I have put together a list of questions that I would want answered if I were interviewing a homebirth midwife. I hope that these will help anyone out there who is looking for a midwife. You have to ask the obvious questions about their philosophy and education, but also the necessary ones you may not think of. You are trusting someone with your life and the life of your baby. You want to make sure that your trust is placed correctly.
1. How long have you been a midwife?
2. Are you licensed? If yes, when?
3. How many births have you attended as a primary midwife?
4. How many transports to the hospital have you had?
5. What were the reasons for transport?
6. Do you have a working relationship with the local hospital?
7. Do you have a backup midwife?
8. Are you a part of the local midwifery community?
9. Have you had any emergencies and how did you handle them?
10. What are your certifications and how current are they?
11. When I go into labor, how soon can you be here?
12. Have you had any baby deaths or mother deaths?
13. If I couldn't use you, who would you recommend in the community?
(I put this question because any midwife in the community will be able to tell you honestly who they would trust with their own bodies. Ask around. They won't recommend Paula.)
14. How many resuscitation's have you done successfully?
15. What if I tear badly? Can you suture me properly?
16. How much experience do you have with VBAC/Breech/waterbirth/big babies?
17. Have you ever had complaints filed with the medical board against you?
18. Do you work with approved assistants and/or midwifery students?
19. Do you carry all required resuscitation equipment for mother and baby?
20. How current is your equipment?
21. Have you ever had a ''stuck" baby? How do you address that situation?
22. Can you give me the names and phone numbers of your references? (Call them personally)
23. Can you give me the name and phone number of someone that you dealt with an emergency properly and can recommend you based on your correct handling of the situation? (In her case, my guess is no)
There are so many other questions that we 'could' ask, but I will leave those for another day. And this goes for ANY midwife. If she is unable to answer those questions and leave you feeling comfortable at the end of the day, I would not hire her. Find someone that fits better with you and who can competently address not-normal situations. Good luck!
3 comments:
#22- I'm a reference and have talked to several potential clients.
#23- My sister. Emergency situation handled quickly, professionally, with calm, competent midwives. A midwife who was not too proud to transfer, go in with her, stay for hours, and continue going back to check on her client. She CLEARLY put the needs and health of my sister and nephew first.
I would like to know what the circumstances were of her transfer. Why was she transfered? After how many hours of labor/pushing? What was the complication? What did Paula tell you was the reason for transfer?
She was transferred to fetal heart decels and passing a palm sized clot. No other decels were noted during labor. And decels during pushing are fairly common, but coupled with the clot, they felt they had reached their limited.
She had been in labor for about 24 hours. Actively pushing for just a few minutes.
Paula didn't have to tell me the reason for the transfer. I was standing in the room videotaping. I saw the clot. I heard the low heart tones.
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