The coronavirus pandemic is creating anxiety for some women who are expecting. Some expectant mothers are seeking midwives to avoid going into a hospital.
With the pandemic weighing on their minds, out of hospital birth is something that's adding less stress to their pregnancy.
"The fact that I was nervous to go to my actual doctor's appointments was a red flag for me," Erin Bazile said. Bazile is 39 weeks into her pregnancy. Her original plan was to give birth in a hospital. However, that changed during the pandemic.
"You don't think it's going to get to that point and it did fast," Bazile said. "They had just started doing the temperature, face mask thing at the doctor's office. I had a phone call two days before my appointment saying I couldn't bring anybody with me. If I did they had to wait in the car."
At about 36 weeks into her pregnancy, she decided to switch gears and get help from a a Midwife at the Natural BirthHouse in Broussard. "It was like nerve wrecking and this gave me piece of mind and made me more comfortable," Bazile said.
Midwife Kira Kana says she's seeing a surge in calls. "Definitely have had an influx of clients since COVID started in the hospitals," Kana said. "It started when they started banning support people in births and then as the cases have grown, we've seen a larger influx since then."
The BirthHouse also making changes, like wearing protective gear during birth, virtual appointments and following CDC guidelines. However, they're making sure their clients still get support from their families during birth.
"Although we're asking them to limit to 2 people if a woman truly feels that her essential team is 3 people we're allowing that to be possible," Kana said.
"It's so important for a woman to feel cared for and supported during her birth and as long as everyone is well and symptom free we're allowing them to do that."
This is easing the minds of women like Bazile. "It gives me peace of mind and I'm comfortable," Bazile said. "In the long run it might be something good to open doors for people to have other options than hospital .
To be considered for any Midwife services you must be a healthy low risk pregnant woman.
For more information on The Natural BirthHouse services click here.
