Photo courtesy of Suzanne Arms

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Midwifery Questions

How often will I be seen for prenatal appointments?

Initially we see you a couple of times just to get things started. Once care is established we will see you once a month until you are 28 weeks. Then we start seeing you every 2 weeks through your 36th week, and once a week from that time until you have your baby. We will schedule a home visit at 36 weeks so we know the way to your house and we can assure that everything is ready.

When will you arrive for/leave after the birth?

When you go into labor we will be in phone contact and we will come to your home when labor is active and you feel that you need us. We stay with you through the birth and 2-3 hours afterwards to make sure that everyone is stable and fed, the place is picked up, laundry is in the washer, and everyone is tucked in for some rest.

Who cleans up the mess??!?!!??

WE do! Birth happens in the midst of many bodily fluids, which is one of the reasons that we want you to purchase a birth kit with all the disposable medical items. Then while you are falling in love with your baby we will gather up all the used items and put them out with the trash. We also toss your sheets and birth towels into the wash to start to soak. We even help you get cleaned up and fed before we leave so that everyone is ready to snuggle in for a well-deserved rest.

Do you do any postpartum care?

We come back to your house at 1 day, 3 days, 1 week and 2 weeks postpartum as long as everything is going well. We will see you more often if there is a need. At 4 weeks we call you to check in, and have you back to the office at 6 weeks for our final visit and check up.

Do I need to take the baby to a doctor right away?

Not necessarily. We assess the baby as soon as it is born and again at 1 minute and 5 minutes of age. We will also do a complete newborn exam about 1 hour after the baby is born. If we see any cause for concern we will advise taking the baby in, but usually there is no need for the baby to see a doctor before you are ready to establish routine care.

How do I convince my husband that it's OK to have "strangers" in our house?

Whether contracting a midwife or a doula, we will spend quality time getting to know you AND your husband. (We want fathers to be actively involved!) By the time the baby comes, we will not be strangers at all. He is protective of your space for the same reasons that it is the perfect place to have your baby – it’s YOURS! Your home is where you are most comfortable. It is (probably)where your baby was made. All the "stuff" that you might want to have close by IS close by. We will respect your space and your boundaries. In fact, we are great at enforcing those boundaries with friends and family that might not recognize the specific needs you have when bringing a new member into your household.

Doula Questions

When do we see our doula?

For a birth doula we usually meet with you during the last 4-6 weeks of pregnancy to establish our plan, then we see you at the birth and again after you return home.

How does postpartum doula care look?

Usually we meet with you before the baby is born to establish what you might need and how those needs can be met. From that we establish an action plan—we either coordinate your community or schedule when the doula will work for you. You call when the baby has been born and we implement the action plan!

Serving communities along the Northern Front Range of Colorado including: Arvada, Ault, Berthoud, Boulder, Brighton, Broomfield, Campion, Commerce City, Dacono, Dupont, Eaton, Evans, Federal Heights, Firestone, Fort Collins, Fort Lupton, Frederick, Gilcrest, Henderson, Hygeine, Irondale, Johnstown, Kelim, Kersey, Lafayette, Laporte, LaSalle, Lochbouie, Longmont, Louisville, Loveland, Lucerne, Lyons, Mead, Milliken, Northglenn, Niwot, Pecham, Platteville, Severance, Superior, Thornton, Timnath, Wattenberg, Wellington, Westminister and Windsor.