Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in pregnant people considering switching to home birth. Community-based midwifery care and birth are well suited to serve families during a pandemic because our clients have less exposure in waiting rooms, hospitals, and see fewer providers and support staff during their course of care when compared to large OB settings.
We take this virus and the pandemic seriously. We take many safety precautions to keep our team and most importantly, our families safe and we are not compromising our protocols.
- While in office, everyone over 5 years old is required to wear an appropriate mask over their mouth and nose appropriately at all times.
- If you or if anyone in your household has a cold, you will need to reschedule your visit or do a tele-visit instead.
- During labor in the home setting, we do not require the parents/siblings to be masked. However, we do request that other support persons wear masks. The VCM team will wear masks during our time in your home.
- If you are ill when you go into labor and COVID-19 is suspected, transfer of care to the hospital will occur without proof of a negative test.
- If any support persons are ill during time of labor, they cannot be at the birth.
- If you have an active case of COVID-19 during labor, you will need to birth in the hospital.