Interviewing your Midwife

Training
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How did you become a midwife?
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What was your academic training?
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What was your clinical training?
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How many births have you attended?
Philosophy
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What is your philosophy of care?
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Why are you a midwife?
Certification
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Are you certified as a CPM or CNM?
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Why or why not?
Services
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What do your services include?
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Is prenatal care at my home or your office?
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Where is lab work done? Is there an additional cost for lab work?
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What lab work do you recommend?
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How many postpartum visits to you recommend?
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Do you offer childbirth classes?
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Do you attend waterbirth?
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Do you rent birthing tubs?
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What do you expect of me (us) the expectant mother (parents)?
Assistants
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Who will you bring to my birth: a partner, an assistant, an apprentice?
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What is each person’s role?
Back Up
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How many births do you attend per month?
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What happens if two or more mothers are birthing at the same time?
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Have you ever missed a birth? Why?
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Who is your back up if you can’t make it to the birth?
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Can I meet them in advance?
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Do you have any time off planned during my pregnancy?
Complications/ Transport
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What is your experience with complications and how do you handle them?
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What equipment do you bring to births?
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Under what circumstances would you transfer care during pregnancy, birth, or postpartum?
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Do you have a preferred hospital that you transport to?
Payment
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What is your fee?
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What does it include?
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What does it not include?
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When does it need to be paid by?
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Can you provide a receipt so I can submit to my insurance?
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What is refundable or non-refundable if I move or change care providers or my care is transferred during my pregnancy?
When your interview is over, ask yourself:
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Do I like her?
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Do I feel comfortable with her?
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Do I trust her?
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Do I want her at my birth?