S. Tenuta 5-20-24
Midwifery care comes in each midwife’s style and expertise. Midwifery care can be super medicalized and it can be very hands off. The care can have a mix of both. The care can be impersonal or it can be so personally connected that the people turn out to be friends forever. The goal of Intouch and Intune is to give personalized midwifery care.
What would you expect if you had midwifery care from Intouch and Intune? There is an intake form that I send to those who inquire. I request permission to use all the tools that I have studied to be part of the midwifery care. With those permissions, we have an introductory session where I explain my experiences and knowledge and see if we connect. To me it is important that both of us feel this connection. If either one of us has a vibe that does not feel right, then I believe it is best to voice that. There are no hard feelings for saying no thank you, I don’t think we are a good fit.
Next, if the person says Intouch and Intune is a good fit, then I send a long questionnaire for questions to be answered. Some of these questions are very personal, and some are questions that may feel awkward to answer, but I assure you they are still important to answer, as they delve into topics that normally do not want to be talked about in normal circumstances. If questions are answered truthfully, then we have a good base to guide the care the mother needs and receives.
We begin care together. We get to know each other. We talk about emotional wellbeing. We discuss the food intake, and how mother is making time for eating regularly. We review the importance of eating 7 proteins daily, along with the many veggies and a few fruits. Each individual has a similar protocol, but no mother’s nutrition is exactly the same. Baby is involved in helping to determine mother’s needed nutrition. Hydration is also important. Knowing that the cells are receiving the hydration is guided by Body Talk which is a favorite modality of mine.
There are times when we can sit at a coffee shop and have a prenatal, or we could go for a walk in the park. If mom wants a personal exercise session, or meditation session, we do that. Mother’s ability to focus on baby’s messages to her can be a learned experience. It is my intention, to guide mother to tune into baby and to understand how baby is communicating to her. Cues can be kicks, or intuitive thoughts that surface. When labor and birth time arrives, Intouch and Intune wants to be sure that mother is tuned into baby’s wants and needs.
Other than these non-medical types of meetings, Intouch and Intune is attentive to taking blood pressure, pulse, infant heart tones, and checking baby’s position in the womb. Urine tests are encouraged along with vaginal checks if mother deems that necessary. If baby stays in utero past 41 weeks, we do at home stress tests. If we need further evaluation, then mother and midwife decide when to go to a hospital to be monitored for a Non-stress test or Biophysical Profile test. We discuss preparations for labor and birth. We talk about the natural hormonal process of birth. We talk about the normal processes of life and death and prepare for emergency possibilities. Through all these responsible types of discussions, both parents are also taught what to do in case they are home alone due to surprising circumstances.
During labor, mother has options such as water birth, or land birth. She is allowed to eat and hydrate as much as is needed for her to keep her energy level optimal. She can move around, move her hips, stand, squat, be on hands and knees, or lie on her side. Movement and gravity seem to be most helpful in any situation Intouch and Intune has encountered in labor.
After birth, mother is monitored for her body’s reactions to birth. Baby is monitored and observed but kept close to mother for at least an hour in normal circumstances. Skin to skin and breastfeeding are begun at mother and baby’s beckoning. When they are kept together, the hormones work best for both to bond.
Care after birth, postpartum care, is deemed to be checking in on mother as much as is needed. A common schedule is at 24 hours, 3 days, 1 week, 3 weeks, and then 5 or 6 weeks. I would like to encourage care for 1 year for being available to mother and baby in this entire process.
If you are someone who would like care similar to this description, please contact Intouch and Intune. Above all, may you find the care that is best for your growth as a mother and for baby’s best needs. Personalized midwifery care is the goal.
In Touch and In Tune