Art of Birth Midwifery Frequently Asked Questions

"Midwifery as practiced by certified nurse-midwives (CNMs®) and certified midwives (CMs®) encompasses a full range of primary health care services for women from adolescence beyond menopause. These services include the independent provision of primary care, gynecologic and family planning services, preconception care, care during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, care of the normal newborn during the first 28 days of life, and treatment of male partners for sexually transmitted infections. Midwives provide initial and ongoing comprehensive assessment, diagnosis and treatment. They conduct physical examinations; prescribe medications including controlled substances and contraceptive methods; admit, manage and discharge patients; order and interpret laboratory and diagnostic tests and order the use of medical devices. Midwifery care also includes health promotion, disease prevention, and individualized wellness education and counseling. These services are provided in partnership with women and families in diverse settings such as ambulatory care clinics, private offices, community and public health systems, homes, hospitals and birth centers." To read more about the scope of practice of a certified nurse midwife, please read the position paper from the American College of Nurse Midwives at ACNM.org.

A Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) is a knowledgeable, skilled and professional primary maternity care provider. CPMs are trained and credentialed to offer expert care, education, counseling and support to birthing people during the pregnancy, birth and the postpartum periods. CPMs practice as autonomous health professionals working within a network of relationships with other care providers who can provide consultation and collaboration when needed. All CPMs meet the standards for certification set by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM).
In the United States, Certified Professional Midwives provide unique and critical access to normal physiologic birth, profoundly benefitting birthing people and newborns. Although qualified to practice in any setting, they have particular training and expertise in providing care in homes and free-standing birth centers, and own or work in over half of the birth centers in the U.S. today.

We are proud to offer our clients the choice of planned home or birth center birth. For select clients that need to have their baby in the hospital for medical reasons, Meghan is credentialed through Gifford Medical Center with admitting privileges and able to offer birth in this hospital setting.

We accept most major private insurances, as well as Vermont and New Hampshire State health insurance

Full scope midwifery care includes: comprehensive prenatal care; continuous access to your midwives; labor; birth; suturing; 1-2 home postpartum and newborn visits; breastfeeding support; & newborn care from birth through 6 weeks of age.
Some services that may not be covered by insurance include: genetic screenings; specialty visits with outside providers; problem visits in pregnancy; a second license midwife for labor and birth; birth center facility fees; home birth supplies; home visits; placenta encapsulation; nitrous oxide; and birthing tub rental.
Complete details on what your insurance will cover is provided to you by our billing specialists.

Where we choose to have our babies is more than simply personal preferences, spiritual beliefs, and romantic ideas. It's an issue of public health, community and safety. Planned out-of-hospital births lead to substantially fewer unnecessary cesarean sections than do hospital births. We also know prenatal care and birth attended by a skilled midwife is more likely to stay on a normal and natural trajectory, and is less likely to result in unnecessary interventions of any type. There are very real health reasons for pregnant people to consider birthing outside the hospital setting. These reasons include safety, baby's safety, equitably and inclusive care, and the economic sustainability of our healthcare system.

In the peer-reviewed Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health (JMWH), a landmark study confirms that among low-risk women, planned home births result in low rates of interventions without an increase in adverse outcomes for mothers and babies.
This study, which examines nearly 17,000 courses of midwife-led care, is the largest analysis of planned home birth in the U.S. ever published.
The results of this study, and those of its companion article about the development of the MANA Stats registry, confirm the safety and overwhelmingly positive health benefits for low-risk mothers and babies who choose to birth at home with a midwife. At every step of the way, midwives are providing excellent care. This study enables families, providers and policymakers to have a transparent look at the risks and benefits of planned home birth as well as the health benefits of normal physiologic birth.

Art of Birth Midwifery carries all the equipment needed to assist you in having a safe birth experience. We come prepared with resuscitation equipment, oxygen, and medications needed in case of hemorrhage or other obstetric emergency. We work with the local hospitals to assure a smooth transition in the case of a transfer. Sometimes we use an ambulance and other times a private car. We believe in open communication with the facility we are working with for transfer of care. We do our best to continue in your care after transfer is completed. We work hard to screen each client. We serve healthy clients with healthy pregnancies; if a client risks out of home or birth center birth, a discussion about the risk is completed, and we discuss how Art of Birth can continue your care in the hospital setting. This varies depending on the reason for transfer and place of transfer.

Being a midwife is all about human connection. At Art of Birth, we strive to cultivate a deep and personal relationship. We provide individualized visits that are longer and full of education. Together, we enhance and build your health goals during your pregnancy or at any stage of life. We work to guide you to local resources and offer care in a variety of settings; from your home to our office in Randolph VT to our satellite offices in Colchester, VT and Hanover, NH. We believe comfort is a part of the care you deserve. Visits are founded on our needs. We offer exceptional continuity, and we will follow you through all your care. You will know your midwives well, and we will be there when you have your baby!