Homebirth Midwifery FAQ

What is a Midwife?

Midwives are healthcare professionals who specialize in pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. They foster trusting relationships with their clients, offering confident, supported care throughout the birthing journey. Midwives are trained to provide:

•Comprehensive prenatal care and education.

•Guidance during labor and delivery.

•Postpartum and newborn care.

Many midwives also provide preconception care and routine well-woman or gynecological care.

The Midwifery Model of Care differs significantly from contemporary obstetrics by focusing on individualized, evidence-based care, prioritizing the physical, emotional, and social well-being of mothers and babies.

What areas do you serve?

We currently serve new clients who live within 35 miles of our Cuyahoga Falls office. Repeat clients are welcome from within a one-hour driving radius.

If you’re outside our service area or if we are fully booked, we’re happy to provide referrals to other midwives. Visit our Sliding Fee Scale page for more details.

What are the benefits of homebirth?

The 2014 MANA (Midwives Alliance of North America) study on 17,000 planned home births revealed:

•Better outcomes for babies: 97% of babies were born full-term, with an average birth weight of 8 pounds. Only 1% required non-urgent hospital transfers after birth.

•Lower intervention rates: Only 4.5% of participants needed oxytocin augmentation or epidural analgesia, compared to 26% and 67%, respectively, for hospital births in the U.S.

•Fewer cesareans: Only 5.7% of planned home births ended in cesarean delivery, compared to the national average of 31%.

•Higher VBAC success: For low-risk individuals, VBAC success rates range from 68–87% outside the hospital.

Other benefits of homebirth include:

•Individualized care: Decisions are made collaboratively, respecting your preferences, health, and values.

•Continuity of care: You’ll be cared for by the same familiar midwife throughout your journey.

•Evidence-based practices: We stay up-to-date on research to provide the best guidance.

•Comfort of your home: Choose your environment, birthing team, and routines, ensuring a calm and personal experience.

•Exceptional postpartum care: Our care extends from birth to your six-week postpartum visit, supporting bonding, breastfeeding, and recovery.

Is homebirth safe?

Yes, homebirth is a safe option for pregnancies without complications that reach full term before labor begins. For higher-risk pregnancies, we recommend hospital births.

Can I have a waterbirth?

Absolutely! Waterbirth is a popular option for comfort during labor and birth. About 95% of our clients choose waterbirth.

Our Global Midwifery Fee includes the birth pool and all necessary waterbirth supplies.

Can I have a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean)?

Most likely. VBAC success rates for home births are as high as 87%. However, VBACs carry additional risks, such as a small chance of uterine rupture (0.2% under optimal conditions).

Candidates for VBAC must:

•Live within 30 minutes of a hospital with labor and delivery services.

•Have a discussion about their birth history and risks during a free consultation.

Who will attend my birth?

Your birth team will include:

•Your midwife.

•A student midwife and/or doula/assistant.

•Any friends or family members you invite.

We strive to introduce you to everyone on your birth team before your delivery, and ask that we are able to meet anyone you plan to invite to your labor and birth.

What happens after the baby is born?

After birth, we:

•Monitor your bleeding and your baby’s adjustment to life outside the womb.

•Assist with the birth of the placenta and cord cutting.

•Ensure you’re fed, hydrated and comfortable. We ensure the baby is feeding well and the house is as clean or cleaner than when we arrived.

We perform:

•A thorough newborn exam.

•A postpartum check for the mother.

We stay for at least 3 hours postpartum and return for follow-up visits at 24 hours, 5 days, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks. Postpartum care includes:

•Congenital heart defect screening.

•Newborn metabolic screening (PKU).

•Filing the birth certificate and Social Security paperwork.

What equipment do you bring to births?

We are equipped to handle normal deliveries at home, including:

•Monitoring equipment (fetal Doppler, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuff).

•A birth pool with all necessary supplies.

•Antihemorrhagic medications and herbal remedies.

•Resuscitation equipment for mother and baby.

•Suturing tools and surgical glue.

What happens if something goes wrong?

Midwives are trained to manage complications at home and recognize when hospital transport is necessary.

Common issues include:

•Excessive bleeding: Treated with medications and remedies, transfer if necessary.

•Baby’s first breaths: Handled calmly with out-of-hospital neonatal resuscitation protocols if needed, and prompt transfer if necessary.

•Exhaustion during labor: Hospital support (IV fluids, epidural) may be needed for safe delivery.

Thorough risk assessments are conducted before and during pregnancy to ensure safety.

Do I need to see a doctor for prenatal care?

Not usually. Midwives provide comprehensive prenatal care, including:

•Monitoring your health and your baby’s growth.

•Ordering routine labs and ultrasounds.

•Addressing all questions and concerns.

In the case of a second opinion or prescription need, we may recommend consulting with an obstetrician or Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM). Telehealth consultations with a homebirth-friendly OBGYN or CNM are included in your fee.

During your care if you become high-risk and we have exhausted every option to safely keep you in our care, we will assist you with the transfer of care to a hospital based practice. 

Why is there no refund if a transfer of care occurs during labor?

Your safety and well-being are our highest priorities. If a transfer of care to a hospital becomes necessary during labor, it’s important to understand why there is no refund for midwifery services in such circumstances.

Midwifery care extends far beyond the birth itself.

Your midwife provides months of personalized prenatal care, labor support, and postpartum care, regardless of where the baby is ultimately born. This holistic approach ensures that you and your baby are supported every step of the way, whether at home or in the hospital.

Refunding midwifery fees based on the location of the birth could lead to unethical practices by incentivizing midwives to prioritize financial considerations over client safety.

For example:

• A midwife might hesitate to recommend a necessary transfer if it meant losing income, even in situations where a transfer is clearly the safest choice.

•Clients might feel pressure to avoid transferring care due to concerns about financial loss, potentially resulting in delayed or compromised care.

By maintaining a policy of no refunds for labor transfers, we ensure that all decisions about your care are based solely on what is safest and best for you and your baby, without any financial influence.

Additionally, even if you transfer to a hospital during labor, your midwife’s work doesn’t stop. We continue to provide:

•Advocacy and doula support during your hospital stay.

•Postpartum visits to ensure you and your baby are recovering well.

•Assistance with breastfeeding and newborn care.

This policy reflects our commitment to ethical, client-centered care and ensures that every decision we make prioritizes your health and safety above all else.

Does insurance cover midwifery care?

We do not bill insurance directly. However:

•PPO insurance often reimburses out-of-network midwifery services, however this is not guaranteed. If you have a high deductible, the reimbursement will likely go towards your deductible and not be issued to you in the form of payment. We will provide you with documents needed to attempt insurance reimbursement.

•Healthshare companies usually reimburse most of the Global Midwifery Fee.

We also directly accept FSA/HSA payments.

What is the cost, and do you offer discounts?

Visit our Sliding Scale Global Midwifery Fee page for the current fee schedule.

We offer non-credit card payment discounts and no interest payment plans are available, with the balance due by 36 weeks gestation.

How do you further support the local community?

Every client who pays the full fee helps fund Ahava 

Care, our free program for women and children in crisis. Ahava Care provides:

•Prenatal/postpartum care.

•Parenting classes and lactation support.

•Essential supplies for families in homeless camps, shelters, and group homes.

While Ahava Care does not include homebirth services, we connect families with community resources and Medicaid-covered doulas for hospital support. Visit the Ahava Care page for more information.