Why Choose Homebirth?
Midwifery is a completely different type of healthcare practice than what has become the norm in OB care today. Midwifery is woman-centered, relationship-centered, and based on the concept that pregnancy and birth are normal life processes, and that people have the ability to make good decisions about their bodies if they have proper information. In other words, midwifery nurtures personal autonomy within the healthcare system.
As your midwives, we take time to get to know you, and to allow you to get to know us. We do this so that we can truly individualize your care to meet your needs. We want to make sure that you feel safe and comfortable with your birth team so that all you need to focus on during your labor is you and your baby, not who else is in the room. Every appointment with your midwife lasts about one hour, and longer if needed. We make sure that all of your concerns are addressed, that you fully understand all of your options, and any risks and benefits of these choices so that you can make fully informed decisions. We make sure that we treat the whole you, focussing on holistic and preventative care so that your healthy pregnancy stays that way.
Here at Natural Birth Services, we offer all of our prenatal care, as well as postpartum care in the comfort of your home. This means we come to you for all of your appointments. We typically see clients once a month throughout their pregnancy until they are 28 weeks pregnant. From 28-36 weeks of pregnancy, clients are seen every other week, and from 36 weeks until birth appointments are weekly.
During your birth, we stay with you, throughout active labor, closely monitoring you and baby while helping you physically and emotionally work through the birthing process. We typically stay with you for about 3 hours after birth, or until you and baby are both doing well and ready for a nap.
After your baby is born, we come back to your home at 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks after the birth. During these appointments we check on you and baby, make sure you are both recovering well, help with breastfeeding, and talk about how the adjustment into parenthood is going. Each of these appointments also lasts about an hour.
We can also offer PAP smears, STI testing, and well-person gynecologic care in the comfort of your own home.
As your midwives, we take time to get to know you, and to allow you to get to know us. We do this so that we can truly individualize your care to meet your needs. We want to make sure that you feel safe and comfortable with your birth team so that all you need to focus on during your labor is you and your baby, not who else is in the room. Every appointment with your midwife lasts about one hour, and longer if needed. We make sure that all of your concerns are addressed, that you fully understand all of your options, and any risks and benefits of these choices so that you can make fully informed decisions. We make sure that we treat the whole you, focussing on holistic and preventative care so that your healthy pregnancy stays that way.
Here at Natural Birth Services, we offer all of our prenatal care, as well as postpartum care in the comfort of your home. This means we come to you for all of your appointments. We typically see clients once a month throughout their pregnancy until they are 28 weeks pregnant. From 28-36 weeks of pregnancy, clients are seen every other week, and from 36 weeks until birth appointments are weekly.
During your birth, we stay with you, throughout active labor, closely monitoring you and baby while helping you physically and emotionally work through the birthing process. We typically stay with you for about 3 hours after birth, or until you and baby are both doing well and ready for a nap.
After your baby is born, we come back to your home at 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks after the birth. During these appointments we check on you and baby, make sure you are both recovering well, help with breastfeeding, and talk about how the adjustment into parenthood is going. Each of these appointments also lasts about an hour.
We can also offer PAP smears, STI testing, and well-person gynecologic care in the comfort of your own home.
Is Homebirth Safe?
Homebirth is safe for normal, low-risk pregnancies and births. Studies show that the risk of perinatal death associated with birth is low and about the same in both planned homebirth and planned hospital births for low risk clients. The risk of obstetric interventions and adverse maternal outcomes are greatly reduced in homebirth settings. Maternal satisfaction appears to be greater in homebirth settings in the US.
Medical interventions can increase the rate of problems or risks to both mother and baby. Because there are low rates of medical interventions in a homebirth setting, there is a lower chance of risk to both mother and baby. However, the home setting can delay access to certain emergency interventions that can be life-saving. While the chance that something can go wrong is reduced in a homebirth setting, there are some complications that, while rare, can have worse outcomes due to time delays in a homebirth setting.
