Obstetric Services

Pregnancy is a unique time in every woman’s life. With many years of experience, the midwives are committed to providing you with the gentle and supportive care you deserve. We welcome you to participate as an equal partner in planning your own unique birth experience, and we offer you many options.

• You can choose to see one particular midwife throughout your pregnancy at each prenatal visit. 
• During each prenatal visit, you will have plenty of time with your midwife to discuss any questions or concerns about the physical and emotional changes you are experiencing.
• Your midwife will prepare you for your birth experience and parenting by providing education about diet, exercise, fetal development and labor alternatives as well as breastfeeding and infant care. She also will assist you in writing your birth plan.
• Your loved ones are welcome to join you at all prenatal visits and during the birth, if you choose.

You may also choose to participate in our CenteringPregnancy® Program. The Midwives of Delaware County is one of very few provider groups in the Delaware Valley offering this new national model of care.

With the CenteringPregnancy® program, you will have the opportunity to meet regularly for prenatal care in a group setting with eight to 12 expectant mothers whose babies are due around the same time. For your initial prenatal visit, you will first meet individually with your midwife for an initial exam and medical history. 

During subsequent monthly visits, you will begin your two-hour session by taking your own blood pressure, weighing yourself and recording these measurements on your chart. You will have time to meet individually with your midwife to discuss any questions or concerns. Together, you will also listen to the baby’s heartbeat and check for uterine growth.

For the rest of each visit, while sharing delicious snacks, you will join a group of women for a discussion about topics related to pregnancy, childbirth and parenting. These groups meet monthly through the first 28 weeks of pregnancy, then every two weeks until the baby is delivered.

Each group discussion is facilitated by a midwife and another health care provider knowledgeable about the topics. The group members help determine the topics of discussion. Expectant mothers in the group benefit by sharing their own experiences, exchanging information and building a support network with each other. Spouses or partners are welcome to participate.

The Midwives of Delaware County have helped more than 4,000 women deliver their babies safely and in a nurturing environment. Currently, the midwives deliver about 25 percent of all babies born at Delaware County Memorial Hospital (DCMH) in Drexel Hill, Pa.

Your baby will be born in the comfort of the home-like birthing suites at DCMH. The Maternal/Child Health Unit at DCMH offers the best of all worlds – warm and comfortable birthing rooms in a calm environment and private postpartum rooms where you can rest and cuddle your new baby. DCMH also offers the most advanced technology and a capable and compassionate staff available on a moment’s notice should complications arise or a surgical delivery be required.

Throughout your labor and delivery experience, a midwife will stay with you to support you, and to help you and your loved ones bring your baby into the world.

At all times, you are a partner in decisions regarding your care.

Pain Relief Options

The midwives offer many alternatives for pain relief and comfort during labor, including:

• Relaxation in a Jacuzzi tub
• Shower
• Back massage
• Intravenous analgesic medications
• Epidural anesthesia 

Obstetrics Consultation Available 24/7

The Midwives of Delaware County have a collaborative relationship with OB/GYN Associates of Delaware County, a group of obstetricians at Delaware County Memorial Hospital who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the event that the midwife determines that physician involvement is required.

After your baby is born, the midwives will continue to provide you with support and education about caring for your baby both in the hospital and after you and your baby go home.

We provide breastfeeding guidance to help you in feeding and bonding with your baby, and we follow up with you after you go home to answer any questions you may have about infant care and/or your own recovery.

We will see you in the office again several weeks after the birth to resume your “well woman” care, and provide family planning (if desired).