Certified midwife to host home birth info session April 9

Midwives and doulas are preparing to support the rapid growth of homebirth in Delaware in response to the COVID-19 virus.

Marilee Pinkleton, CPM, of Heartsong Midwifery will host a Zoom meeting for people interested in learning about homebirth services at 6 p.m., Thursday, April 9. To request login information, email HeartsongMW@aol.com.

With the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus, people who once thought of hospitals as the only place to give birth are rapidly seeking alternatives. They are asking themselves if a hospital that is busy caring for sick patients is the safest place to give birth.

The State of Delaware has only one freestanding birth center in Wilmington, which makes home birth a more appealing option for many, particularly the families of Sussex and Kent counties.

Educating the public about the availability and safety of homebirth has been a hot topic in the birth community. Pinkleton is one of the founding members and current president of the Delaware Certified Professional Midwives Association, a group dedicated to providing licensed midwifery care in and around Delaware and a resource for expecting families.

In addition to a listing of all certified professional midwives in Delaware and contact information for childbirth educators and doulas, the website contains a host of valuable resources about COVID-19 recommendations and protocols.

For more information, go to www.de-cpm.org.