Medical interventions can increase the rate of problems or risks to both mother and baby. Because there are low rates of medical interventions in a homebirth setting, there is a lower chance of risk to both mother and baby. However, the home setting can delay access to certain emergency interventions that can be life-saving. While the chance that something can go wrong is reduced in a homebirth setting, there are some complications that, while rare, can have worse outcomes due to time delays in a homebirth setting.
Links, Studies and Articles
- Janssen PA, Saxell L, Page LA, Klein MC, Liston RM, Lee SK. Outcomes of planned home births with registered midwife versus attended by regulated midwives versus planned hospital birth in British Columbia. CMAJ 2009;181(6):377-83 https://www.cmaj.ca/content/181/6-7/377.short
- Patricia A. Janssen, PhD, Lee Saxell, MA, Lesley A. Page, PhD Michael C. Klein, MD, Robert M. Liston, MD, and Shoo K. Lee, MBBS PhD. Outcomes of planned home birth with registered midwife versus planned hospital birth with midwife or physician. CMAJ. 2009 Sep; 181(6-7): 377–383.
doi: 10.1503/cmaj.081869. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2742137/ - Leslie MS, Roman A. Birth can safely take place at home and in birthing centers. J Perinat Educ 2007; 16(Suppl 1):81S.16
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2409129/ - Olsen O. Meta-analysis of the safety of home birth. Birth 1997 Mar;24(1):4-13; discussion 14-6 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1523-536X.1997.00004.pp.x
- Helen McLachlan, PhD and Della Forster, PhD. The safety of home birth: Is the evidence good enough? CMAJ. 2009 Sep; 181(6-7): 359–360.
doi: 10.1503/cmaj.091240https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2742151/ - De Jonge A, van der Goes B, Ravelli A, Amelink-Verburg M, Mol B, Nijhuis J, et al. Perinatal mortality and morbidity in a nationwide cohort of 529,688 low-risk planned home and hospital births. BJOG 2009; DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2009.02175.x https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2009.02175.x
- Chamberlain G, Wraight A, Crowley P. Home births: Report of the 1994 confidential inquiry of the National Birthday Trust Fund. Cranforth, UK: Parthenon; 1997 https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=BCModOVgNdMC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=Chamberlain+G,+Wraight+A,+Crowley+P.+Home+births:+Report+of+the+1994+confidential+inquiry+of+the+National+Birthday+Trust+Fund.+Carnforth,+UK:+Parthenon%3B+1997&ots=BaD1c94dHi&sig=mLByVxtrs24-kTuU8FHkwxhV9OI#v=onepage&q&f=false
- Ackermann-Liebrich U, Voegeli T, Gunter-Witt K, et al. Home versus hospital deliveries: follow up study of matched pairs for procedures and outcome. Zurich Study Team. BMJ 1996;313(7068):1313-18 . https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8942694
- Wiegers TA, Keirse MJ, van der Zee J, Berghs GA. Outcome of planned home and planned hospital births in low-risk pregnancies: prospective study in midwifery practices in The Netherlands. BMJ 1996;313(7068):1309-13 . https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2352715/
- Hutton E, Reitsma A, Kaufman K. Outcomes associated with planned home and planned hospital births in low-risk women attended by midwives in Ontario, Canada, 2003-2006: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Birth 2009;36(3):180-89. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26805507_Outcomes_Associated_with_Planned_Home_and_Planned_Hospital_Births_in_Low-Risk_Women_Attended_by_Midwives_in_Ontario_Canada_2003-2006_A_Retrospective_Cohort_Study
- Schlenzka PF. Safety of alternative approaches to childbirth (Unpublished Dissertation). Palo Alto, CA: Department of Sociology, Stanford University; 1999.
What is a midwife?
The word "Midwife" is derived from Old English and means "With Woman."
