Entertainer, Teyana Taylor is pregnant with baby number 2. She has chosen another entertainer, Erykah Badu to be her midwife for a midwife delivery. Erykah Badu has been a doula for several years and indicated in 2001 her desire to receive a midwife certification.

According to the American College of Nurse-Midwives:

“Midwifery as practiced by certified nurse-midwives (CNMs®) and certified midwives (CMs®) encompasses a full range of primary health care services for women from adolescence beyond menopause. These services include the independent provision of primary care, gynecologic and family planning services, preconception care, care during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, care of the normal newborn during the first 28 days of life, and treatment of male partners for sexually transmitted infections. Midwives provide initial and ongoing comprehensive assessment, diagnosis and treatment. They conduct physical examinations; prescribe medications including controlled substances and contraceptive methods; admit, manage and discharge patients; order and interpret laboratory and diagnostic tests and order the use of medical devices. Midwifery care also includes health promotion, disease prevention, and individualized wellness education and counseling.”

Midwives practice in walk-in clinics, public health departments, private offices, hospitals, birthing centers, and some will even come to the patient’s home.

Some jurisdictions allow laypeople to be midwives and perform  a midwife delivery. Other jurisdictions may require the midwife to not only have certified midwife training based on the American College of Nurse-Midwifes, but also require that the midwife be, at a minimum, a registered nurse.

There has been a trend recently of having more natural birthing experiences. Some of these births take place at a home, birth center or someplace where a mother can relax. Many mothers who have used the services of a midwife and have had no problems say the experience is unique and feels more personal than a hospital room.

Most professionals will state that midwifery is for the healthy mother that has no known risks for complications. The issue becomes, what if a complication arises during labor, even on a healthy mother?

Problems during labor and delivery can occur when the midwife does not recognize the signs of fetal distress. When fetal distress occurs, the midwife can perform certain maneuvers to alleviate the stress on the baby. The mother can be turned on her side, she could be given oxygen or an IV bolus. If the baby is in distress for a prolonged period, an emergency c-section may be needed. Suppose the midwife does not recognize the distress in a timely manner and the baby is deprived of oxygen for too long which results in a birth injury. The baby may also be diagnosed with hypoxia ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and even cerebral palsy.

If the same scenario happens during labor and delivery at a hospital with the birth being performed by a doctor or nurse, there is medical equipment at the ready for any unexpected problems. A delivery at a hospital is not a guarantee that problems will not occur, but it may be a subtle sigh of relief for mothers knowing that medical equipment is on standby.

Additionally, if a birth injury occurs and the family intends to seek legal recourse, the ability to receive the compensation that a baby needs for a lifelong injury may not be there if the midwife is the sole liable party.

Thanks for reading, your friends at HIE Recourse Place.