Question 1

What are the benefits of having a homebirth with a licensed midwife?

Accepted Answer

The birth of a child is a very important event that will affect a woman's and/or a couple’s lives forever. As such, choosing the right provider and the right place of birth is an important factor to consider. Midwives recognize pregnancy and birth as normal life events. Homebirth has not only proven to be beneficial for the mom, but for the baby and partner as well because:

The care offered is individualized, which means that all the decisions made about your care or your baby’s care are made together with you. You will be provided with educational tools and information to make an informed, safe decision.
Midwives offer evidence-based care, which means that we are up-to-date on the research regarding pregnancy, birth, postpartum and breastfeeding.
Your care is delivered in your own home - your own environment - which means you can feel comfortable and move around without restrictions. You are in control of the situation.
The normal process of birth is not interrupted. As your body moves in response to labor, progress occurs more easily, reducing the need for medical intervention.
Bonding with your baby is facilitated through immediate skin-to-skin contact, delayed cord clamping and the early initiation of breastfeeding. You will never be separated from your baby or your partner in a home birth.
Giving birth with a licensed midwife at home offers a woman a measure of control that is generally unavailable in the hospital (freedom to move, eat, bathe).

Question 2

Is homebirth for everyone?

Accepted Answer

Homebirth is for anyone who wants to receive individualized, respectful, and low-intervention care AND whose pregnancy is not complicated by any medical condition. Homebirth is for couples seeking to be heard and to have their questions answered, but who are also healthy and practice a healthy lifestyle. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 85% of pregnancies can be categorized as low risk.

Question 3

What’s the difference between a doula and a midwife?

Accepted Answer

A midwife is a primary maternity care provider with medical skills and training that supports women to maintain healthy pregnancies and have optimal births and recoveries during the postpartum period. A midwife cares for mothers and their infants and provides women with individualized care uniquely suited to their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and cultural needs. (Taken from mana.org website.)

A doula is a professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a mother before, during and shortly after childbirth. (Taken from DONA website.)

Question 4

What happens during prenatal visits?

Accepted Answer

Prenatal visits are to assess your and your baby’s emotional and physical well-being. The basics of the visit include blood pressure monitoring, nutrition assessment, fetal growth assessment, fetal heart rate monitoring, and fetal position assessment. Additionally, your midwife will review all of your options for routine prenatal screening and testing, including ultrasounds. Another important aspect of the prenatal visit is discussing any concerns or questions you may have. Education is the mainstream of optimal prenatal care.

Question 5

Do I need to see a doctor for my prenatal care?

Accepted Answer

Homebirth midwives offer comprehensive care during pregnancy, birth and postpartum and the first week after the baby is born. You do not need to see a doctor for your prenatal care if you are under the care of a homebirth midwife. Our care includes recognizing clinical situations requiring the attention of an obstetrician or pediatrician and referring you to one if necessary. All midwives have relationships with doctors available for consultation when appropriate.

Question 6

Is homebirth safe?

Accepted Answer

Recently published studies show that planned home births with skilled midwives are safe for low-risk pregnancies. Evidence also demonstrates that women at low risk of complications during the birth have the same outcomes, whether they have their baby in the hospital or in their home with qualified midwives.

Safe outcomes with positive benefits include:
High rate of vaginal birth
Low intrapartum and neonatal fetal death rate
Low rate of low APGAR scores
High rate of breastfeeding
Few emergency transfers
Low rates of intervention like cesarean section or the use of pitocin.

Question 7

What if something goes wrong?

Accepted Answer

The World Health Organization estimates that around 15% of all pregnant women will develop a complication that calls for skilled care, and some will require a major obstetrical intervention. Your midwife will advise you and discuss whether a transfer to the hospital is needed. A transfer plan is put in place during the prenatal period, after discussion of which hospital would be most appropriate for transfer. Midwives are trained to recognize early signs when something is not right. The reason for the transfer could relate to you or your baby.

Question 8

What do you bring to the birth?

Accepted Answer

Some of the equipment we bring includes:
Doppler or fetoscope to intermittently auscultate (listen to) your baby’s heartbeat
Blood pressure cuff and stethoscope to monitor your blood pressure
Sterile instruments for cutting the umbilical cord
Suturing kit and local anesthesia
Baby scale, tape measure, infant stethoscope 
Medication for emergency situations: resuscitation equipment, IV fluids, pharmaceutical medicines (antihemorrhagic drugs to stop excessive postpartum bleeding)

Question 9

What about the pain?

Accepted Answer

While at home, you do not have the option of an epidural; however, many women find that birth in their own home is less painful than in a hospital. Midwives use water, massage, acupressure, and other therapies to help you relax and open. You will also have a supportive birth team that may include your partner, a friend, a family member, or a doula who would provide comfort during labor. Also, take into consideration that freedom of movement and rest help you to work with your body and make the contractions more manageable.

Question 10

What do you do with the mess?

Accepted Answer

Birth is not as messy as you may think. We use chux pads to protect your bed or carpet, and we use waterproof liners as well, which makes it easy to clean up. We usually help with collecting the trash and the linens that need to go in the laundry.

Question 11

Is homebirth covered by insurance?

Accepted Answer

Each midwife practice approaches billing and insurance coverage a bit differently. In general, most homebirth midwives are out-of-network providers. However, we find that certain insurers will cover part of the midwife’s fee, while others will cover it completely. Even some Medicaid plans cover homebirth. Ask the midwife you are interested in working with to help you better understand the billing process.

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