Being a midwife is not only about catching babies. Being with woman is a much more descriptive statement. Midwifery is a completely different type of healthcare practice than what has become the norm in OB care today. Midwifery is woman-centered, relationship-centered, and based on the concept that pregnancy and birth are normal life processes, and that people have the ability to make good decisions about their bodies if they have proper information. In other words, midwifery nurtures personal autonomy within the healthcare system. Every appointment lasts about one hour, sometimes more, and we make sure that we treat the whole you, focussing on holistic and preventative care so that your healthy pregnancy stays that way.
There are many different types of midwives in the United States.
*Here at Natural Birth Services we are Direct Entry Midwives that are both Certified Professional Midwives and Licensed Midwives. This means that we attained formal education in the field of midwifery, completed an apprenticeship, passed a national written examination and then became licensed in our state.
Please click the links below to read more about the different types of midwives in the United States.
Being a midwife is not only about catching babies. Being with woman is a much more descriptive statement. Midwifery is a completely different type of healthcare practice than what has become the norm in OB care today. Midwifery is woman-centered, relationship-centered, and based on the concept that pregnancy and birth are normal life processes, and that people have the ability to make good decisions about their bodies if they have proper information. In other words, midwifery nurtures personal autonomy within the healthcare system. Every appointment lasts about one hour, sometimes more, and we make sure that we treat the whole you, focussing on holistic and preventative care so that your healthy pregnancy stays that way.
There are many different types of midwives in the United States.
*Here at Natural Birth Services we are Direct Entry Midwives that are both Certified Professional Midwives and Licensed Midwives. This means that we attained formal education in the field of midwifery, completed an apprenticeship, passed a national written examination and then became licensed in our state.
Please click the links below to read more about the different types of midwives in the United States.
Traditional Midwives
Traditional Midwives are midwives who choose not to become licensed or certified. This may be due to personal, political, philosophical, religious, or cultural reasons. Many traditional midwives believe that a person's choice about their healthcare, pregnancy or birth should not be legislated.
Certified Professional Midwives (CPM)*
The vast majority of direct-entry midwives in the United States are Certified Professional Midwives. Certified Professional midwives are midwives who became certified by The North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). NARM defines a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) as a knowledgeable, skilled and professional independent midwifery practitioner who has met the standards for certification set by NARM and is qualified to provide the Midwives Model of Care. Certification by NARM includes adequate training, education, supervised clinical experience and a comprehensive written examination.
The CPM is the only midwifery credential that requires knowledge about and experience in out-of-hospital settings. Their education and clinical training focuses on providing the Midwifery Model of Care in homes and freestanding birth centers. In some states, CPMs may also practice in clinics and doctors offices providing well-woman and maternity care.
The CPM is the only midwifery credential that requires knowledge about and experience in out-of-hospital settings. Their education and clinical training focuses on providing the Midwifery Model of Care in homes and freestanding birth centers. In some states, CPMs may also practice in clinics and doctors offices providing well-woman and maternity care.
Certified Midwives (CM)
Certified Midwives are individuals who have or receive a background in a health related field other than nursing, then graduate from a masters level midwifery education program. They have similar training to CNMs, conform to the same standards as CNMs, but are not required to have the nursing component.
Licensed Midwives (LM)*
A Licensed Midwife is a midwife who has obtained a license to practice midwifery in the state in which they work. Midwifery Licenses are administered by the state, and therefore licensure varies state-by-state. In Arizona, Midwifery Licenses are provided by the Department of Health Services. Licensed midwives must achieve educational and clinical experience in midwifery, to be eligible to acquire a license in most states. At this time, although homebirth with a licensed midwife is legal in Illinois, there is no means for acquiring a license in the state of Illinois.
For more information about Licensed Midwives in the state of Illinois, please visit the following websites:
For more information about Licensed Midwives in the state of Illinois, please visit the following websites:
Direct entry midwives (DEM)
A Direct Entry Midwife is an independent practitioner educated in the discipline of midwifery through apprenticeship, self-study, a midwifery school, or a college/university-based program. They do not have nursing education as a prerequisite for midwifery education. Direct-entry midwives provide Midwifery Care to healthy women and newborns primarily in out-of-hospital settings. There are many types of Direct Entry Midwives. These include Traditional Midwives, Certified Professional Midwives, Certified Midwives, and Licensed Midwives.
