If you go through these and still have questions, don’t hesitate to send us a message!
What is a midwife?
In the United States, there are several pathways to midwifery education and training. Most pathways result in midwifery certification and qualify the candidate for licensing in their state or municipality. For more info on different providers check out our blog.
What type of midwife is Hilary?
Hilary is a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM): A Certified Professional Midwife 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 midwifery model of care. The CPM is the only midwifery credential that requires knowledge about and experience in out-of- hospital settings. Hilary is also a Licensed Midwife. The state of Oklahoma requires Certified Professional Midwives to be Licensed and held to certain guidelines. You can find the guidelines here.
Where do you see clients?
If you choose our Concierge Care our midwife does all your appointments in your home. If you choose the Basic Care the majority of your appointments will be at our office, except for your 36 week home visit and the first postpartum visit.
How do I know if my home is suitable for a homebirth?
Down the street in your neighborhood at any given time a birth could be unfolding. Sometimes when we slip out of a home in the early morning hours, leaving a new baby behind we are reminded of what birth could be here in America. Most homes are suitable for homebirth, even small apartments. Your neighbors will likely not know you’ve had a baby until you tell them. If you have any specific concerns please feel free to ask us, we also do a home visit at 36 weeks to become familiar with your space and make recommendations for birth.
How do I know if I’m a good candidate for a homebirth?
If you are a normal, healthy woman with a low-risk pregnancy; if you want to be engaged in all aspects of your pregnancy care & ultimately make the decisions that are informed and right for you, then you are a good candidate for a homebirth!
Prenatal care is what you give yourself! Your midwives are there to support you with information and resources, but its up to you to nourish yourself, research each decision, and find the path that’s right for you. This is your body, your birth, your baby.
If I am due in a few weeks, is it too late to start care?
Often, later in pregnancy, women decide that the route of care they had initially chosen is not going to lead to a natural, woman & family centered birth. We assess each woman individually. Assuming that yours is a low-risk pregnancy, and that there is adequate time for preparation, we will work tirelessly with you to quickly get everything in place in order for you to have your best and safest out-of-hospital birth experience.
Do I need to have labs and ultrasounds?
Midwifery care is safe for low-risk women, and in order for us to ensure that you are low-risk, we must have certain labs and ultrasound results to confirm that you and your baby are healthy, and that it is indeed safe for you to birth outside of the hospital setting.
Ultrasound can be a useful tool but is not routinely necessary in a healthy pregnancy. Some reasons an ultrasound may be recommended include uncertain dates, vaginal bleeding, possibility of twins, abdominal pain, decreased fetal movement, or if you have previously had a cesarean. Way Maker Midwifery asks that you have a 20 week ultrasound to locate your placenta.
There are various lab and ultrasound options and schedules, and we go through all of the possibilities in detail with you throughout your care. There are certain labs we do need due to the Oklahoma guidelines. You can look these up here.
What do you think about waterbirth?
We love waterbirth! Warm water in labor can make an amazing difference for many women, and there’s some evidence that water can make a smoother transition for baby. We offer our tubs as part of your package. You will just need to purchase accessories for the birth pool. You will be given a list of what you will need when signing into care.
What equipment do you bring to births?
We bring a doppler for monitoring the fetal heartbeat during labor, equipment for monitoring maternal vitals, herbs, homeopathics, and various other supplies and equipment. We also carry oxygen and resuscitation equipment, emergency medications to stop bleeding, IV supplies, and suturing equipment with local anesthetic.
What if there’s an emergency or if I need to transfer to the hospital?
The general consensus is that midwives are experts in normal pregnancy and birth. In order to be a good candidate for a homebirth, you must have an uncomplicated pregnancy and be in good overall health. We believe that prenatal care is what you give yourself; we are with you throughout your pregnancy to provide support and guidance; we work as a team to keep you in optimal health. If, despite our best efforts, complications do arise, and the balance needed for a healthy homebirth cannot be restored, an individualized transfer of care plan is in place.
If, for health reasons, we need to transfer you out of our care during your pregnancy, we will be available to provide support through the remainder of your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
If a transfer of care is needed during labor, we will make the necessary arrangements and accompany our clients to the hospital where we will remain as labor support for the birth & immediate postpartum period.
A homebirth is not our goal; our primary goal is a healthy mother and healthy baby. Thankfully, most planned home births do happen at home! We come to births well-equipped to handle the rare unforeseen emergency, we carry emergency equipment, and we are trained and certified in Neonatal Resuscitation and CPR.
Is homebirth messy?
The mess is a universal question, but the truth is that there is rarely a big mess. Families are often surprised (and relieved) to find that the midwives have left their homes as tidy as they were before the birth, and sometimes even tidier!
How involved can others be in my birth? What about my other kids?
The short answer is that you can have others be as involved as you would like! We enjoy having children present for prenatal visits and births. We think it’s important for the whole family to have an opportunity to be a part of welcoming the newborn. We recommend that you have someone just for your child(ren) who can be completely present and responsive to their needs and questions. Of course, it should be someone you are all comfortable with.
There are wonderful books and materials for preparing children for the sights and sounds of labor and birth, and we have many of these for you to borrow. Children are not yet socialized to fear birth, and whether they sleep through the night and wake to find a new sibling, or actively take part in welcoming the new baby, homebirth takes place within the natural rhythm of the family.
With your name, Bible verses, and other Christian elements, do you only take clients that are Christians?
Taking care of women during pregnancy is part of our ministry. We want to be able to provide excellent care to anyone with a heart for traditional midwifery and a holistic-based approach. Our personal beliefs, as followers of Jesus Christ, are part of our identity and will likely be something we reference.
We do not expect everyone to have the same beliefs as we do and we are intentionally transparent about our faith because 1) we want to bring honor and glory to God in all that we do, 2) we believe God created women with a unique design and we want to support and empower women to be able to successfully birth in confidence, and 3) we want anyone who chooses Way Maker Midwifery to have a peaceful, blessed birth.
