Choosing a midwife is an important decision. Here are some sample questions to use when interviewing a midwife:
- How was she trained? Is she licensed/certified?
- What is her experience? How many births has she attended as a primary midwife? Is she trained in neonatal resuscitation?
- What do her services include? How often does she schedule prenatal appointments? Does she schedule home visits? What does her typical postpartum care include?
- What are her fees? What is her fee schedule? Does she accept insurance?
- Does she work alone, with a partner, or with assistants?
- Does she limit the number of births she attends each month?
- Who covers the practice if she is attending another birth or while she is on vacation?
- How can you reach her?
- What experience does she have with complications?
- What equipment does she bring to births? Oxygen? Medications for hemorrhage?
- Does she have a relationship with a consulting physician?
- What is her emergency plan?
- What is her philosophy of care? Why is she a midwife?
Adapted from Heart and Hands: A Midwife’s Guide to Pregnancy and Birth by Elizabeth Davis
