Frequently Asked Questions
Have other questions?
Do you offer any discounts?
Yes.
Cash Pay Discount: $250
Offered to those who pay their balance entirely with cash [it does not have to be paid all at once, but this helps me save money on credit card fees which I can pass on to you!]
Returning Client Discount: $250
Offered to families who have had Rebecca as their midwife with a previous pregnancy.
Both discounts may be stacked.
Does insurance cover midwifery?
Short answer, maybe. It depends entirely on your specific plan and whether it has any exclusions for out-of-hospital birth. I do not work with any insurance companies; however I am happy to provide you with a superbill at the completion of care to submit to insurance for reimbursement.
Do you offer financing?
Payment in full is required before I go on call for you at 37 weeks but I’m flexible on how you split up payments. If you need time past 37 weeks, I work with a lender called Credee which allows you to finance your remaining balance for 12-24 months. I am committed to making home birth and midwifery care accessible – I will work with you to come up with a personalized plan to cover the costs of your care.
What forms of payment do you accept?
Most clients will pay with cash during visits for a $250 discount on the total package price. I also accept checks, all major credit cards, FSA/ HSA’s, Venmo + CashApp.
Do you take SoonerCare?
Unfortunately, SoonerCare does not cover out-of-hospital births but if you’re willing to see a SoonerCare provider concurrently, we are able to bill labs and ultrasounds through them.
Will I get my money back if I need to transfer to the hospital?
No. You are paying for midwifery care not a homebirth (although that’s always the mutual goal, but transferring if necessary was always part of the plan as well). Homebirth is also almost always the outcome, which is beautiful! No one can promise anyone a homebirth though.
If your midwife were only paid if you stayed home, that could cause her to offer poor guidance that could lead to poor outcomes.
This policy ensures ethical guidance on her part. Part of the expertise that you are hiring her for is to know when outside medical care is needed. In the event of an intrapartum transfer, in-office postpartum care will resume once you have been discharged.
Will I get a discount for switching to a midwife later in my pregnancy?
No. Midwifery care is billed as a global fee. This means that it is a fee that encompasses all of your midwifery care regardless of when you begin care. Beginning prenatal care in early pregnancy improves outcomes and reduces risks, and midwifery care is based on mutual trust which can only develop over the course of full care.
The only exception to this is if you have been getting regular prenatal care with another midwife– I will prorate the total balance based on the number of prenatals you’ve had so far.
Is homebirth messy?
Nope! We provide plenty of supplies to keep your home clean and tidy, and we make sure that any blood or fluids are immediately cleaned up following the birth. We like to leave your space as clean (or cleaner!) than we found it. You will order a birth kit, full of the supplies you need to keep your space safe and clean.
Do you offer pain medication?
No. Births that happen at home or at a birth center are all-natural and spontaneous. We don’t administer any pain medications for contractions. However, we do have a variety of pain-relieving techniques that can help parents to cope with labor successfully (including water immersion, acupressure, TENS unit, massage, positioning, homeopathy, etc). *We do, however, offer lidocaine to numb any tissues that need to be stitched after the birth.
Tell me about waterbirth
Water can be a very effective tool for integrating sensations in labor. I provide an inflatable tub at no additional cost. [You will need to purchase a disposable liner, hose, and sump pump however].
Following your birth, we will drain, clean, and remove it from your home.
Benefits of waterbirth include:
+ Birthing in water makes it easy for you or your partner to gently receive the baby into your own hands.
+ Relief of back pain, pressure and labor sensation
+ Warm water calms the nervous system, lowers stress hormones, and facilitates physiological labor.
+ The buoyancy of water enables your body to comfortably maintain positions for extended periods and transition between different positions more easily.
+ Inflatable tubs are gentle on the knees, and many people rest or even sleep in between surges.
+ The transition from warm amniotic fluid into warm water is gentle on the baby.
We are well trained in obstetric emergencies in the community setting. We stay up to date on CPR, Neonatal Resuscitation Certification, and participate in frequent peer review, continuing education, and skills drills. We carry medications and equipment (such as anti-hemorrhagics and IV fluids) to each birth to facilitate in emergency care. Additionally, we will spend ample time throughout your prenatal care discussing what to expect in an emergency situation and developing an individualized hospital transport plan.
What happens if there’s an emergency?
Am I a good candidate for homebirth?
Maybe! The easiest way for me to answer this question is through a consultation appointment. We will discuss your health & birth history and determine together where the safest place to birth might be.
What if I have to go to the hospital?
There is no way to predict the outcome of a birth, but current evidence shows us that of all the folks planning to delivery outside of the hospital, 9-13% of them will require a change of scenery. While we can’t predict when these changes will occur, we do our best to prepare you for these events throughout your prenatal care through informed choice discussions and creating an individualized, written transport plan for each family. We feel that speaking openly about the possibility of hospital transport can help families feel more prepared in the moment and limit trauma.