Road to a Homebirth: Choosing a Midwife

Aside from actually deciding on a homebirth in and of itself, picking your midwife is probably the most important choice. It is so important that you get along with the midwife you have chosen; after all she'll e the one assisting you in labor. She will also be watching for problems with you and the baby, and monitoring your progress. You really need someone you can trust.

Having good rapport with the midwife is crucial. You will be seeing her monthly throughout your pregnancy, and even more often those last two months. You don't want someone who annoys you helping you relax through contractions.

You also need to be sure you agree with her principles and beliefs. Ask each midwife you interview a lot of questions to help you understand her birth philosophy. Ask about why she wanted to become a midwife. Find out where she went to school and how many births she has attended.

During your pregnancy, what type of classes does she require you to take if any? Does she have any limitations on who can be at the birth? What about your older children? If you want them there, make sure she approves. If not, and this is an important issue to you, you may need to keep looking.

You will want to know what happens if she is already with another laboring woman when your labor begins. Does she have back up? Can you meet the back up person? How many woman does she usually have deliver a month.

It's important to find out how hands-on your midwife is. If you want to be alone and work through the labor yourself, you don't want a midwife who wants to rub your back and check you constantly. On the other hand, if you want that constant support you don't want a midwife who would rather stand back and let you do your thing. Tell you midwife what you want. How do you envision your labor. Even if you've never been in labor before, you still have some ideas about how you want things handled.

Find out what situations merit a transfer to the hospital. Will she transfer you if your labor is going long? Does she have a time limit for labor? What happens when you get to the hospital? Will she stay with you or not? What is she allowed to do at the hospital? Some midwives are allowed to deliver the baby, while others take on the role of doula and a doctor handles the delivery.

Once the baby is born what services does she provide? How many postnatal visits does she offer? Does she offer breastfeeding support?

You'll need to agree on the price of her services and you need to know exactly what that price includes. Coming up with extra money near the end of your pregnancy for lab work is not a stress you need to deal with. Understand this upfront.

There should also be some more personal questions you have, based on previous births or preexisting fears you may have about childbirth. Don't be afraid to sit and talk for a long time. This is a very important decision and it is crucial you are happy with the choice you make. The last thing you want to have to worry about is finding a new midwife at 30 weeks.

This information should be enough to get you started. Choosing a midwife is very important and Sheila Kitzinger's book 'Birth You Way' is a great resource, loaded with information for further reading. Good luck in your search for the perfect midwife for you.