Frequently Asked Questions

Details on:
• my philosophy and midwife style
• what makes home birth a safe option and how we keep it safe
• cost of care and insurance
• rural home birth
• age and midwifery care
… and more! If you don’t see your question here, please reach out.

what is a midwife?

Literally speaking, midwife means, "with woman." A midwife is an independent maternity care provider who views pregnancy and birth as a healthy, normal process, and sees her role in this process as offering support, guidance and monitoring of mother and baby. The midwifery model of care centers the needs of the childbearing woman, and supports the holistic health of the parent and baby.

In Colorado, Registered Midwives provide comprehensive pregnancy care and attend home birth, including water birth, for healthy clients having normal, low-risk pregnancies. We assess new clients much like a physician does, with complete medical histories and exams. We also offer all the usual laboratory testing and monitoring throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

What are your views on birth?

I'm constantly being taught by birth, which is the joy of the work. As a midwife, my work is beyond even birth. The other real juicy wonderful parts of midwifery care are seen in prenatals and the sacred postpartum. That's where midwives, myself included, shine. Because frankly, I walk away from most births going, "Wow! I didn't really do much!"

My role in the birth space is to be a vigilant expert guide. To be the person you can turn to that is nodding her head saying, "Yes. You are doing this. And this is normal." That's the most common scenario. But birth is also BIG. Events show up that call for me to step in with my tools, hands, and experience and I am more than happy to be there to do that. Safety is my highest priority, which for midwives includes promoting the normal physiologic process, and coming prepared for anything to happen at every birth.

Is home birth safe?

Generally, yes. All the best research shows planned home birth with a trained midwife is a safe option for women having a healthy, low-risk pregnancy. In fact, home birth is strongly correlated with excellent outcomes compared to traditional hospital birth, including lower rates of c-section, neonatal mortality, low Apgar scores, and perineal birth injuries.

Part of what makes home birth safe is all of the thorough, careful monitoring of both mom and baby’s health throughout pregnancy and labor. As your midwife, I’m constantly assessing both what’s normal and what’s normal for you. This ongoing evaluation keeps everyone safe. It is extremely rare for a true emergency to occur with no warning. If there is a medical need to transfer to the hospital for more advanced care, we are nearly always given ample warning to transfer in time.

Read more here about the safety of home birth for low-risk individuals working with a trained care provider. 

Are you more hands-on or hands-off at births?

When we support the normal natural physiologic process of labor and birth, I don’t have to do much beyond keeping my eyes open in vigilance. When my hands get involved, I am very much communicating the entire time. I will go into way more detail prenatally over the specifics of my tools and how and when I would use them, to help everyone feel more comfortable if a scenario arises.

With that said, I am very open that I consider myself a "conservative" or cautious midwife. I have had experiences that shook my heart and soul that have made me understand midwifery and my true role in completely transformative ways.

I also am a licensed provider, meaning sometimes I do have regulations to comply with that are hard lines in the sand. For the vast majority of people I serve, we have a safe home birth. But there is a time and place for more interventive tools and other providers. I don't believe it is me vs. the hospital/OBs. Some of the most important work I do is building relationships with local paramedics, obstetricians, and hospitals. This keeps home birth, especially in rural areas, credible and safest for all. 

So yes, I am very hands-off when everything is normal and low-risk. But I am also very transparent when I see things start to move towards abnormal. Which is why people hire me, right? You are the expert on your body, and my role is to be a guide and an expert of scenarios that may move away from your normal.  I am always communicating evidence-based information, along with anecdotal evidence, along with holding you and your values and belief system. All of that comes into play when we are navigating moments that may require more tools than I can provide. 

I live over an hour away from the closest hospital. Can I still have a home birth?

Probably! This is something we would talk more specifically about in your free consultation, and frankly, throughout your course of care with me. I keep an open conversation with my clients about reasons for transferring to the hospital in labor and what that looks like. This includes informing you of all of the equipment I carry and that many of the red flags or emergencies that may come up at home can still be managed at home. I am naturally a cautious midwife, and I am very upfront on the reality that I will decide to transfer to the hospital or call for EMS back-up sooner during your birth if we’re over an hour from the hospital.  