Certified Nurse Midwives
Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) have training in both nursing and Midwifery. Their training is hospital based, and the majority of Nurse Midwives work in hospitals or clinics, although their scope of practice allows them to work in any birth setting.
Homebirth - or - Birth Center?
This question is sometimes complicated because there are two types of birth centers. Many labor and delivery units in hospitals are now called "birth centers." Hospital-based birth centers are the same as labor and delivery units, with the possibility of larger rooms or combined labor and postpartum rooms in some hospitals.
Free-standing birth centers however, are not affiliated with hospitals and are able to offer almost the same exact equipment as what a homebirth midwife would carry to your birth. One piece of equipment that can differ is the availability of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas during labor. Some birth centers offer nitrous oxide for pain relief during labor, and I have not yet met a homebirth midwife that carries this. Aside from this, the main difference between a free-standing birth center and a homebirth is location.
Benefits of a homebirth are that you do not need to go anywhere while in labor. Instead, you get to labor and birth in the comfort of your own home, without needing to worry about whether or not it is time to get in the car or to stress about traffic while having contractions.
Sometimes, however your home is not a comfortable environment for you to have your baby. This can be for a multitude of reasons such as homelessness, housemates, space restrictions, or distance to emergency services should they be needed. In situations such as these, a birth center may be a good option for you. We encourage you to call us to discuss these concerns if you are at all interested in a homebirth; there's a good chance we'd be able to help you figure out what feels like the best option for you and your growing family.
Free-standing birth centers however, are not affiliated with hospitals and are able to offer almost the same exact equipment as what a homebirth midwife would carry to your birth. One piece of equipment that can differ is the availability of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas during labor. Some birth centers offer nitrous oxide for pain relief during labor, and I have not yet met a homebirth midwife that carries this. Aside from this, the main difference between a free-standing birth center and a homebirth is location.
Benefits of a homebirth are that you do not need to go anywhere while in labor. Instead, you get to labor and birth in the comfort of your own home, without needing to worry about whether or not it is time to get in the car or to stress about traffic while having contractions.
Sometimes, however your home is not a comfortable environment for you to have your baby. This can be for a multitude of reasons such as homelessness, housemates, space restrictions, or distance to emergency services should they be needed. In situations such as these, a birth center may be a good option for you. We encourage you to call us to discuss these concerns if you are at all interested in a homebirth; there's a good chance we'd be able to help you figure out what feels like the best option for you and your growing family.
Is Homebirth Messy?
No, homebirth is surprisingly not messy. While birth itself can sometimes be a messy life event, we are typically able to contain any messes, and often leave your house cleaner than it was when we arrived.
Is there a lot of Preparation Needed for a homebirth?
Aside from the typical preparation for labor and birth that is recommended for any family expecting a new baby, there is only a handful of easy preparations needed specifically for a homebirth. We will ask you to purchase a birth kit which contains most of the disposable supplies you will need. Our birth kit is accessible through Radiant Belly or through our Supplies and Supplements page. In addition, we will ask that you collect a few additional items that you most likely already have in your home, such as towels, bowls, hydrogen peroxide, and comfort items. In addition, if you are hoping to use a birth tub in labor, you will need to ad on a waterbirth option to your birth kit, as well as purchase a hot-water safe hose and hose adapter to fill your tub.
What if I need Testing or Ultrasounds?
We offer all the same testing that is offered in a hospital, and can draw specimens for testing in your home to be sent to a laboratory or we can send you to a lab of your choice. For ultrasounds we can refer you to different ultrasound technicians. Please note that laboratories and ultrasounds are done through outside agencies and fees for these services are not included in our midwifery fee.
How Much Does Homebirth Cost?
