Questions to Ask a Midwife While Pregnant

Take a list of questions to ask a potential midwife during the initial interview to find out about her experience, policies during labor, prenatal expectations and postpartum care. While there aren't always "right or wrong" answers it is helpful to have a list of questions for the initial interview.

A pregnant couple could work through some of the questions on their own to have an idea of their birth philosophy before meeting with the midwife. This would give a pregnant mother and her partner a better idea of what type of midwife they were looking for. Two midwives might be equally qualified but one midwife will be a better fit for your birth desires than the other.

5 Questions to ask a midwife about her experience and education.

1 - What is your background, training and experience?

2 - How many births have you attended total? How many births as the primary midwife?

3 - Have you delivered breech babies? Would you deliver a known breech baby at home?

4 - Are you certified or registered as a midwife with the state? Tell me about your backup physician or midwife and their qualifications.

5- What labor emergency situations are you qualified to deal with?

5 Questions to ask a midwife about prenatal care.

6 - How long does the average prenatal visit last during my pregnancy?

7 - How often will you want to see me during each trimester of pregnancy?

8 - What are your recommendations for pregnancy and childbirth preparation classes?

9 - Are you able to provide any necessary prenatal lab work? What prenatal tests do you require? Recommend?

10 - What does a typical prenatal checkup consist of? Will I see you each at each prenatal visit or another midwife?

5 Questions to ask a midwife about labor and delivery procedures.

11 - What circumstances could arise during my pregnancy that would cause you to transfer care to a hospital? What would cause you to transfer during labor?

12 - What equipment do you usually use during labor and delivery? What medications and emergency equipment do you have? (You want your midwife to have oxygen available and be certified in CPR.)