FAQ

  • What is a CPM?

    A Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) is a knowledgeable, skilled and professional primary maternity care provider. CPMs are trained and credentialed to offer expert care, education, counseling and support to birthing people during the pregnancy, birth and the postpartum periods.

    In the state of Louisiana, midwives are required to carry a license from the Louisiana state board of medical examiners. This allows for CPMs to carry and administer medication and integrate in the standing healthcare system. This also means that licensed CPMs are required to abide by the state laws. To read more about the licensure of midwives in Louisiana, click here.

    To learn more about the CPM credential, visit the website for the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives.

  • Do I still need an OB?

    Yes and no. In the state of Louisiana, clients are required to see an OB for an initial risk assessment prior to care with a midwife. During this risk assessment, the OB must take a health history, initial lab work, ultrasound, and or physical exam that identifies the person as low risk and healthy. That in turn allows them to start care with licensed midwives.

    After, you no longer need care with an OB unless your risk status changes.

  • Am I eligible for home birth/birth center?

    Low risk healthy birthing people are candidates for out of hospital birth. In the state of Louisiana this include these parameters.

  • How much does it cost?

    The investment for Grace Midwifery Collective care is $6500. We are working on becoming in-network with insurance companies, accept healthshares, and accept paymet plans.

  • Do you take Insurance?

    We are so excited to be offering insurance coverage SOON. For now, we are out-of-network and are happy to provide a detailed invoice for clients to submit for reimbursement but cannot guarantee any value from insurance companies.

    Please use this link to complete a verification of benefits (VOB) that can help you know more about coverage.

    Costshare/Healthcare companies usually pay 100% of our fee.

  • How often do I see the midwives?

    Check out our midwifery page to see a detailed overview of our care and visit schedule.

  • What happens if there is an emergency?

    During labor the midwives will monitor the baby's heartbeat frequently and discreetly. We work to keep you hydrated, fed, and rested while also checking vital signs periodically. We have a Midwife and trained birth assistant or student at every birth. We follow our carefully researched and frequently re-evaluated protocols to make sure you stay low-risk and safe for out of hospital birth.

    Due to having low-risk clients with healthy, low-risk pregnancies, our transfer rate is very low. We are trained to identify risk factors and transfer to the hospital before complications become true emergencies. We carry medications such as pitocin, IV fluids, oxygen, and resuscitation equipment that allow us to manage complications at home. As a maternity healthcare provider in the state of Louisiana, we also train and certify in Neonatal Resuscitation and CPR every 2 years.

    During your care we discuss the reasons why we might transfer to the hospital and what happens during a transfer. We have relationships with our community hospitals and facilitate a smooth transfer of care in the small percentage of births where it might be necessary.

  • Do you recommend hiring a doula?

    Absolutely! Doulas offer continuous 1:1 emotional and physical support during labor and perfectly compliment midwifery care. We especially recommend a doula for any person birthing outside of the hospital for the first time.

  • Do you offer TOLAC/VBAC?

    We are unable to offer TOLAC/VBAC birthing care for anyone in the state of Louisiana due to Louisiana law. Please contact us to discuss your options.

  • What labs/ testing is needed and do you offer them?

    All standard maternity labs are offered and available with Grace Midwifery Collective.

  • What do midwives bring and what do I need to buy?

    We like to think that birthing at home is like bringing the birth center to you while birthing at the birth center feels like home!

    Your midwives bring all necessary equipment to monitor vitals, access wellbeing, and manage complications. We also include a birthing tub!

    Toward the end of pregnancy you will be instructed to purchase a birth kit which includes disposable items and put together common household items for your comfort.

  • Who can I have at my birth?

    We believe it its the right to have whomever you desire at your birth. However, we also highly recommend these people are there not as spectators, but as support.

    If they do not share the same values and education about the safety of home/birth center birth, we recommend reconsidering their attendance.

  • Do you offer delayed cord clamping?

    We believe in physiological third stage. Which means we “wait for white”, until the cord stops pulsing, or until YOU request it!

    The only time we may intervene is in the case of a true emergency.

  • Do you file the birth certificate?

    Yes, our team files the birth certificate within the state laws’ required time frame.

  • How do you help me cope during birth?

    One of the benefits about having a midwife for your unmedicated birth is that we have helped hundreds of people do this. We have trust in you, your body and your baby, and we have skills to help. If there is one thing we know, it is that you can cope with the discomfort of normal labor. We do ask that all first time home birthers take childbirth education class and or hire a doula so that you are more prepared and confident.

  • Do you offer waterbirth?

    Yes! We love water birth and offer birthing tubs in home birth and birth center options for no additional fee.

    Our team is trained in the nuance of waterbirth and is supportive of both water immersion for labor and birth.