Choosing a Midwife

Choosing a Midwife for Your Birth

If your pregnancy begins low-risk and stays that way, you may prefer a choosing a midwife for a high touch, low-tech birth . If you are in good health, had no complications with previous births, and the medical system in your community is set up for midwife-attended births, then this alternative may be a consideration. When interviewing and choosing a midwife, ask the following questions:

Questions to Ask a Midwife

Where did you receive your education in midwifery? Are you also a nurse?

Are you certified and by whom? Are you licensed?

How long have you practiced? How many births have you attended?

May I have the names of several mothers as references?

Who is your backup doctor? May I meet this person ahead of time?

What percentage of time is this doctor called in to assist?

How long will it take the doctor to get to me in case of emergency?

Who covers if you are on vacation or with another mother?

Do you carry a pager?

At what point during labor do I call you?

What arrangements do you have to transport a home birthing mother or baby to the hospital if necessary?

Are you certified in newborn resuscitation?

Are you experienced at manually turning a baby who is presenting in a posterior position?

What are your fees? Is the doctor’s fee included in the fee I pay you?

Do you offer postpartum care?

How To Find a Midwife

Check the following resources for finding and choosing a midwife in your community:

American College of Home Obstetrics P.O. Box 508 Oak Park, IL 60303(708) 388-1461

Choosing an Obstetrician

Association for Childbirth at Home International P.O. Box 430 Glendale, CA 91209(213) 667-0839

California Association of Midwives (CAM) P.O. Box 417854 Sacramento, CA 95814 (800) 829-5791 (Request their publication Midwife Means “With Woman,” An informative 56-page booklet about choosing and using a midwife.)

American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) 1522 K Street NW, Suite 1120 Washington, D.C. 20005 (202) 347-5445

Informed Home Birth and Parenting P.O. Box 3675 Ann Arbor, MI 48106 (313) 662-6857

MANA (Midwives’ Alliance of North America) 600 Fifth Street Monett, MO 65708