Understanding the Cost and Value of Private Midwifery Care
One to one care with a midwife is a tradition as old as time. This model fosters true connection and understanding between the client and midwife, and is focused on the wellbeing of the birthing person, their baby, and their whole family. Time is taken to build this relationship and to ensure full involvement and autonomy for clients as they direct their care. Core values of midwifery care include individualized care, client autonomy, collaborative decision-making, continuity of care, optimizing health and preventing complications wherever possible, social and emotional support for the birthing family, understanding the benefits of physiologic birth and having the skills to support this, minimal intervention in the birth process and thoughtful use of intervention when necessary.
This time honored model of caring for families and welcoming the next generation is outside of the current dominant system of industrialized healthcare. When it comes to the structure of care as well as payment and insurance coverage, private midwifery care and home birth do not fit the mold. Parents often have questions about how the two models differ regarding what they entail, how they function, and fee structures and insurance coverage.
Midwife led care and home birth have much lower costs overall compared to hospital birth, as well as increased client satisfaction, and clearly proven healthy outcomes for birthing people and their babies (especially those from marginalized and oppressed groups such as BIPOC and LGBTQ people). However, the industrialized, for-profit insurance system incentivizes and favors hospital birth and hospital based providers. Despite the fact that most insurance plans include benefits for hospital birth, families are often surprised by large, unanticipated medical bills after their care is complete. There is little to no transparency from hospitals and insurance companies about expected out of pocket costs before care is received.
In the private midwifery model, families are asked to pay the fee up front over the course of pregnancy, but the fee is fixed, and costs are known ahead of time. This allows for planning and budgeting, and avoids the shock of unexpected or higher than expected bills after the fact, when it is too late to consider other options or change course. The cost of midwife care can sound high at first glance, but in truth it delivers far greater value in time spent and scope of support than the standard offered in hospitals today.
So why is it so hard to get insurance to cover midwife care and home birth fully? Part of the issue is that the insurance billing codes are the same for hospital based providers and independent community based providers like me, but the reality of the services provided are quite different. For example, there is one fixed code for a prenatal visit, but with a physician that equates to about 10 minutes of face to face time, covering just the basics, whereas with a midwife a prenatal visit lasts about an hour, takes place in your home, and goes well beyond basic assessments to include lots of time for health education, informed choice conversations, emotional support, sharing of additional resources, and so on. These two prenatal visits are not really the same service, but insurance recognizes only one code - the one that was created for the dominant system and does not adequately reflect the value of midwife care.
I created the following lists as a reference for understanding what these two models of care offer and the associated costs. There are of course variations and exceptions. These lists represent typical care and costs.
Physician attended birth in a hospital - Structure of Care and Costs
Midwife attended birth at home - Structure of Care and Costs
There are advantages and disadvantages, benefits and risks to both planned home birth and planned hospital birth. Each family should carefully weigh these against their own values, desires and abilities as they make important decisions about providers and planned birth locations.
This time honored model of caring for families and welcoming the next generation is outside of the current dominant system of industrialized healthcare. When it comes to the structure of care as well as payment and insurance coverage, private midwifery care and home birth do not fit the mold. Parents often have questions about how the two models differ regarding what they entail, how they function, and fee structures and insurance coverage.
Midwife led care and home birth have much lower costs overall compared to hospital birth, as well as increased client satisfaction, and clearly proven healthy outcomes for birthing people and their babies (especially those from marginalized and oppressed groups such as BIPOC and LGBTQ people). However, the industrialized, for-profit insurance system incentivizes and favors hospital birth and hospital based providers. Despite the fact that most insurance plans include benefits for hospital birth, families are often surprised by large, unanticipated medical bills after their care is complete. There is little to no transparency from hospitals and insurance companies about expected out of pocket costs before care is received.
In the private midwifery model, families are asked to pay the fee up front over the course of pregnancy, but the fee is fixed, and costs are known ahead of time. This allows for planning and budgeting, and avoids the shock of unexpected or higher than expected bills after the fact, when it is too late to consider other options or change course. The cost of midwife care can sound high at first glance, but in truth it delivers far greater value in time spent and scope of support than the standard offered in hospitals today.
