For Parents

Midwives Model of Care

Questions to Ask a Midwife

The Midwives Model of Care is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life events.

The Midwives Model of Care includes:

Monitoring the physical, psychological, and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle;
Providing individualized education, counseling and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum support;
Minimizing technological interventions; and
Identifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention.

The application of this model has been proven to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.

Are you currently certified as a midwife and by what organization?
Are you licensed?
Are you certified in Neonatal Resusciation?
How many births have you attended?
How many births have you attended as the primary midwife?
If you are sick or otherwise unable to attend my birth, who will attend the birth ?
Do you work with birth assistants or apprentices and what is their role?
What is your hospital transfer rate?
If I transfer to the hospital, will you go with me and stay with me as my advocate and support person?
What is your fee for services?
What happens with your fee if I have to transfer out of your care?
Do you file with insurance?
What conditions do you consider too 'high risk' for planning a home birth? Is it possible to prevent these conditions?
Do you require that I take childbirth education classes?
How often will you see me during the pregnancy and how long is a normal visit?
What do you do during these visits? Where do these visits take place?
How do you monitor and check the baby’s heartbeat during pregnancy and labor?
Have you had any experience with shoulder dystocia? Breech babies? Cord prolapse?
Do you do pregnancy and newborn screening blood tests, or will I need to see a doctor for this?
How early can I birth at home?
What happens if I go past 42 weeks?
Do you have experience with water birth?
What equipment do you normally bring to the birth?
What do you normally do while I am in labor?
What is your opinion about eating and drinking during labor?
How long is it safe to wait for the placenta to be delivered before intervening?