Q. What is a Naturopath (ND)/ midwife?
A. ND/midwives are the best of both worlds for many people. As licensed primary care physicians, we can take care of all of your family's health-care needs. While most midwives finish their care at 6 weeks post-partum for both mom and baby, we can continue to offer full pediatric care, women's medicine, and general family medicine for everyone in your family.

Q. What is natural childbirth?
A. Natural childbirth is a woman giving birth under her own steam, with a minimum of medical interventions and no pain medications during labor. Instead, her pain is eased with hot baths, massage, movement, and the comfort of her chosen friends and family and skilled birth attendants.

Q. will my partner/ friends/ family be involved in the birth?
A. While we recommend not inviting too many people to your birth, you should certainly involve everyone who will be able to give you comfort and help you relax. Everyone you choose to have will be as involved as you want. For example, the dad or partner often helps catch the baby.

Q. Can I move freely during labor?
A. Yes on all counts. We find that women labor more efficiently and easily if they are free to move around and change position. As long as the baby's heart rate is fine, you can be in any position you choose. You can also spend as much time as you like in our hot tub or your bath tub.

Q. Can I eat and drink while I am in labor?
A. You can, and should, eat and especially drink while in labor. Most women do not want to eat much once labor moves into the "active" stage, but it is essential to stay hydrated during labor. You can drink water or juice through your whole labor.

Q. Can my older children come to the birth?
A. Certainly. Older children often love seeing the baby be born. We encourage you to have a support person there for the child, though, in case she/he has any questions or chooses to leave the room. At a home birth, this may not be as important though many families still want someone there for the older child.

Q. Can I have a water birth?
A. Absolutely! Either at home or on our birthing center, our ND/midwives have all attended many water births. We encourage you to birth the way you feel is best for you and your baby. In most cases, waterbirth is perfectly safe for both mom and baby and we are glad to assist you giving birth in a warm tub.

Q. Can I be in the tub even if I don't want to give birth there?
A. Certainly. Many women find that laboring in a large, warm bath relaxes them and makes labor a bit easier. You can be in the tub as much as you want during your labor. We can listen to the baby's heartbeat under water, so it is perfectly safe.

Q. Is a ND/midwife different from another ND?
A. Naturopaths who attend women at births have done two extra years of in-class training, spent about a year assisting at births, and passed an additional licensing examination to ensure their skills to attend births. They are more experienced than most in the areas of women's medicine and pediatrics.

Q. what makes a ND/midwife different from a certified nurse midwife (CNM)?
A. ND/ midwives are licensed primary care physicians, while CNMs are nurses. Most CNMs attend births only in the hospitals and don't do pediatric care for your baby. We take care of both mom and baby.

Q. what makes a ND/midwife different from on OB/Gyn (MD gynecologist)?
A. First, ND/midwives attend out of hospital births which MDs do not. ND/midwives are trained to help you stay healthy and low-risk, to prevent problems whenever possible, so is stays safe for you to have your baby out of the hospital. We know how to support you through a natural childbirth. MDs can prescribe pain medications (like epidurals and spinals) and do surgery (like a c-section) which ND/midwives cannot.

Q. what makes a ND/midwife different from a lay midwife?
A. ND/midwives are licensed physicians, so we can help you with all of your health concerns, not just your pregnancy. We can continue to care for you and your family past the 6-week post-partum period. Although we generally do not need to use them, ND/midwives are also licensed to use/prescribe medications like antibiotics, drugs to treat post-partum bleeding, and other pharmaceuticals that lay midwives cannot prescribe.

Q. Can I meet the doctor/midwife before I make a prenatal appointment?
A. Of course! It is important that you choose a midwife you feel comfortable with. We offer free 30-minute consultations. You and your family can meet a midwife

Q. Can I meet more than one doctor/midwife?
A. We find that most people don't feel that they need to meet more than one of us, but if you want more to choose from, we will arrange for you to meet several midwives.

Q. Will my midwife definitely be at my birth, or do you "share call"?
A. We do not share call for our births, so the midwife you choose and see for all your prenatal care will be at your birth.

Q. Will I always see the same doctor/midwife for my prenatal visits?
A. Yes. Once you choose one of our midwives, you will make your appointments with that person.

Q. Do you offer ultrasounds?
A. Yes, one of our ND/midwives is also licensed to perform and interpret ultrasounds. Ultrasounds are performed in our clinic and questions are encouraged.

Q. Who will be at my birth besides my ND/midwife?
A. In order to give the best care during the delivery and the first few hours, we prefer to have two ND/midwives at each delivery. The second doctor usually comes at the very end of the labor. In addition, all our ND/midwives have assistants who are studying to be ND/midwives. You will have met your midwife's student(s) several times before your birth, and you may have met the other ND/midwife.

Q. Can I choose the assisting ND/midwife?
A. While most of our patients do not choose the second ND/midwife, some do. If you have a preference, we will do everything possible to accommodate you.

Q. What lab tests do you do during pregnancy and birth?
A. We offer the full range of diagnostic testing, including ultrasounds done at our clinic. All of the routine prenatal tests (the same as any doctor or midwife) are offered, though not all patients choose to do all tests. You will discuss them with your midwife and make the right choices for yourself. There are no routine tests done to either mom or baby at the birth.

Q. How do you monitor my baby during labor?
A. We usually use an external doppler to monitor your baby during labor-- just like the ones used to listen during prenatal visits.

Q. Is it safe to have a baby out of the hospital?
A. In most cases, it is perfectly safe. We strive, through careful prenatal and intra-partum care, to make sure the mom stays low-risk and both mom and baby are safe throughout the pregnancy and birth. Our ND/midwives are trained to recognize problems before they become serious and either treat them or transfer care to an appropriate hospital or MD. Most women who choose to deliver out of the hospital will be able to do so safely.

Q. What happens if I need to go to the hospital?
A. If you need to go to the hospital during your labor for any reason, our ND/midwives will arrange transport (usually you can go in your own car) and will call the hospital in advance. We will go with you and continue to offer support and advice through the rest of your labor and birth. We stay until the baby is born and mom and baby are settled and breastfeeding well.

Q. How will I reach my ND/midwife if I have questions or when I go into labor?
A. One of our ND/midwives is on call 24 hours a day, and that doctor can answer your questions or contact your doctor. A few weeks before your due date, your ND/midwife will give you her/his home phone number, pager number, and cell phone number so you can reach your ND/midwife at any time if you think you are in labor.

Q. Will my insurance cover my care at the clinic?
A. Every policy is different, so the only way to find out is to call. We can check your insurance coverage for you, and we bill insurance if coverage is verified. We are willing to check your insurance coverage before you schedule a consultation so you know what your costs will be before you come in.

Q. How do I schedule an appointment?
A. Just call our office and our staff will be glad to help you schedule. They can also take your insurance information and check your coverage prior to your first visit.