That said, hospital transfers for true emergencies are extremely rare. If we transfer to the hospital, it is usually upon maternal request for exhaustion or pain relief. This is about 10-15% of first-time moms, regardless of their distance from the hospital, and in these instances, an ambulance is usually not needed. The intrapartum (during labor) transfer rate is even lower for moms having their second or third baby, and again, rarely an emergency. 

Recent research from Canada provides additional reassurance on the safety of rural home birth. A study of 11,869 planned home births found that even in home births over 30 minutes from a hospital, there was no difference in birth outcomes or rates of EMS usage, neonatal mortality, meconium aspiration, or low newborn Apgar scores. In fact, this study also found the rate of NICU admission was lower in the group of planned home births over 30 minutes from the hospital. You can click here to read the research, and as always, reach out with any questions. 

What safety equipment do you bring to the birth? 

All sorts!
Here is a non-exhaustive list of what I bring to every birth: 
• Anti-hemorrhagic medications to control bleeding (Pitocin, Cytotec, Methergine)
• IV fluids
• Oxygen & equipment to administer to mom and baby
• Infant resuscitation bag & mask
• Infant suctioning equipment
• Pulse oximeter
• Suturing equipment & Lidocaine
• Doppler ultrasound (to hear fetal heart tones)
• Various supportive herbs for labor and postpartum support 
• Vitamin K and eye ointment for baby 

When and where will prenatal visits take place? 

I see clients at my Montrose office for all prenatals. I offer routine office visits on Mondays and occasionally Thursdays.

Most people start their prenatal care anywhere between 6-11 weeks, depending on when they find out. I then see you monthly until 28 weeks, then every two weeks until 36 weeks, and then weekly until labor starts. This is the standard obstetric schedule for any provider. 

Your first visit includes an in-depth medical history and some time for us to get to know each other. At each prenatal visit, we check mom's vital signs and listen to baby’s heart rate on the fetoscope or Doppler. I am also able to draw for any necessary labwork in my office, saving you additional trips to the lab.  Around 20 weeks, the uterus and baby are large enough for regular measurement and gentle palpation to track the size and position of baby. 

Each visit is also an opportunity to discuss whatever is on your mind. You might need suggestions for alleviating a particular pregnancy discomfort, have some questions about sex in your third trimester, or perhaps would like to talk through your recent anxiety about impending labor. No topic is off-limits in our visits together. 

Does my age risk me out of home birth? 

Your age does not risk you out of midwifery care. I have taken care of many women over the age of 35 and even 40. I currently have a first-time mom who is 44 and getting ready to meet her sweet baby!

As my client, I present to you all of the evidence and current recommendations for your age, and we take each choice, intervention, or test one at a time. You decide what feels best for you. I am always there to help guide what makes the most sense medically and keep everyone safe, especially when further from the hospital. It is ultimately your decision.

How much does a home birth cost?

My full fee for care is $6,000.

This is truly a comprehensive fee and I will not add on any additional charges except for:
- your birth supply kit ($80)
- the state of Colorado newborn screening ($111)
- Rhogam, if you are a negative blood type ($100)

I do offer payment plans. If the cost is holding you back from a home birth, please reach out. Midwifery care is a right, not a luxury, and I’m committed to making it accessible to all families. 

My fee covers the following:

• All routine prenatal visits and any prenatal care needed outside of routine visits

• Labwork done in office

• All telephone, text, and email consultations

• 24/7 on call access to your midwife

• Routine labor, birth, and immediate postpartum care for both mother and baby

• Birth Assistant fee (I bring another trained professional to every birth)

• Use of my birth tub, if desired

• Postpartum/newborn care up to 6 weeks postpartum (I do 4 routine visits postpartum, and remain on call for you 24/7)

• Breastfeeding teaching and support

• Support during transfer to the hospital in labor as needed 

Clinical services provided elsewhere, such as ultrasound, specialist consultation, laboratory fees, etc., are not included in my fee. These services will be billed to your insurance separately by the provider of those services.

Do you accept insurance?

In the state of Colorado, home birth is not covered by insurance, making it an out of pocket cost.

Some clients have been able to successfully apply for partial reimbursement for their insurance on their own. If you are interested in this, let me know and I can provide a superbill for my services for you to submit.

Partial coverage may be available to clients with Christian Health.
Payment plans are also available for those on Medicaid or financially unable to pay the fee before 36 weeks.

Please reach out for more information!