factors during pregnancy or birth. By definition, low-risk excludes those who have conditions that require medical management during pregnancy and birth; this is for their and their baby’s safety.
In addition, prospective birth center or home birth clients should have an inclination toward natural birth and feel safe birthing outside of a hospital. Perhaps you had a low-intervention birth in the past or you considered out-of-hospital birth previously, but you weren’t quite ready to make the leap. Now, you may have more concerns about being in the hospital.
In addition, Miami has a high C-section rate — almost 50 percent. While those who have vaginal hospital births may be able to go home in a reasonable time frame, someone who has undergone a C-section will have to stay in the hospital for two or three days. If that does not appeal to you and you have a low-risk pregnancy, the out-of-hospital birth experience might suit you.
It’s essential for you as the birthing parent to consider where you feel safe. If you initially chose a hospital because you believed it to be the safest location to give birth, then the hospital is likely still the safest place for you. Your environment and emotional state significantly affect the birthing process. Out-of-hospital birth with someone who does not fundamentally trust the birth location is unsafe for both client and midwife.
Is an out-of-hospital birth right for you and how does Coronavirus affect these decisions?
What Can I Expect if I Switch to Out-of-Hospital Birth at Magnolia?
With that knowledge in mind, are you interested in exploring transferring your prenatal care? If so, here are five things to know about out-of-hospital birth with Magnolia.
1. You can have an empowering experience with a full support team.
Whether you choose to give birth at Magnolia Birth House or in your home, you will not be restricted to a bed. If you’re concerned about pain management, the Magnolia team has many resources to share. You will have the freedom to move around and nourish your body with food.
Thanks to our sister company, The Gathering Place, you will have access to a doula. Unlike current hospital protocols, you can have a full support team during your birth. A midwife will be on-site and available to you during your entire labor.
2. Your prenatal care will be personalized and holistic.
One of the things that make out-of-hospital Miami birth safe is a trusting relationship between provider and patient. If you’re worried about transferring your care late in pregnancy, especially after 28 weeks, our model of care at Magnolia is structured to mitigate that.
When you enter into our care, we will spend time getting to know you. We want to develop a personal relationship with true connection. One of the ways we do this is through longer prenatal appointments.
3. If you transfer to the hospital, you will be treated with respect.
About 8-10 percent of clients who plan an out-of-hospital birth end up transferring to the hospital. Only about 1 percent are emergencies, meaning the rest transfer for non-emergent reasons like stalled labor or the need for medication.
In the event of a transfer, you will still have a supportive hospital team with whom we have a good relationship. There will be mutual respect and trust because we will directly communicate with the hospital nursing staff, the physician, and the lactation consultants.
4. You will have access to online childbirth classes.
Whether it’s your first baby or a subsequent pregnancy, we are committed to helping you feel empowered during pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum. One of the best ways to get ready for unmedicated birth is to take natural birthing classes. Currently, Magnolia is offering only online childbirth classes through The Gathering Place.
Childbirth education is important for all expectant parents, especially those who are new to unmedicated labor and birth. Our classes cover topics like preparing for out-of-hospital birth, giving birth with confidence, and coping with fear and pain in labor.
5. We are in-network with most insurance companies.
Magnolia Birth House is currently in network with Aetna, Cigna, Florida Blue / Blue Cross Blue Shield, United, Molina, Ambetter, and select Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs). We strive to individualize every aspect of your care, including billing.
We realize some people who are transferring may have already paid a significant amount to their current provider, and there could be a delay getting that money back. We will meet with you to discuss your insurance coverage and financial situation and, together, we can create a payment plan and schedule.
In any case, it’s important to remember that birth center and home birth rates are lower than hospital fees. Your deductible will be the same, but because the bill will be less, your co-insurance will be less.