So why is it so hard to get insurance to cover midwife care and home birth fully? Part of the issue is that the insurance billing codes are the same for hospital based providers and independent community based providers like me, but the reality of the services provided are quite different. For example, there is one fixed code for a prenatal visit, but with a physician that equates to about 10 minutes of face to face time, covering just the basics, whereas with a midwife a prenatal visit lasts about an hour, takes place in your home, and goes well beyond basic assessments to include lots of time for health education, informed choice conversations, emotional support, sharing of additional resources, and so on. These two prenatal visits are not really the same service, but insurance recognizes only one code - the one that was created for the dominant system and does not adequately reflect the value of midwife care.
I created the following lists as a reference for understanding what these two models of care offer and the associated costs. There are of course variations and exceptions. These lists represent typical care and costs.
Physician attended birth in a hospital - Structure of Care and Costs
- Approximately 10 prenatal office visits, 10-15 minutes each.
- Birth attended by physician on call, frequently not the main physician seen for prenatal care. Face to face time with physician during labor and birth is typically less than one hour. Most care during labor and birth is provided by nurses on rotating shifts. Multiple doctors, nurses, and other staff members are likely to participate in care for short periods. Usually three to five or more staff members present in the room for the birth. Limited freedom of mobility. Deep water labor tubs and water birth not available.
- One to two postpartum office visits (24 hours and 6 weeks postpartum), 10-15 minutes each.
- No newborn or well baby follow up care is included beyond the hospital stay. The pediatrician relationship and fees are separate.
- Limited to no detailed informed choice collaboration with physician.
- Patient care subject to hospital and physician group standard policies, procedures and routines. Limited opportunity for individualized care. Interventions are the norm.
- Large institutions are inherently slower to adapt to and implement updated evidence based care management practices.
- Physician and hospital fees are billed separately, are not disclosed up front, and may be covered at different rates by insurance. Insurance typically does cover some portion, small or large, of physician and hospital care.
- Total time spent face to face with the physician: approximately 2.5-4 hours
- Cost of care: The average bill for a full course of care before insurance ranges from about $30,000 to $100,000 or more, depending upon the specific events of the pregnancy, birth and follow up care. Cost to families after insurance varies massively, from close to $0 up into the tens of thousands of dollars. It is not uncommon for a family’s out of pocket cost after insurance to equal or exceed the average cost of midwife care for out of hospital birth.
Midwife attended birth at home - Structure of Care and Costs
- Approximately 10 prenatal home visits, 60 minutes each.
- Birth attended at your home by the same midwife/midwife team who provided prenatal care. Two midwives and possibly a student attend each birth. Face to face time with midwife during labor, birth and immediate postpartum is typically 8-16 hours or longer as needed. All hands-on care and assessments are done by the midwives. Freedom to move, eat, rest as you wish. Labor and birth in any position in any area of your home. Deep water labor tub and water birth available. If a transfer of care from home to hospital is needed, midwife provides detailed records, facilitates the transfer, accompanies the parent(s) and acts an an advisor and support person throughout the remainder of the labor and birth. Midwives may take breaks or take turns staying with the family if the birth is very long.
- Six postpartum and newborn care home visits, including lactation counseling, 60-90 minutes each. Birthing person and baby are seen as linked, and are cared for in relationship to each other. Both are evaluated and supported at each visit for clinical factors as well as mental and emotional health. Newborn care through six weeks is part of midwifery scope of practice. There is no need for new parents and new babies to leave the house in the first days and weeks to access care, reducing stress, speeding recovery, enhancing breastfeeding, and reducing exposure to pathogens.
- Continuity of care with same 1-2 midwives throughout the childbearing year.
- 24/7 direct access to midwife during due date window and early postpartum period.
- Individualized care based on birthing person’s values, desires and choices.
- In depth informed choice and collaborative decision-making is ongoing. Client autonomy is central. Minimal intervention is the norm. Care is subject to some legal restrictions (Licensed Midwives in CA are legally prohibited from attending multiples and known breeches at home, and can legally only attend home births between 37 and 42 weeks gestation).
