What I Want Clients to Know About Hospital Transfers

There are times when we need to transfer during birth.  If baby lets us know they are not happy, or Mom is having challenges and things have moved outside of normal then it can be time to seek the care and help a hospital offers.

Here are the things I want my clients to understand:

• I want the best possible outcome for Mom and baby, that's why we transferred.
• Hospitals have tools that I do not have, and those tools will be helpful or necessary for the situation.
• I value the skills and expertise of the hospital providers, and I am grateful they are able to help.
• If hospital policy allows, I will stay with Mom at the hospital through birth and for a short while after birth.
• If hospital policy does not allow me to stay, I will be available by Skype or another platform if preferred.
• ​I do not have privlieges to practice midwifery in the hospital, so I will shift into more of a doula role providing labor support. I will assist as much as hospital staff are comfortable with. This varies among hospitals.
• Hospitals have protocols they have to follow, and they may not have much wiggle room within those protocols. The protocols may be in place to allow the hospital to be more efficient, or may be required by the liability insurance of the hospital. If we have time, we will go to a hospital that does not have protocols prohibiting a desired outcome such as VBAC.
• I will share pertinent information from the chart, and provide lab results to hospital staff to facilitate a smooth transition, and to make sure they have all the information they need to provide the best care they can for Mom and baby.
• I will provide postpartum care once Mom and baby are released from the hospital.

Hospital care can be beneficial and lifesaving when labor and birth move outside of normal, and I am thankful we can turn to them if needed.  I know transferring is stressful.  I will do my best to make the transfer as smooth and stress free as I can.