Are you thinking about having a homebirth with an American homebirth midwife?
If so, ask yourself if you really want to entrust the life of your child and yourself to a woman who “learns” how to manage life threatening complications from the “hints and tips” of other homebirth midwives?
Consider the following from the Facebook page of Midwifery Today, the premier publication of American homebirth midwives:
Can you share your favorite tips for stopping hemorrhage?
The next theme for Midwifery Today magazine, the print edition, is on Hemorrhage. We would like to include your favorite Tricks of the Trade to stop or prevent hemorrhage, in her pages. Could you reiterate (I know some of you have mentioned them before,) this time for possible publication in the magazine. Be a published author!
Postpartum hemorrhage is a life threatening medical emergency. There is a large body of scientific literature on preventing and treating postpartum hemorrhage. Moreover, there is consensus on best practices including the Obstetric Hemorrhage Toolkit, described as:
… [A] resource for health care providers to improve readiness, recognition, response and reporting of hemorrhage. Obstetric hemorrhage is a leading cause of pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality but has major opportunities for improved outcomes.
The folks at Midwifery Today either don’t know about the consensus on preventing and managing postpartum hemorrhage or plan on ignoring it in favor of unproven “hints and tips” from other homebirth midwives, as if a postpartum hemorrhage were the equivalent of a pesky wine stain on a tablecloth.
The editors and publishers of Midwifery Today are not the only buffoons. Consider the “tips” provided by the midwife respondents.
Amanda: If the placenta has not yet been delivered the cut end of an umbilical cord and also the amniotic sac have a higher natural oxytocin content than the placental tissue itself.
There is no evidence that ingesting any part of the placenta, umbilical cord or membranes can prevent or treat postpartum hemorrhage. Moreover, even if oxytocin were present in these materials, it would not survive the acid in the stomach. That’s why pitocin is given to women in an IV, not by mouth.
Amy: Prayer!
Really? REALLY??!!
Shari: I have heard cypress oil rubbed on belly directly over the uterus.
Sure. And the mechanism of action is ….??
The stupidity goes on and on:
Katie: Always keep my homeopathic phosphorus and secale around…
Lorinda Mae: lots of excellent suggestions already, but what has worked for me is CHLOROPHYLL.
And my personal favorite:
Ely: Someone mentioned chewing a hard cinnamon candy and blowing it in mom’s direction.
This is what passes for knowledge among American homebirth midwives, and this is what is being solicited by the premier homebirth midwifery journal in place of scientific evidence and consensus on best medical practice.
Sure, you may want a homebirth, but are you really willing to risk the life of your baby and yourself by hiring these clowns?
