Loudoun Community Midwives - Midwife Births at Loudoun Hospital

Will A Physician Be Available?
Certified Nurse-Midwives and Physicians work together as a team for the best outcomes for mothers and babies, and this approach provides high quality care. Although CNM’s are qualified to give complete prenatal care and perform normal deliveries independently, we highly respect and value physicians, and deeply appreciate the special help they provide when problems arise! Loudoun Community Midwives has a board-certified OB-GYN physician as our Medical Director, who is always on call for questions, problems, or complications. The doctor involvement consists of:

Office Consultation
We have a specific arrangement with our medical director, and can consult at any time we note anything unusual. If patients wish to meet our OB-GYN consultant prior to their delivery, an appointment will be made for a doctor visit at no cost.

Chart Reviews
The physician-midwife team meets weekly for chart reviews for any cases in which questions concerns may arise, or for any cases which need co-management or referral to doctor-care. The entire chart of a pregnant patient is also reviewed by the CNM team after the 28th week, at the beginning of the third trimester, to screen for any abnormalities or special issues.

Labor and Delivery
When women in labor are admitted to the hospital in active phase of labor, our on-call OB-GYN is notified by the midwife and briefed on her status. If problems arise of an urgent or emergent nature, the CNM is qualified and authorized to begin management while the doctor is coming. We can begin the process toward a Caesarean quickly, and participate in the surgery if needed. Please see more information in the “Safety” section.

The word “midwife” translated literally means "with woman”. Loudoun Community Midwives was founded upon this fundamental principle... to be totally present and actively involved with the birth of your child. Women seek our care because they are looking for that kind of sensitive and committed support.

It is LCM’s commitment to women in labor that we will be there to help them, to explain events and choices, and monitor progress. We've created a schedule that permits us to do this important work without interruptions. When a mother is admitted to the hospital in the active phase of labor, the CNM will soon arrive to help support her. If more than one woman is in labor, our time must be shared; however, we will be present for support, information, advice, and safety. If a C-section becomes necessary, we will assist in the Operating Room.

Midwives are undisputed experts at helping women who want natural childbirth, but it is by no means a requirement with in-hospital midwife care. During the pregnancy, we discuss with each woman her desires and intended approach to the birth experience, and make up the “Birth Wish List” which goes in her chart to the hospital. Women who wish low-intervention, unmedicated birth are supported, as are women who desire epidural or other pain management.

Deep, warm-water soaking tubs
Breathing & Relaxation techniques
Massage, position changes, and walking
Intravenous medication
Epidural

{back to the top}

What About the Birthing Inn Experience?

Loudoun Community Midwives were the first Certified Nurse-Midwives to have privileges at Loudoun Hospital Center, and we have attended hundreds of births there since 1999. We choose to work at the Birthing Inn because it has been such a baby-friendly and mother-friendly facility, and is so supportive of nurse-midwifery patients and their families.

Birthing Inn features include:

High-tech security system
Deep soaking tubs in all labor rooms
All postpartum rooms are private
In-House Neonatology
In-house Anesthesia
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Lactation Consulting Services

To visit the official Birthing Inn website, go to http://www.thebirthinginn.org/

{back to the top}

What About Safety Concerns?

A large body of research done over 70 years of Certified Nurse-Midwife practice has shown that Certified Nurse Midwives are comparable in safety to doctors for normal, low-risk women. For a closer look at this research, visit the website of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, at www.mymidwife.org.

Loudoun Community Midwives offers many features that help our patients feel their care is safe and of high quality.

These features include:

OB-GYN consultation 24 hours a day... please see our section “Will a Physician be Available?”

A Certified Nurse-Midwife present for the entire active phase of labor and the birth... This means patients receive care not only from the Birthing Inn’s excellent nursing staff, but a CNM is present as well for constant hands-on support, expertise, and safety (see "Will a Midwife be with Me?").

All Births take place at the newly-built State-of-the-Art Birthing Inn facility at Loudoun Hospital, including a High-quality Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, an In-house Neonatology Staff, & In-House Anesthesiologist.

{back to the top}

Loudoun Community Midwives' Program of Care is influenced by several sets of professional standards and clincial guidelines. Since our training qualifies us to care for essentially healthy women, some factors will make a potential client inappropriate for CNM care. Some of these factors include: