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