If you’ve read my post on the differences between an OB/GYN and a Midwife and my top reasons for considering a home birth, then it’s time for the next step! Finding the perfect midwife online and how to interview them! I’m giving you all my top tips for finding the perfect midwife, and what questions to ask when you meet them in person.

Finding the Perfect Midwife

To begin your midwife search, simply head to google and see if any midwives come up in your area. It may not be a bad idea to also look up the legal requirements for midwives in your state. Some states limit where midwives can practice, i.e. hospital, birthing center, or home, and dictate how much or how little oversight midwives have. Knowing this information upfront may help you understand certain procedures or limitations for the midwives in your area.

As I will mention below, the midwife’s distance from you matters. I highly encourage you to look at the closest midwives first and then work your way out. When “pre-screening” your midwives, review their websites, find reviews, and make sure you understand what they do or do not offer. When doing your research, you want to be as thorough as possible. This way you don’t waste their time – or yours – with an interview if they don’t initially check all of your boxes.

Most midwives include the following on their websites:

• A little information about them, including their credentials, experience, and birth philosophy.
• The area that they serve and where they attend births, i.e. hospital, birthing center, or home birth.
• The services they offer, including prenatal care, labor & delivery, and postpartum.
  • Prenatal Services often include:
    • Traditional prenatal care that starts between 10 and 13 weeks
    • Routine labs and routine vital checks, including blood pressure, weight gain and urine test, measuring baby’s growth, and checking for heart tones
    • Nutrition, Exercise, and Emotional well-being education
    • Prenatal visits that last between 45 minutes and an hour, with a prenatal appointment schedule consisting of monthly check ups between your first appointment and 28 weeks of pregnancy, bi-weekly appointments between 28 and 36 weeks, and then weekly appointments until labor.
  • Labor and Delivery Services
    • Minimal birth interventions; midwives believe each woman is capable of birthing their baby with minimal to no intervention from them and often with minimal vaginal checks.
    • Checking mom’s vitals during labor and delivery
    • Support your ideal birth plan and experience
    • Many indicate whether or not they offer water birth
    • Give moms the freedom to move during labor
    • Self-directed pushing – meaning a midwife typically will not force a mom to push if she does need feel ready to push unlike in many hospitals.
    • Immediate skin-to-skin contact for mom and baby after delivery
    • Practice delayed cord clamping and won’t force placenta to come before it’s ready
    • Complete newborn exam for baby
  • Postpartum Services
    • Typically includes postpartum appointments either within your home or at their office. These appointments are typically one to three days after birth, two weeks after birth, 4 weeks after birth, and 6 weeks after birth.
    • Midwives will conduct newborn screening, screen for heart defects, and do full growth assessments for baby.
    • At 6 weeks, mom will be evaluated on her recovery process, go over family planning if needed, and some offer Pap smears and a routine check for women’s health.

A few things to consider when narrowing down your list of midwives:

• If it is important to you, definitely spend some time to determine their worldview. Birth is a very personal and often spiritual experience. For me, I love knowing that my midwife is a Christian and that they share the same values as me.
• Do you want a home birth? If so, ensure the midwife you are considering can attend home births. Many midwives that work in a hospital or birthing center setting will only offer their services at those locations.
• Do you want a water birth? Make sure the midwife offers a water birth as an option
• If you are considering a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), then make sure the midwife takes VBAC candidates.

If you cannot find the answers to these questions on their website, make sure you ask them during your interview.

On to The Questions!

If you find a midwife or several midwives online that you think would be a good fit for you, the next step is the interview. And this is where I am here to help! As a first time mom, I had no idea what questions I should ask the midwife, because if you’ve never experienced labor before, then you don’t know what you don’t know.

1. How long have you been a midwife?

2. What are your qualifications?

3. Who attends my birth with you? Do you have an assistant or other midwife you work with?

4. Who will attend my birth if you are attending another birth?

5. What is your philosophy regarding birth?

This is a great question if you could not find it on their website. This question will usually show how well they align with your values and your vision for birth.

