FAQ’s:

• Can I have a homebirth if It’s my first baby?

  • Absolutely! In fact, in 2023 + 2024, I had more first timers than not!

• Is homebirth messy?

  • It can be initially. That being said, we would never leave you with a mess. We try to cover furniture, floors, etc with protection to avoid any bodily fluid spills and stains. We also are experts in getting blood out of most things. Also, when your birth team leaves, they take all garbage out for you and will have treated your laundry and started a load. Your birthing space, most o the time, looks like nothing ever happened there shortly after the birth. The only circumstance I can think of where some type of mess is left is in the case of a transfer during labor where no one is left behind to clean, in that case, I will come back later that day or the next and take down the birth space.

• Is homebirth safe?

  • Yes! For most of the general birthing population it is considered safe with similar outcomes to hospital attended births in low risk populations. If you are low risk, you can have a homebirth! Midwives are trained to be experts in low risk birth, the physiological process (even when it gets a bit weird) as well as knowing when things have become unsafe and an upper level care is needed. The majority of the time, birth goes off without a hitch! For the few other times, we are trained to resolve complications and transfer out if necessary. We also are lucky in the Twin Cities to have a lot of hospitals that are willing to have a positive collaborative effort with Homebirth Midwives, which makes getting the care we need very smooth when it’s needed, which in turn makes it even safer for giving birth out of hospital. We can manage postpartum hemorrhages, shoulder dystocias, neonatal resuscitation and more. We also carry the same equipment and medications to manage these as the hospital and birth centers. There is also always at least a 2 Midwife team present at your birth.

• What supplies are needed for a homebirth?

  • Your Midwife will provide you with a birth kit including all disposable items and all water birth supplies, if you’re wanting that option.

  • The only things you need to gather will be towels, trash bags, washcloths, etc that you likely already have around the house. You will get a list about 30wks.

• What if something goes wrong?

  • Every family makes an emergency/transfer plan in their third trimester. We hope to never need it, but it’s great to have in case we need a swift transfer of care. This plan involves closest hospital for emergency, preferred hospital for non-emergent transfer as forms that have pertinent information to make transfer smooth.

• Do I need to take myself or my baby to the Doctor after my homebirth?

  • Nope! As long as everything remains low risk, we recommend seeing your pediatrician to establish care sometime during the first week, but, I can also do most well baby care as well as all of your postpartum care through the first 6 weeks.

  • At your 24 hour visit I also provide all 3 newborn screening options, so you don’t have to leave the house or seek additional care for this either.

• Do I have to have a house to have a homebirth?

  • No. I have caught babies in houses, apartments, parents’ basements, campers, hotels, air b&bs, studio apartments. Birth does not need a lot of space and we meet you where you’re at with this.

• What should I expect out of care with a Midwife?

  • I follow the same schedule as routine OB care. Monthly until 28 weeks, then every 2 weeks until 36 week and then weekly until delivery.

  • There are also other visits as needed.

  • I also can do all of the same labs! Routine Initial OB Labs, genetic testing/ NIPT, the 28 week Gestational Diabetes screening (with options beyond glucola if wanting), 36 week GBS testing and more as needed.

  • For Postpartum care, I see families at least 4 times! Once 24-36 hours postpartum, once day 4-7 (depending on family need), at 2-3 week and then again at 6 weeks with more visits as needed!

  • Additional Postpartum visits for lactation, problems that may come up or just because you’re feeling you need them.

• Does insurance cover homebirth?

  • Yes and No.

  • There are A LOT of nuances to this. For most families, the fee is paid up front and then we submit for reimbursement once care is complete. What families get back varies based on plans, coverage, deductible etc.

  • For families on Medical Assistance, the state of Minnesota finally passed a bill that covers homebirth! I am currently in the “pending” stage to accept MA as payment so more on that to come. I currently cannot bill MA, but hopefully soon.

  • Heath Shares, I do with with some health shares and some are very good at covering Midwifery care and Homebirth, some are not.

    More about insurance and payment options for Midwifery care + Homebirth here.

• I have more than one child, can siblings be at my homebirth?

  • Yes! In fact, I LOVE siblings at all visits and the birth. There are a lot of ways to prepare your older children for the arrival of their sibling and I really enjoy including your older children in the process. I find it can also make transitioning to the role of older sibling easier as well. I always recommend that there is a dedicated adult for them (not you or your partner) in case they get uncomfortable with the process or in the event of an emergency and we have to leave the house. Bottom line, including siblings is probably one of my favorite things about Midwifery Care. I believe in it being a family event, so if you want to include your older kids, go for it! It’s absolutely encouraged.

• Where is your office located?

  I currently have office space in Saint Paul:

  557 7th Street West, Saint Paul MN 55102

  Suite 201.