Choosing the right approach to your prenatal care doesn't mean you have to choose between a midwife and an obstetrician. You can partner with both types of care providers to create a well-rounded medical care team that attends to your pregnancy from a holistic and medical perspective. Here are a few ways to make a midwife part of your approach to pregnancy.

Choose A Certified Nurse-Midwife

Certified nurse-midwives are nurses who have the ability to prescribe medications and provide specialized medical services as needed. This specialized combination of training gives you the benefits of holistic and modern medicine, which can help you feel more comfortable throughout your pregnancy and delivery. Your certified nurse-midwife can also help you with post-natal care and family planning. These midwives may have privileges at a local hospital, and your obstetrician may even have one on staff to help mothers who want that individualized approach to natural childbirth. 

Coordinate Your Birth Plan

If you want to have a natural delivery, coordinate your birth plan with both your obstetrician and your midwife. Your local hospital may have specialized birthing rooms for women who want a water birth, natural delivery or any other type of specialized birthing experience. By coordinating your plan with both care providers, you can ensure that your midwife is part of the delivery and your obstetrician is ready to provide any emergency interventions that might come up if you have complications during labor. Be sure that your obstetrician respects your wishes to work with a midwife. If your physician doesn't support your choice, you may want to consider finding another care provider who understands your desire to work with a midwife.

Plan For Postnatal Care

Your midwife can do more than coach you through labor. Midwives can provide help with breastfeeding education and lactation consulting, and they can also provide follow-up gynecological care. Talk to your midwife about the possibility of providing this care in-home so you don't have to take your newborn out of the house in the first few days after birth. The midwife can also provide a well-baby checkup in those first few days, which might include looking for signs of jaundice and checking the umbilical cord site.

Your obstetrician will still be able to provide prenatal testing, ultrasounds, and other essential prenatal care services, but your midwife will be able to provide emotional support throughout your pregnancy and delivery. By using the talents of both care providers, you can create a well-rounded approach to your pregnancy, ensuring that your mind, body, and soul are all cared for every step of the way. For more information, consider contacting a professional like those at the office of George L Stankevych MD.