Prenatal Care 

Prenatal care with BloomWell can begin during any trimester of your pregnancy. In order for appropriate risk assessment and continuity of care to happen, the earlier you can establish your care with us the better! Keep in mind that we have a limited number of openings for birth care each month, so the earlier in pregnancy you establish care, the more likely you are to get one of these spots.

Prenatal appointments at BloomWell are scheduled according to the standard recommendation for minimum standards of care. Our prenatal appointments are much longer than you may find at a traditional provider's office, however! We plan for each appointment to take at least 30 minutes and include a weight and vitals check as well as listening to your baby's heartbeat and measuring your uterus manually.

Each prenatal appointment provides great opportunity to discuss birth preferences, educational needs, pregnancy concerns, and anything else you may want to cover with your midwife at length!

The following appointments are automatically included in your care:

• 6-28 weeks: every four weeks
• 28-36 weeks: every two weeks
• 36-40 weeks: weekly
• 40-42 weeks: 1-2 times per week

Prenatal care includes discussion and offering of all major prenatal labs, screenings, testing, and interventions based on your individual needs and desires, including;

• Complete blood counts and STI screening in each trimester
• Rhogam injection
• Gestational diabetes screening
• Urine analysis
• Infection screening and testing
• Genetic screening
• Gender determination
• Non-stress testing
• Ultrasound for dating, fetal position, and fluid measurement

Risks are continuously reassessed throughout pregnancy and consultation or collaboration with an obstetrician or maternal fetal medicine specialist may be needed to continue your care with BloomWell and to confirm or rule out risks that may preclude birth center birth.

Birth Care

Your needs for your care during birth vary according to the progression of your particular birth. Contact with your midwife when you think you are in labor will help determine when you should arrive at the birth center--once you arrive at the birth center, we will assess your vital signs, your baby's heart tones, and your labor progress. Admission to the birth center is a collaborative decision between you and your midwife based on your personal labor progression. Once we've determined together that labor is well-established, we will help you get settled into your birth suite.

You will:

• be encouraged to move and change positions
• use hydrotherapy as needed
• eat and drink to your comfort

Your birth assistant will:

• be present in your birth suite or immediately adjacent to your birth suite continuously
• record your labor progress, vitals, and fetal heart tones in your chart
• take your vitals every 15-30 minutes
• check fetal heart tones every 30 minutes in active labor and every 5 minutes while pushing
• provide supplies and physical & emotional support as needed
• update the midwife about your status as needed
• assist with the birth as needed by your midwife

Your midwife will:

• assess your labor progress frequently
• provide suggestions for labor progress if needed
• monitor the overall well-being of you and your baby
• discuss all recommended interventions with you
• provide interventions if needed or desired
• provide continous shared-decision making
• keep you informed if any complications that might require transfer are developing
• be present continuously once pushing begins
• help you birth your baby in your desired birth position
• facilitate skin-to-skin and early breastfeeding
• provide continuous assessment of you and your baby's well-being up until two hours after your baby arrives

Postpartum Care

Immediately after baby arrives:

• Your baby will be assessed immedately for appropriate adjustment to life outside the womb.
• Your and your baby's vital signs and general well-being will be monitored closely.
• We will facilitate and encourage "The Golden Hour" for skin-to-skin, breastfeeding, and bonding.
• Your perineum will be examined and repaired as needed.
• Your bleeding will be closely monitored; any medications or interventions recommended to enhance postpartum stability will be discussed and administered as needed.
• You will be settled into bed to rest, eat and hydrate.
• Your newborn will receive a full physical examination.
• Before leaving our birth center, you will have the opportunity to shower and freshen up as desired.
• You will be provided education about what to expect when you go home, and when to call us if a concern arises.
• Most families leave BloomWell within 4-8 hours after birth. A stay up to 12 hours may be needed if you are exhausted, need further monitoring, or there is concern about your baby's transition after birth.

48 Hours After Baby Arrives:

• You will return to the birth center
• Your newborn will receive non-invasive congenital heart defect screening
• Your newborn's metabolic screening will be completed
• We will file your baby's birth certificate information
• Your bleeding, perineal repair, and vital signs will be assessed
• We will discuss infant feeding; a lactation consultant may be seen at this time. '

2 Weeks After Baby Arrives:

• You will have your first postpartum appointment with a weight and vitals check.
• We will discuss sleeping, newborn feeding, and your overall well-being, including contraception plans.
• Together, we will set goals and expectations for the next four weeks .
• We will perform a targeted physical exam based on your needs.
• We will examine your baby and do a newborn weight check. Your midwife is qualified to provide pediatric care through the first six weeks of life. Some families choose to forego seeing a pediatrician until the second month of life.

Six Weeks After Baby Arrives

• ​You will have your final postpartum appointment.
• Your midwife will perform a targeted physical exam, including a perineal exam if you received a laceration repair. If you are due for a pelvic exam or Pap smear, this is the perfect time to have this completed!
• We will discuss a return to normal activity, exercise, and sexual intercourse.
• We will assess your pelvic floor and abdominal core health and provide necessary education and exercises.
• We will review resumption of prepregnancy medication, or continuation of medications and provide necessary prescriptions.
• We will discuss contraceptive options and plan for implementation/provide prescriptions as needed.
• We will review and provide any needed referrals to other specialists/care providers.
• Your baby will receive a final examination and weight check!

Interested in booking your prenatal, birth,
​and postpartum care with BloomWell? 

Set up your free Midwifery 
​Consultation Today!