- Independent providers can be very agile in updating practices and recommendations based on new evidence and research, as well as client preferences.
- Cost of midwife care is fixed and is known up front. No surprise charges. Midwife fee does not increase if additional visits are needed or care becomes more complicated. (Deep water labor tub is included in midwife fee. Lab work, ultrasounds and birth supply kit are additional costs.)
- No facility/hospital fees.
- Payments can be planned and budgeted in advance.
- No payments to make after the birth.
- Insurance coverage is not guaranteed, and LMs are out of network providers for all plans. However, clients can rest assured that even if insurance does not cover midwife care, their out of pocket fees to the midwife are capped and will not exceed the predetermined retainer amount. If insurance does cover some portion of midwife care, clients may receive a refund.
- If a transfer of care from home to hospital is needed, client is responsible for the additional costs.
- Total time spent face to face with the midwife/midwife team: approximately 24-40 hours, or longer as needed. No time limit.
- Cost of Care: When midwife care is itemized and billed to insurance, claims for the average course of care total between $8,000-$12,000. This is what is billed to insurance, if applicable. Clients benefit from a discounted cash midwife retainer package fee, which is set and capped. Depending upon insurance coverage, clients may receive some reimbursement, lowering their out of pocket cost for midwife care. Kit of birth supplies costs about $115, and is ordered and paid for separately by the client. Fees for lab work and ultrasounds may be billed to insurance by the lab or technician, or may be paid out of pocket by the client. Costs to the client for these services, after insurance, usually range from $0 to $1000, depending upon which services are accessed and insurance plan benefits. If a transfer of care from home to hospital is needed or desired, client is responsible for any additional costs related to hospital care.
There are advantages and disadvantages, benefits and risks to both planned home birth and planned hospital birth. Each family should carefully weigh these against their own values, desires and abilities as they make important decisions about providers and planned birth locations.
Fees
Our current retainer fee for comprehensive midwifery care and home birth is $_________. (We are not currently offering comprehensive midwifery care with homebirth, therefore this is left blank)
The retainer is a discounted bundled package fee for cash payment. Insurance, if applicable, will be billed for the full actual cost of care.
Labor tub rental is included in the retainer. Home birth supply kit costs approximately $115 and is purchased separately by the client. Lab tests, ultrasounds are additional charges, which may be billed to insurance by the lab or technician, or may be paid directly by the client.
The retainer is a discounted bundled package fee for cash payment. Insurance, if applicable, will be billed for the full actual cost of care.
Labor tub rental is included in the retainer. Home birth supply kit costs approximately $115 and is purchased separately by the client. Lab tests, ultrasounds are additional charges, which may be billed to insurance by the lab or technician, or may be paid directly by the client.
Insurance
We offer one-time claims preparation and submission for clients with PPO insurance plans. Claims submission does not guarantee payment by insurance, as plan details, benefits and requirements vary widely. We cannot bill HMO plans, Kaiser, or MediCal. Ask us for more details.
Fee Adjustments
We are sometimes able to offer reduced fees and/or payment plans for families experiencing financial hardship who would not otherwise be able to access private midwifery care. Please keep in mind that when folks qualify for reduced fees or pro bono care, the individual midwives are donating our time and expertise and paying for expenses related to care out of our own pocket. We do this as a way to foster community and increase access to truly comprehensive, high quality care for all. However, before asking this of the midwives, consider asking your own family and community to contribute to your care. This shows respect for your midwives, acknowledges the value of the care you will receive, and helps keep midwifery care a sustainable practice available to you and others.
Do Midwives Accept Health Insurance?
Certified Professional Midwives in Illinois are not covered by insurance at this time.
Natural Birth Services will provide you with a superbill that you can submit to insurance for reimbursement, however it is unlikely that insurance will reimburse you for services with a Certified Professional Midwife.
