What Happens if I Need to Transfer?
What happens if things aren’t normal at some point during labor experience? What if I need emergency care? It is normal to have questions and concerns about what happens if you can’t proceed with natural labor due to reasons that require medical or surgical intervention.
While this happens rarely, we have a protocol to assist such cases immediately.
What happens if things aren’t normal?
We have an excellent working relationship with Sarasota Memorial Hospital that allows us to collaborate with them when needed. It is a credible hospital within our community with trained staff and equipment to handle such cases.
Families that require transfer of care are referred to Sarasota Memorial. We assist you until they’re ready to take over your care, and then we will be there for you during your postpartum period.
What are some of the most common reasons for a transfer?
Any cause that prevents you from having a vaginal birth safely may be a cause for transfer to hospital care. To prevent this, your midwife evaluates you at your first appointment before we take you on as a client to ensure you are a good candidate for our care and continues to evaluate you at every appointment to make sure that you are following a safe path to natural labor and birth.
However, complications can arise during pregnancy or labor which may cause you to transfer care. Some common causes include:
- Your baby is breech after 37 weeks of pregnancy
- You have gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, or preeclampsia
- Your baby isn’t growing
- You are having your baby 1-2 weeks before the due date or 1-2 weeks after the due date
- You have placental problems such as placental abruption or low-lying placenta
- You have vaginal bleeding
Please know that your and your baby’s safety is our priority so we’ll do what we can to ensure an uncomplicated delivery process. If your midwife senses a need for transfer, she will talk you through the process.
What happens if I transfer?
Your care gets transferred to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, a fully functional hospital, equipped with trained staff, and other equipment needed to provide adequate care.
They have an ObGyn and a nurse practitioner who are in-house 24/7. While they take the lead as healthcare providers, families can choose to have us as their support team during the birthing process.
Once you have been safely discharged from the hospital, you can choose to have your postpartum care with us.