Questions to Ask Your Prospective Midwife

It is worth your time to interview more than one midwife or midwifery group, as it’s always helpful to have something else to compare with. Remember, while listening to the Midwife respond to your questions, listen to your own feelings. Those feelings are just as important to weigh in your decision, as her actual responses. You only get to birth your baby once, so wisely choose your birth team so you can have the best care, support and experience possible.

1. Why did you become a midwife?
2. What is your training?
3. Do you have children, yourself?
4. What are your philosophies on pregnancy and childbirth?
5. How many births have you attended as the primary caregiver?
6. What is your cesarean section rate? Why?
7. Do you work more comfortably in a homebirth or hospital setting?
8. How many clients do you take on each month? What if there are two simultaneous births?
9. Do you work alone? If not, will I be able to meet your partner?
10. How long are your appointments? What do you do in them?
11. Can I decline appointment procedures like urine tests, weight checks, etc.?
12 .What do I do if I have concerns between prenatal visits?
13. What, if any prenatal tests do you advise?
14. What do you consider a high risk pregnancy?
15. Do you have a preference between a doppler or a fetoscope?
16. How will you assist me in preparing for labour?
17. Do you provide childbirth preparation classes?
18. What is your protocol for “post-dates” pregnancies?
19. At what point in labour do you prefer to be called? To be present? How will I contact you?
20. Do you have any problems with additional labour support of my choice (ie: doula)?
21. Do you support waterbirth? Do you provide the equipment for one?
22. Do you support vaginal birth after cesarean at home? At hospital? What is your success rate for both?
23. How do you feel about internal exams during pregnancy? During labour?
24. How do you feel about electronic fetal monitoring, either intermittent or continuous, during labour?
25. What equipment do you normally use at a birth?
26. What approach do you take to 2nd stage labour (pushing)? Spontaneous or directed? Why?
27. How do you help prevent against tears or episiotomies? What is your episiotomy rate?
28. What herbs/medications/equipment/training do you have for emergencies?
29. What complications have you seen and how did you handle them?
30. How would you handle a hemorrage? Cord around the baby's neck? Baby not breathing spontaneously?
31. What are your views on cord cutting? Family time immediately after birth? Placenta birth time limits?
32. What is your transfer rate from home to hospital? What reasons have you had for transfer?
33. What, if any tests would you wish to perform on my newborn?
34. Do you provide post-partum care for mom? For baby? For how long?
35. Do you provide breastfeeding support and education?
36. What services do you offer that are different from other care providers?