Some insurances completely cover hombirth. Some insurances cover only a small fraction. Some insurances such as Medi-caid or HMOs do not cover any portion of homebirth. It can also take a very long time and a lot of paperwork to get homebirth covered. Some people apply for GAP coverage with their insurance company, which if approved, will cover our services as if we were in-network, thereby making it more likely that more of our costs will be covered.
If you are wanting a homebirth and are hesitating due to insurance, please call and chat with us about your concerns. We are always happy to meet with you!
Natural Birth Services will provide you with a superbill that you can submit to insurance for reimbursement, however it is unlikely that insurance will reimburse you for services with a Certified Professional Midwife.
Some insurances completely cover hombirth. Some insurances cover only a small fraction. Some insurances such as Medi-caid or HMOs do not cover any portion of homebirth. It can also take a very long time and a lot of paperwork to get homebirth covered. Some people apply for GAP coverage with their insurance company, which if approved, will cover our services as if we were in-network, thereby making it more likely that more of our costs will be covered.
If you are wanting a homebirth and are hesitating due to insurance, please call and chat with us about your concerns. We are always happy to meet with you!
What is a Midwive's scope of practice?
A Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) is a knowledgeable, skilled and professional independent midwifery practitioner who has met the standards for certification set by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) and is qualified to provide the Midwives Model of Care. The CPM is the only midwifery credential that requires knowledge about and experience in out-of-hospital settings.
In general, midwives are care providers for people with female reproductive parts during their childbearing years. We are experts in healthy and normal pregnancy and birth. However, what is considered normal can change depending on where you are or who you are talking to. Laws governing midwives also vary state by state and country by country. In some states, midwives are independent healthcare providers who have prescribing rights and hospital privileges, and in other states midwifery is illegal. Midwifery training can also be vastly different depending on what route someone took to become a midwife and where they received their training. Because of all of these variables, a midwive's scope of practice varies greatly based on their credentials (training and licensure), and the location in which they practice. In the State of Arizona, the practice of midwifery is licensed and regulated. You can find out more about your midwife's scope of practice by asking them, and by following the links and suggestions below.
- Please see the Illinois General Assembly for the complete laws about Scope of Practice in the state of Illinois.
- Midwifery has been legalized in the State of Illinois for Licensed Midwives, however there is no state licensure as of yet.
- Please see the Question: "What is a Midwife?" for more information about types of midwives and their training.
- Please see the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) for more information about Certified Professional Midwives
- Please see the Midwives Alliance of North America for their definition of the Midwives Model of Care.
What is the difference between a midwife and a doula?
Midwives and doulas can work together to provide you with excellent support and care while you are growing and birthing a tiny human. Both Doulas and Midwives are birth professionals who are here to support you and your baby throughout pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum, however, their roles are very different:
Doulas provide emotional, physical, and informational support throughout pregnancy and/or the postpartum period. Birth Doulas provide continuous support during labor, birth and the immediate postpartum period. Postpartum Doulas provide support for periods of time in the weeks or months following birth. Doulas are trained in how to support clients during the peri-natal period, however they do not have medical training.
Midwives provide medical care throughout pregnancy, labor, birth and the postpartum period. They are independent and primary healthcare providers for pregnant, laboring, or postpartum clients and their newborns. They work to keep clients and babies healthy, safe, and low risk. They do this through monitoring clients and babies throughout the course of care, focusing on preventative care, and acting quickly if situations begin to veer from normal.
Doulas provide emotional, physical, and informational support throughout pregnancy and/or the postpartum period. Birth Doulas provide continuous support during labor, birth and the immediate postpartum period. Postpartum Doulas provide support for periods of time in the weeks or months following birth. Doulas are trained in how to support clients during the peri-natal period, however they do not have medical training.
Midwives provide medical care throughout pregnancy, labor, birth and the postpartum period. They are independent and primary healthcare providers for pregnant, laboring, or postpartum clients and their newborns. They work to keep clients and babies healthy, safe, and low risk. They do this through monitoring clients and babies throughout the course of care, focusing on preventative care, and acting quickly if situations begin to veer from normal.