Frequently Asked Questions

If all of your questions are not answered here please feel free to contact Michele for a free consultation.

Is a homebirth right for me?

The most important qualification, besides being in good health, is for you to make a commitment to the concepts of having the baby at home. Those who choose homebirth must be committed to being partners in their health care. This means you lead a healthy lifestyle with a good diet and exercise, and are interested in pursuing a natural and normal pregnancy. Michele and her team strive to provide the type of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experience you and your family desire.

What can I expect from Michele as my midwife?

You can expect Michele to listen and to work with you to meet your needs and expectations. More time is spent than in a typical doctor prenatal appointment, during the birth and postpartum. She and her team are always available, via telephone or cell phone, for any questions or problems that may arise during the pregnancy and postpartum period.

What does Michele expect from her clients?

  • Regular prenatal visits
  • Attention to diet and exercise (the best way to grow and birth a healthy baby)
  • Educate yourselves! Read, take classes, and ask questions— knowledge is power!
  • Make arrangements for “well baby” care with a physician
  • Obtain supplies as your midwife instructs
  • Make sure you and your partner have all of the necessary phone numbers
  • At 36 weeks keep home clean and ready for birth
  • If you have older children, arrange a specific person to be with them during the birth
  • DO NOT take any substance or engage in any activity to precipitate labor without midwife consult
  • Arrange postpartum help for the first two weeks so mom can heal and bond

What is included pregnancy care?

If you decide to seek your pregnancy care with Michele, you will make an appointment for an initial exam, which includes: an extensive medical, obstetric and family history and drawing of blood for screening lab work. Afterward, the schedule of visits is once monthly until the eighth month, every two weeks during the eighth month and weekly during the ninth month.

Around 36 or 37 weeks Michele will visit your home to ensure that she is able to get to you as quickly as possible once you are in labor. She also uses this visit to talk with you and your birth team to consolidate plans for the birth. This visit also serves as a prenatal visit. Other members of the team, Michele's partner and her apprentice will also make home visits in the last month as well as after the birth.

Once you are in labor you will notify Michele. She and her team will arrive to support you and your birth partner, monitor the progress of the labor, deliver the baby, and to stay afterwards until they are sure that both you and your baby are doing well. Very rarely an episiotomy needs to be performed and Michele is trained to do this only when absolutely necessary. She will also repair any tears in the immediate postpartum period, with the focus during the actual birth being to help you to ease the baby out without any tearing. Michele will also show you some tricks ahead of time to prepare.

During the first hour after the birth, Michele and her team will monitor the baby and observe the mother for any complications. They encourage immediate breastfeeding and once the baby has fed will do a complete physical exam on the baby. This includes weighing and application of antibiotic eye ointment on the baby’s eyes and Vitamin K shot, you have the right to refuse either of these.

Once you and your baby are stable and have eaten, the exams and paper work have been done, and you have gotten up and emptied your bladder, they will leave and are always available by telephone for any questions or problems. One of the team will return after 24 hours and again on the third day and at one week to check both you and your baby. At this time the first newborn screening tests will be done.

If at any time you or your baby develop complications, arrangements will be made for referral to an appropriate health care provider.

What is Michele’s educational background?

Michele is a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). She attended a 15 month advanced midwifery program while apprenticing with a local midwife. She took the first exam offered by the state of Texas and went on to take the CPM exam. She helped write the protocols for this test. She is also a preceptor for ATM and teaches apprentices to be midwives. She is also a member of our local, state and national midwifery organization, and complies with continuing education requirements, both for nursing and midwifery. Please visit the about Michele page for more credits.

How many births has Michele attended?

Michele has attended approximately 1,400 - 1,800 births.

Who comes to the birth?

Usually Michele and an associate midwife attend the birth. In the unlikely event of two of our clients being in labor at the same time, one midwife would be at each birth. They manage a small caseload to help ensure that this rarely happens.

What sort of supplies/equipment does Michele bring to a birth?

Michele provides all medical equipment. This includes a Doppler to monitor the baby during labor as well as sterile gloves and instruments for exams and delivery of the baby.

Very rarely an episiotomy needs to be performed in order to deliver the baby more rapidly. Occasionally, the mother may need repair of a laceration after the birth. Michele also brings local anesthetic and suture materials to make these repairs. Any necessary repairs are done in the immediate postpartum period, and inspection of the birth canal for any tears is a routine part of this care.

Oxygen and resuscitation equipment are brought and all midwives are trained in adult CPR and neonatal resuscitation.

What type of supplies do I need to provide?

At about 36 weeks you will order a birth kit specially designed for you. It includes all of the disposable medical supplies for your birth. Other supplies that the clients provide are easily available and include such items as alcohol and cotton balls, old towels and sheets, etc. Items of clothing for the baby and food for the laboring woman are the client’s decision.

What if I need to be transported to the hospital?

Michele’s transfer rate is around 3% and her c-section rate is around 1.5%. The most common reason for transport during labor is when the mother’s dilation is not progressing and she is becoming exhausted. Once the decision has been made to transfer, Michele will notify the hospital, and will accompany the mother to the hospital to serve as doula for the mother and family until the baby is born. She will provide the hospital personnel with a copy of prenatal and labor records. The choice of hospital would depend on location and circumstances of the transfer.

How can I contact the midwife for questions or problems?

Michele and her team are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be contacted by cell, home and office telephones with answering machines. If you need to make contact, first try to reach Michele at home. If she is not there, please leave a message with your phone number and then call Michele on her cell phone. If your message is not answered within 15 or 20 minutes try the other members of the team. Clients are encouraged to contact Michele and her team with questions or problems; don’t hesitate to call. If it is urgent please call each number until you reach Michele or one of the team.

What other types of health care services does Michele provide?

Michele also provides well woman care as well as information and referral to other health care practitioners such as homeopaths, chiropractors, acupuncturists, massage therapists and herbalists.

See the Services page for more information.

What are the fees?

Please feel free to call Michele to discuss her fees.

Will insurance cover a home birth?

Most insurance companies will, Stacey Jamail will pre-certify and file your insurance papers for you.

 

Go back to top of page