Women who choose midwives for their birth will deliver in a hospital. The Ohio Board of Nursing has regulated certified nurse midwives to only deliver in a hospital setting. We're unable to deliver in a home. We're lucky enough that in the Cincinnati area and in the Dayton area, many of the hospitals provide a home-like setting, where we could use various techniques to help women in labor, which include hydrotherapy, birthing balls, position changing, use of doulas, and anything really that the woman desires to help her through that time. If she chooses an epidural or she choose medication, that is fine as well. We're perfectly fine with women wanting an epidural or wanting pain medication. We are there to support the woman through her birth and through the type of delivery that she would prefer, of course, all within reason.
Atrium Medical Center has recently opened Natural Beginnings, which is really great because it provides a home-like setting within the safety net of the hospital. It provides a normal bed with water birth, which is really wonderful in this site here because we've not had that. Also, various options for women such as shower, position changes, different birthing balls, and different techniques that we can help the woman along with her birth. Again, focusing on the needs and the desires of the woman along with the healthy mom and a healthy baby. A lot of times, midwives will get the question from moms, "Can I get an epidural during my labor?" The answer to that is absolutely.
