FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FAQs
Do I have to birth in Water?
Absolutely not. Birth in the hallway, on your bed, on the couch, in the shower, on a stool, standing in a doorway, under the kitchen table. Wherever you end up, we’ll be there with gloved hands and a clean towel. Some people want a birth pool for labor but then step out to push. It’s your birth; you decide. We do not lend out a birth pool but we have designed an affordable water birth kit that families can purchase. Our midwifery student has a pool she rents out to one family at a time, which is the most economic option if it’s available.
Who can Attend my birth?
Anybody you want. Though we believe privacy facilitates mammalian birth, if you think you will relax and open with a big crew, so be it! We just ask that everyone present is not contagiously ill.
Is Home Birth Safe?
It is never our goal to convince somebody to birth out of hospital. We think people should birth wherever they feel safest. But for those who are interested in birthing at home, the evidence is clear; home birth is a safe option for healthy people/pregnancies and decreases cesarean rates, mortality and morbidity rates for birther and newborn, infection rates, and instrumental birth rates.
Do You accept insurance?
We do not bill insurance directly (as we are too small to keep a biller on retainer) but we have an excellent biller we refer people to, and she can help families get a reimbursement. Labs and ultrasounds that we order will almost always be covered by your insurance.
Is Home Birth Messy?
Though we cannot guarantee that a spot of blood won’t get on your rug, we are rather skilled in the prompt use of hydrogen peroxide. We teach the family how to set up to protect the bed and other furniture. We will leave you with one bag of trash and we do our best to start the one load of laundry before we go. We properly dispose of sharps and other biohazard material.
What’s the difference between a Doula and A midwife?
Doulas are non-clinical support people who offer informational, emotional and physical support and advocacy. Doula hands-on training is usually completed in a weekend.
Midwives are clinical health care providers for a wide range of reproductive experiences (though the scope may be limited by local law). Midwives study for years under the supervision of senior midwives.
