Frequently asked questions

They are actually not models or stock photos! These are the real, beautiful Shifrah’s Sisters families who have generously shared photos of their prenatal, birth, postpartum care and their newborns. I am grateful to my beloved clients who have shared photos, testimonials and stories!

The most frequently asked FAQ! My training as a CPM is focused on supporting daily wellness to keep your pregnancy & birth healthy and to identify risk factors and address them if/when they arise. We are grateful for access to OBs and hospitals when we need the expertise, technology and medications they have to offer. We consult with them or transfer your care if it becomes appropriate to do so. True emergencies are thankfully very rare—less than 0.5% of the time. Most transfers are not urgent. Throughout prenatal care we discuss the possibility of transfer so we are all prepared.

Absolutely! About 90% of our clients use our Aquadoula birth pools for labor and about 50% of clients birth in the pool. Water birth is a wonderful option to support relaxation in labor. Elizabeth had a home water birth herself and labored in water for her first birth.

No! Your midwife birth team is also your cleaning crew. We tidy up and prevent messes throughout your labor as well as clean up after your birth. At your 36 week visit you will have gathered your supplies including a mattress protector, chux pads and cleaning supplies that your midwifery team uses to keep your space clean in labor. We clean up our Aquadoula birth pool, your birth space, bag up the trash and start the laundry before we leave.

Generally not. We have clients reach out at all stages of pregnancy and we are always happy to talk. When it feels like a good fit for us both, you have your prenatal records, and are able to make the necessary preparations and payments in time, Elizabeth considers transfers at all stages of pregnancy.

Yes and no. While you do not need to have a doula to work with us, we strongly recommend having a professional doula for labor support if this is your first birth or your first unmedicated birth. Doulas are a wonderful and valuable complement to midwifery care and can provide continuous labor support, especially if a hospital transfer becomes necessary.

A midwife is a health care provider focused on the health and well-being of you and baby. Midwives provide clinical care throughout your pregnancy, birth and postpartum time. There are midwives who support home, birth center and hospital births. Currently Shifrah’s Sisters provides home birth care only.

Doulas are professional labor supporters who can provide emotional, informational, physical and spiritual support but do NOT perform clinical tasks such as assessing blood pressure, cervical checks, etc. Doulas support home, birth center and hospital births. Doulas do not replace your partner, family or health care providers.

Anyone you feel comfortable having in your birth space! One of the benefits of home birth is that YOU are in control of who is invited to your home. During your prenatal care, we help you explore the question of who you would like to have attend your birth. Some clients prefer that only their husband/partner attend while others may have their children present, invite other family members, friends, and/or a birth photographer. It is YOUR birth and you get to choose!

I️ am not in network with insurance companies. Unfortunately, the individualized, in-home concierge care that we offer is a completely different model than what most insurance companies pay for.

You might compare it to the difference between the wedding of your dreams and a courthouse ceremony. The cost may be different (depending on your deductible and plan) but so is the quality of your experience. It is very unfortunate that insurance will cover a more expensive hospital birth with the possible cascade of interventions that accompany many hospital births but will not cover the many months of individualized, health-focused care that we provide. Our midwifery care prevents many of those interventions and makes for safer, more satisfying outcomes for you and baby. You simply cannot have a more gentle birth experience that is customized to your wants and needs at a hospital than you can have at home with us.

We bring equipment for taking vital signs for you and baby, for emergencies such as resuscitation, anti-hemorrhagic medications, IV supplies, urinary catheter, an NASG, etc. I️ also bring basics such as suturing, cord-cutting supplies, tinctures and homeopathics, a birth stool, mirrors. Basically, we bring a birth center worth of supplies to support you. Most importantly, I bring my heart and hands with my 23 years of experience.

All clients get a payment plan when starting care and depending on when someone needs to transfer, they may or may not receive a refund. You are hiring a home birth midwife for all of the care we provide, even when a transfer is needed, not for the guarantee of having your birth at home. The details of the payment plans are in our financial agreement which you can review before making any decisions.

Most women who are generally healthy and want to have an unmedicated birth can have a home birth. Please reach out personally if you wonder if any of your particular health condition(s) would preclude you from planning a home birth. We are always happy to talk and refer you to other providers, even if we can’t serve you.

You have been preparing your body and mind for labor throughout your pregnancy. Being surrounded by a supportive team who believes in you and birth, the ability to listen to your body and eat, drink, move, rest, have privacy and control of your labor experience, all minimizes your experience of pain in labor. At home we use movement, positioning, waters rest, breathing and touch for pain relief. If you ever want to go to the hospital for an epidural, you can always make that choice and we help transfer your care to the hospital.

Student Certified Professional Midwives go through four “phases”: 1. Observervation 2. Assistant 3. Primary Under Supervision 4. Continuity of Care. Students only perform tasks under direct supervision of a Certified Midwife. We are grateful for our clients who allow our students to become midwives!

A Birth Assistant (BA) is another name for a Midwife’s Assistant. She is trained in neonatal resuscitation and birth emergencies and is another trained attendant of your birth to assist in the clinical duties and other tasks Often senior Shifrah’s Sisters students serve in the role of Birth Assistant for our clients. The BA can also be a second midwife or an assistant who is not also a student midwife.