Fee Information &
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to frequently asked questions about home birth and midwifery care. If you have additional questions you’d like to discuss before scheduling a consultation, please email us directly.
What is the fee for midwifery care?
We use a global billing model for midwifery care. This means that all of the care you receive throughout your time working with Vida Midwifery Collective is billed together, as one service. The global fee for home birth and midwifery care is sliding scale of $4500-$6500. Families are able to choose the amount on the scale that works for them. We ask for a deposit at registration, with the remaining amount due by 36 weeks of pregnancy. We encourage families who desire home birth but have financial barriers to reach out directly.
What all is included in the fee for my care?
The fee for midwifery care includes:
Direct access to your midwives for any questions, concerns, or needs between visits
All of your prenatal care
In-office lab draws for routine pregnancy labs as desired by you
Referrals to a wealth of community resources as needed
Your labor and birth
The use of a water birth tub at your birth
Immediate postpartum and newborn care, including a full newborn examination and any newborn procedures you request
Herbal sitz bath, padsicles, and peri bottle tea
Newborn metabolic, critical congenital heart defect, and hearing screens
Six weeks of postpartum care, including five visits, two phone visits, and any additional visits needed
Six weeks of newborn care
Ongoing lactation support
Filing of the birth certificate and social security number
Additional Costs (not included):
Routine labs and ultrasounds may have an additional cost depending on what your insurance covers. Most insurance companies cover routine labs and ultrasounds.
Home birth kit - approximately $100
Each family needs to order a pre-packaged birth kit that comes with items you’ll need during your labor and birth. You can choose to order our customized birth kit, or piece together the components of the kit yourself. A list of items and link to the customized list will be provided at the onset of care.Newborn metabolic screen may have an additional cost depending on what your insurance covers. Most insurance companies cover the cost of the newborn metabolic screen.
If any of the above costs create a financial barrier to accessing home birth services, please let us know.
Does insurance cover home birth?
While insurance will not pay for a home birth up front, you may receive reimbursement from your insurance company after your care is complete. After your final postpartum visit with us, we will bill your insurance company for the entirety of your care. The amount of money that you receive will vary based on your insurance company, plan, and type. Once your insurance issues the reimbursement, you will receive a check for the reimbursement amount. We are able to accept most HSA/FSA plans for payments.
Is home birth safe?
For people with low-risk pregnancies, home birth with a trained midwife is safe. Low-risk means there are no pre-existing complications that may complicate pregnancy, and that the pregnancy, labor, and postpartum periods take a normal course without intervention. Studies have shown that home birth with a qualified midwife is as safe or safer than birthing in the hospital for people with low-risk pregnancies. Studies also show home birth drastically reduces the risk of unnecessary intervention and c-section.
Community midwives are experts in out-of-hospital birth; meaning we specialize in recognizing impending complications and intervening before they occur. We complete ongoing risk assessment throughout your pregnancy, labor, and postpartum to screen for potential complications. We are trained and certified in neonatal resuscitation, CPR/BLS for medical providers, and bring medical equipment and medications to manage common complications, such as hemorrhage or a baby who needs help breathing. Rarely, a complication occurs that cannot be managed outside of the hospital. In this situation, we coordinate with our consulting doctors and hospital-based midwives to transfer care to the hospital. If a transfer occurs, we accompany you to the hospital and stay with you until your baby is born.
What happens if I need an intervention or transfer?
Many interventions and management of common pregnancy and birth complications can be managed out-of-hospital. We use an escalating scale of intervention, and always prioritize holistic treatments whenever possible. We are able to provide care for families choosing Group B Strep prophylaxis during their labors, families needing an IV during pregnancy or labor/birth, and repairs (sutures). Interventions such as pain medication or epidurals require transport to the hospital. This is called a non-emergency transport; we move at your pace, drive to the hospital of your choosing, and are often able to offer midwife-to-midwife transfer locally. Less than 1% of transfers are emergency transfers. As always, if a transfer is necessary, we are by your side throughout the process.
