If you are interested in possibly hiring me during a current or future pregnancy, and would like me to mail you more detailed information, please call, message, or email me via the website. The next step would be a consultation in person to discuss our working together. Meanwhile, here are some answers to common questions.
Will my insurance pay for your fees?
That depends on your insurer, and you will need to ask them. Some private and employer-based insurance plans will at least partially reimburse you for my fees. Christian share-type insurance policies readily cover homebirth, in my experience. In Indiana, neither Medicaid nor Hoosier Healthwise will pay for homebirth fees, though they do cover all expenses incurred in the back-up doctor’s office. This is true of private and employer-based plans, as well. I encourage all my clients to seek reimbursement from their insurers and provide a detailed receipt to be used for that purpose. Homebirth is so inexpensive compared to institutional care that it would be a good business practice for insurers to cover it. I do not file claims myself.
Can HSA funds be used to pay your fees?
Yes, easily, although I am not set up to take debit/credit cards, so you’ll either need to use checks or get your HSA to pay me directly, which can be easily arranged.
How do we get a birth certificate and social security number for our baby after a homebirth?
I will file for your birth certificate, a process that includes having your baby’s social security number issued. Unmarried hetoerosexual couples will need to additionally file a paternity affidavit at their county health department assuming the father wishes to appear on the birth certificate and/or give the baby his last name. After I file their birth certificate, gay couples go through an adoption process to have the baby’s other mother legally recognized as the baby’s parent.
What if two births are happening at once?
Fortunately this is rare, since my practice is small by design. But I have a number of trusted peers in the area, and we cooperate in backing each other up for births. Even if two labors occur on the same day, I can usually manage to be at both deliveries, relying on my colleagues to fill in only when absolutely necessary.
Should I hire a doula?
If you want to, yes, and if you’re having your first baby, or are a single mom, great idea! I did a couple hundred or more doula gigs as I trained, and appreciate what a good doula can bring to any birth. I can help you with referrals to great doulas who are experienced with homebirth. It’s important to note that good doulas don’t displace other family members; rather, they support the woman by demonstrating and teaching comfort techniques that any family member can provide, as well as the doula. My assistant and I both enjoy doing hands-on labor support ourselves, so the decision to hire a doula is very much up to you. If you do, we’ll welcome her to the team!
Do you do waterbirths?
Yes, a lot. Immersion in warm water during labor reduces pain significantly. Occasionally, particular circumstances make having the baby in the water inadvisable, but even then women can remain in the pool for most of their labors. There are a range of options here, from the use of one’s own sanitized bathtub, to inflatable pools, to rentable “aquadoulas” equipped with heaters to maintain the water’s heat.
We live in an apartment. Is that okay for homebirth?
Absolutely. There are very few deal-breakers for me in terms of your living situation. We can’t do a homebirth in unsanitary or bug-infested locations; and I have a low tolerance for the scent of cat pee. Otherwise, your home is probably just fine.