Frequently Asked Questions

Photo credit: Birth Body Photography

I have questions!

Are you a licensed midwife? What is your education background?

Ariel is a NARM (North American Registry of Midwives) certified midwife since 2016. She is a graduate of Birthwise Midwifery School in Bridgton, Maine (2016) and has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Haifa in linguistics (2010) and a Masters of Public Health from Harvard (2024). Ariel also received her Lactation Educator and Counselor certification from the University of California San Diego in 2012. Ariel is a licensed midwife in the state of Maine and is proud to have been among the first midwives in our state to receive a license. Ariel is also licensed in New Hampshire since 2023. She also holds current certifications in Neonatal Resuscitation from the AAP and BLS for medical providers. Additionally, she regularly participates in continuing education opportunities. She was the former Placenta Medicine elective teacher at Birthwise Midwifery School and was a frequent skills evaluator for the school. She is passionate about research that can improve birth outcomes.

What equipment and supplies do you bring to a birth?

We provide the following equipment at your birth: Intermittent fetal monitoring by Doppler, blood pressure cuff & stethoscope, urine test strips, catheters, amnihooks, sterile instruments for birth and suturing, suture material, lidocaine for suturing, sterile gloves, syringes and appropriate emergency medications (including medications to stop excessive bleeding after birth), antibiotics (if needed for GBS), IV fluids, suctioning devices for baby, “ambu” bag for newborn resuscitation (positive pressure ventilation), baby scale, a hospital grade infant pulse-oximeter, eye ointment and Vitamin K for baby if desired, oxygen and more.

Can I still get an ultrasound and lab work done?

Yes. Ultrasounds can be ordered as needed and lab work is done either at your visit (and then brought to the lab), or can be done locally at any Nordx or Quest lab location. I also have my own ultrasound machine and can do limited (non-diagnostic) ultrasound during regular visits.

Can I have a home birth if I have previously had a c-section?

Yes! As of 9/4/21 VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean) are legally allowed at home with a licensed midwife in Maine. The state mandates that you have not had more than 1 prior c-section and that your baby will be due no less than 18 months after your last birth. If you want to learn more about having a VBAC birth at home please schedule a free consult.

Who will be at my birth?

There will be at least two midwives at your birth and a student midwife if one has been a part of your care. This ensures that there are two skilled midwives at the birth should the need arise for the birthing person or baby to receive extra support.

What about care for my baby after the birth?

We are able to offer the same standard newborn care as the hospital including: a CCHD (critical congenital heart defect) screening at 24 hours old, a Newborn Blood Spot Screen (often call the PKU test or “heal prick” test) after 24 hours old, Vit K injection and Eye Ointment (if desired) and wellness and weight checks at 1 day, 2 days, 10-14 days, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks after the birth. At each visit baby will have a full exam, weight check, and feeding evaluation. The only care not offered is a Hep B vaccine and hearing screen which can be done in a pediatrician’s office if desired.

Do you take insurance?

I work with an insurance biller for those who desire to use their insurance to cover the cost of midwifery care. What your insurance may cover can vary greatly from one plan to the next, the best way to find out what your coverage will be is to talk to my biller! Please note that Saco River Midwifery does NOT directly bill insurance, but you can opt to work with Roots Billing to pursue insurance reimbursement.

https://www.rootsbilling.com/contact

What is the cost of care?

The total cost of care (global fee for service) for homebirth midwifery care is $6000. This includes prenatal care, labor and birth, and 4 in-home postpartum visits. Payment plans are available.

Is planned out-of-hospital birth safe?

This is one of the most frequent questions I am asked as a midwife. Study after study has shown that for low-risk, healthy people, planned out-of-hospital birth with a trained midwife has similar outcomes to planned births in the hospital. Home births are associated with lower c-section rates, lower rates of perineal trauma, low rates of pain medication usage, and higher rates of birth satisfaction. Maternal and infant outcomes are similar in both hospital and home births when similar groups are studied. I am happy to share more study information with and encourage you to do your own research. You should feel confident in your choice of birth place and provider. I offer co-care and doula services for those choosing to brith in the hospital.

https://mana.org/blog/home-birth-safety-outcomes

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2742137/

https://www.lamaze.org/Connecting-the-Dots/dueling-statistics-is-out-of-hospital-birth-safe

What if we need to go to the hospital?

The roll of a midwife during the course of your care is to be continually evaluating whether or not home is the safest place for your birth. This might mean that we might need to consult with other providers during your pregnancy or have additional tests offered to you. Sometimes conditions arise that make having a home birth no longer the safest option and transferring your care is necessary. Rarely, transport to a hospital during birth or immediately following birth is necessary. Occasionally someone also choses to transfer to the hospital for pain management options. All of these situations will be discussed further during your care.