Are there conditions that prohibit me from birthing at home?
There are certain pre-pregnancy conditions that contraindicate home birth. In addition, the development of certain pregnancy and birth complications require transfer of care to an in-hospital provider. We do not have a BMI or weight requirement, and do not impose outdated, non-evidence based assessments such as routine weight checks. If you have questions, or to discuss whether or not home birth might be an option for you, please reach out for a consultation.
Do I have to do labs and testing?
The choice of whether to accept or decline routine labs and testing is completely up to you. This includes routine labs, ultrasounds, procedures for you and your baby, and more. We use a thorough informed consent process where we will talk about the standard of care, why it’s standard, what it means, what the risks are, what the benefits are, and what your options are for every lab test and procedure. Ultimately, the choice is yours. We work comfortably with families choosing all labs/testing and families choosing none.
Is home birth messy?
No! We use a variety of tools to reduce the risk of damage to any carpeting, bedding, or furniture, including absorbent chux pads, tarps, and plastic covers. We make sure to clean your birthing space and are miracle workers at removing any inadvertent stains from linens and furniture. Most families are shocked to find that by the time we leave their home, everything appears as it normally would - it doesn’t even look like a birth occurred!
Do you attend VBACs?
Yes! We are strongly pro-VBAC. We are honored to attend VBACs after one previous cesarean as long as you are pregnant with one baby, your baby is head down, and you had a low transverse incision during your belly birth. We may consider VBA2C on a case by case basis. We do not impose any additional requirements for VBACs (such as water birth restrictions).
Who can be present at my home birth?
Your people are our people! We've attended families with an entire room full of loved ones cheering them on, and we've attended families birthing alone. This is your birth, and we believe it is important to have your people by your side. We love helping older siblings get involved in the birthing process, and will help you prepare your older children for the birth should you decide to involve them. We love and welcome all doulas, and consider your support people part of the birth team.
Can I catch my own baby?
Absolutely! You can, your partner can, an older sibling - even grandma. As the old saying goes - “the first hands that touch the baby should love the baby.” There is something magical about receiving your new little one into your own hands. We love helping families catch their own babies, and encourage family involvement in whatever capacity feels right for you.
Are there additional requirements for water birth?
No. We do not impose any additional restrictions or qualifications to have a water birth. We will provide a birthing tub for you at no additional cost as your birth month approaches. You may use the tub as you see fit during your labor and birth.
What is the difference between a midwife and a doula?
A midwife is a medical provider who cares for you and your baby during your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. A doula is not a medical provider and does not provide any medical services, however a doula’s role in the birth team is extremely important and valuable. A doula provides physical and emotional support prenatally, during your birth, and during the postpartum time. The doula's focus is exclusively on your comfort and wellbeing during your birth. While the one-on-one intimate relationship with your midwife allows us to provide personalized, continuous care during your labor, our primary responsibility is the safety and health of you and your baby. We strongly encourage the families we work with to also work with a doula. We provide recommendations to local doulas, however we welcome any doula you choose to support you into the birthing team.
Where do visits happen?
We offer prenatal & postpartum visits in the comfort of your own home. Our service area includes the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs. We will travel up to an hour away from the cities. Our western suburbs service radius is a little larger, and we may travel as far as St. Cloud.
How many midwives are in your practice?
Our practice is composed of three midwives - Midwives Britt, Evelyn, and Sasha. You will have a primary midwife who does all of your prenatal care, attends your birth, and does your postpartum care, and the two other practice midwives function as a birth assistant and back-up midwife.
How many clients do you take per month?
Each primary midwife in the practice takes up to 3 families per month.
Can we choose our midwife?
Yes! Typically, the midwife who responds to your consult request will become your primary midwife. However, if you have a preference or a special relationship (like a repeat family!) you can absolutely choose your midwife. We also will automatically provide culturally matched care whenever possible and will place Queer families with a Queer midwife.