6. How Far Away Are You?

If you plan on having your baby at the hospital or birthing center, it is helpful to know how far away the location is. If you plan on having a home birth, it is definitely a good idea to know how far away the midwife lives from you. That way, you know how long it may take for them to get to you during labor.

7. Are you more hands-on or hands-off during birth?

This is one question that I wish I had known to ask when I was pregnant with my first. Many midwives or midwife groups will recommend a doula for first time moms to support mom and dad during labor. But, if you are not planning on having a doula at your birth, it is important to know what to expect or not to expect from your midwife as far as physical or emotional support in labor.

During labor, some women do not want physical contact, some want just their partner to offer support, and others may want consist physical assistance. This can look like holding hands, supporting the mother’s weight in different labor positions, hip squeezes, or other things during labor. On top of that, some women may want total quiet during labor, while others may enjoy visiting between contractions. It all depends on the individual.

In my experience, my husband and I decided to not hire a doula for my first birth, thinking that my midwife would be able to offer minor support during labor if needed. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out that way. The midwife group that I worked with for my first birth did not actually offer that physical support at all, and I was very disappointed by that. Often midwives will say that their primary job is the health and well-being of the baby, which is true. But, I thought that they would still be able to offer some physical support if requested by the laboring mother.

In contrast, the physical support I received during my second and third births from my midwives was fantastic! They were able to do hip squeezes during transition, which made the contractions much more bearable. Overall, I felt much more supported because of their hands-on approach. And it freed up my husband to hold my hands and talk to me as a minor distraction.

All that to say, you may not know which mom you will be in labor, whether you will want help and physical support or whether you won’t even want your husband to hold your hand. But, it is good to know where your potential midwife stands regarding this, so that you are not surprised by their potential lack of support during labor like I was.

8. Do you practice delayed cord clamping?

9. What is your plan if I need to be transferred to the hospital?

This is a good question to ask just so that you know what the back up plan is in the event of an unforeseen complication. Many midwives have privileges at different hospitals in the event that you need to be transferred. Whichever midwife you choose will also discuss this with you during your 36 week appointment, but it is a good thing to know prior to hiring your midwife.

10. Are you comfortable with planned breeched births or twin births? Are you legally allowed to attend planned breech births or twin births?

This is one question where it helps to know the laws and limitations for your state regarding midwifery care. For instance, in California, if a midwife discovers that baby is breeched prior to labor, or you are having twins, then they are required to transfer you out of their care and into a physician’s, even if you are not considered a high-risk patient. Whereas in Texas, midwives are not restricted from attending planned breech births or twin births.

11. How far past my due date are you comfortable with waiting before considering an induction? Do you ever insist on inductions?

It is not uncommon for women to feel pressured into inductions in the hospital setting. And a lot of them don’t find out about this until they are pressured by the doctors in their last trimester of pregnancy. Unless there is a medical reason, most midwives are comfortable with a woman going up to 42 weeks, but may suggest various natural options to encourage labor to begin once you hit the 41 week mark. But, it is good to ask your potential midwife just so that you are all on the same page before it get’s that late into your pregnancy.

12. How long do you stay after birth? And how long am I required to stay at the birthing center after birth?

In Texas, midwives are required by law to stay with you for a minimum of two hours to monitor the health of mother and baby, while other states require 4 hours or more. In comparison, Texas hospitals typically require you to stay for 24-48 hours minimum.

Final Thoughts

I know all of this can be pretty overwhelming, especially if you are a first time mom, as there are oftentimes an abundance of options. I hope this post and my previous posts on the subject help you feel empowered as you look for the perfect midwife in your area. I also hope that they give you peace of mind, knowing that you are making the right decision for your little one no matter which provider you choose.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to drop them below or send me a message! I’d love to hear from you!