How a Home Birth with a Midwife Can Transform Your Birth Experience | Dickinson & Bismarck Home Birth Photographer

Are you curious about the ins and outs of homebirth? Want to know what it's really like to have a baby at home with the guidance of a skilled and experienced midwife? 

Now, I grew up in an environment where home birth was normal and expected. Waking up to find a new babies in our house are among my very earliest memories. Midwives sitting at the kitchen table charting, family prenatal visits, piles of chux pads, and the sights and sounds of birth were normal.

But I know that this is an extremely unique experience and that most people have no clue what a home birth looks like. So I’ve taken the opportunity to chat with some of my favorite home birth midwives about what out-of-hospital care looks like and the benefits it can offer to women, babies, and families.

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with homebirth midwife Jade Stacey of Well Earth Women’s Care and Prairie Rebel Birth to learn everything from creating a birth plan to handling emergencies and preserving precious memories through photography. 

Midwives are often born teachers and Jade is no exception, always happy to demonstrate.

Helping clients feel how their baby is laying is a common step in helping women find their power in pregnancy and birth.

How long have you been a midwife and what got you into midwifery?

I began my apprenticeship into direct-entry midwifery in the spring of 1998. I took a break from 2004-2012, only attending repeat clients/frequent fliers and began actively seeking new clients in 2019. I was separating from my husband and needed a job I could attend with small children; midwifery became an avenue for me. I ended up reconciling with my husband in early 1999, but continued with my practice.

What would you say to someone with a concern or fear about giving birth at home?

Usually I present this with questions of my own: What exactly are you concerned with? What specific things do you fear? What information have you been given about the safety of hospital birth compared to OOH? Then I answer those questions as best as I am able and we talk about why those misconceptions have become common. We also discuss the varying ways hospital policy limits autonomy and may increase the interventions they seek to avoid.

At home births, newborns are examined in the comforting familiarity of their parents’ bed.

How do you help families prepare for the possibility of transfer to a hospital during a homebirth?

In what circumstances do you decide it’s time to transfer to the hospital?
In prenatal visits we discuss what my transfer protocol is. We talk about the differences between antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum transfers- and the clinical indications for each. I explain how I release records, call ahead to notify L&D, how we give SBAR in the event of an EMS transfer, what members of our team will transfer with the family, etc. Circumstances vary for transfer, but some examples we have transferred for are fetal heart tone abnormalities without recovery, signs of placental abruption, concerns for maternal/fetal exhaustion, adverse BPP results, and pain management. We have had three postpartum transfers: one for a third degree tear, one for a baby with gastroschisis and one for a baby who was not breathing at birth and needed oxygen and resuscitation. This baby was later diagnosed with pneumonia and likely was the result of an intrapartum condition.

How do you incorporate evidence-based care into your practice, and what resources do you use to stay current on the latest research?

I am a professional member of Evidence-Based Birth, the Midwifery Wisdom Collective, Breech Without Borders, The ObG Project, and Midwifery Today. These resources employ trainings, lectures, education, and professional publications; as well as a supportive midwifery community. I frequently participate in and host peer reviews. This translates into a rich and varied evidence-based practice. During visits, we talk a lot about pros/cons of treatment modalities, implied vs informed consent, risk-benefit analysis, and so on. It is my desire for my clients to be given all of the available options- even and especially the ones I am unable to implement in my practice.

Can you discuss any cultural or linguistic considerations you take into account when working with families from diverse backgrounds?

Although my ethnicity is primarily Caucasian, I currently reside and grew up in an ethnically diverse community within a non-white family structure. I ask the families throughout our care what cultural practices are important considerations for them and how, if at all, our team can accommodate them. We chose assistants based on their individual experiences as well to enrich the participation of the team with each family.

Leopold Maneuvers are one of many non-invasive techniques home birth midwives specialize in using.

How do you work with families to capture and preserve memories of their birth experience through photography?

I am willing to be photographed or participate in videos, but I do not actively help the family secure a photographer. I will give referrals to local providers and they are free to choose whom they feel will best serve them; I do not consider the preservation of their memories to be in my professional scope as a midwife.

Can you share any tips for families who are considering a homebirth, in terms of preparation and choosing the right provider?

I believe there is a midwife for every birthing family- and I acknowledge I may not be the one for them. I encourage pre-conception nutrition, self-care and a reciprocal relationship with their midwife throughout their birthing year. Take care of your nutritive needs, stay hydrated and move your body, and work with your care provider; acknowledging the worth of your shared experiences and how it supports the safety and efficacy of your homebirth.

How do you handle emergencies during a homebirth?

First, we determine the level of complication. Can this be handled at home? Is an emergent transfer needed? Is the client self ambulatory? Once those determinations are met, we go through the process of transfer protocol. Do we need to activate EMS? Where is the nearest hospital to meet the needs of the client? Will they require immediate help and an eventual transfer to a facility with higher level care?
For those emergencies that can be handled in the home setting, we have various resuscitation equipment, hemostatic and uterine tonic phytoceuticals (herbs and/or tinctures)and other alternative treatment modalities.

How (if at all) do you work with other healthcare providers (OBs, pediatricians,etc.) to ensure the best care for families?

We utilize an electronic medical record software for midwives; this helps facilitate consulting, collaborative care and/or concurrent care with the ease of record sharing. We consult with other healthcare providers for labs, anomaly scans and various testing for those clients that desire the Standard of Care as it relates to the Midwifery Model of Care. In the event of emergent or elective transfer, we communicate with higher level care providers to ensure our clients are heard and cared for properly. In labor, one of our team attends with the client to ensure smooth and direct communication with receiving providers and we try to stay with them through the birth of their baby and the immediate postpartum. We can communicate birth plan preferences and advocate for the parents during a potentially tumultuous time.

Can you share any experiences you’ve had with waterbirth and how it can benefit the mother and baby during labor and delivery?

Water is a natural analgesic and is often touted as the “Midwife’s Epidural”. In early labor it promotes rest and relaxation for the birther, in active labor it provides pain relief and a feeling of buoyancy. During delivery it is thought to be a more gentle process for baby as they’re born into an environment similar to the one that previously housed them. These babies are often reported as being calmer and more alert. In my own waterbirth, I was able to have both pain relief and rest. My waterbaby, while slow to start, was able to have a gentle transition into being born and sixteen years later is still my child with the most relaxed personality- he attributes this to his waterbirth and we agree with his jest.

Where can people connect with you to learn more about what you have to offer?

Families can contact me via my private Facebook page: Jade Stacey, Prairie Rebel Birth Services or email at jade@prairierebelmw.com if you reside in Montana or jade.wellearthwoman@gmail.com for North Dakota residents.

Still curious about what a home birth looks and feels like? Click here to read Lisa’s beautiful story of meeting her daughter Ivy in her very own Bismarck home.