With fears surrounding hospitals, midwives see spike in calls
PORTLAND, Ore. — Amber Armstrong gave birth two weeks ago. She was already planning on natural childbirth.
But as the due date approached, Armstrong felt growing relief that this was her plan.
"Once all this stuff happened with the coronavirus, Latest Portland News we were just so grateful we had made that choice, because we were able to be really out of the medical system and the exposure risk of being in a hospital," she said.
The director tells KATU the call volume is going up and the wait list is growing.
"We’ve also hired another certified nurse midwife and an assistant, so increasing some staffing. Of course, we’ve put in some pretty large orders to our medical supply companies," Laura Erickson said.
But the midwife said natural births aren't for everyone, and she talks every expecting mother through the options.
"There’s this idea that there might not be enough personal protective equipment, Press Release Distribution Service PPE, at a hospital. I have talked with friends who work in local Portland hospitals, and it seems to not be an issue," Erickson said.
Erickson said she does not believe a hospital is a risk in Portland like it may be in a place like New York.
She's encouraging mothers who planned on utilizing an epidural to still move forward with a hospital birth.
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