Finding your Midwife

The initial contact is usually made by phone. The mother's health, the state of pregnancy, the

geographical distance of the house from the hospital, motives for giving birth at home and the

payment are discussed. If there is a match, an introductory meeting is scheduled.

At the introductory meeting:

● The midwife will introduce herself and her attitude to childbirth.

● She will discuss the advantages and limitations of home birth. You can talk to her about

your concerns, express your feelings and beliefs. You can ask questions to help you feel

if you are a good match.

● You can ask her about her professional experience, why she chose to be a home birth

midwife, what experience she has in cases of complications, emergencies, and any

urgent transfers to the hospital.

● Find out how she works, regarding appointments during pregnancy, preparation for

childbirth, postpartum visits, accompaniment to the hospital if necessary.

● Does she have backup in case she is in another birth?

● Does she have assistance – would she prefer that a doula also come? Or a second

midwife? Does she use any complementary medicine?

● What is the equipment that the midwife brings? Does the midwife have all the

necessary equipment and medicines required for birth?

● What are her requirements regarding pregnancy follow-up, ultrasound tests, her

approach to water birth, sharing with the partner and informing her that the birth is

starting?

● Once you have chosen your midwife, you will begin a process of in-depth acquaintance.

In each meeting you will get to know each other better, in conversations, in training, in

practice and in touch, according to your needs.

Basic questions when choosing a midwife

● Does the midwife have an Israeli midwifery license and has she trained to receive births

at home? This way you will know that the midwife has undergone a course of study and

practical training while being supervised and that she is experienced enough to attend

childbirth at home.

● Is the midwife a member of IMIAHI (Israel Homebirth Midwifery Association)? The

IMAHI organization trains midwives for professional work, paying attention to proper

and respectful conduct vis-à-vis the mother. Midwives are obliged to work in

accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health.

● Does the midwife work with full transparency that allows her to cooperate with the

medical system? – This allows direct cooperation between the midwife and the

woman’s obstetrician in her community, reporting to the delivery room during a labor

transfer, accompanying the mother during the transfer to the delivery room. All these

lead to proper and efficient treatment of the mother and the newborn.

● Does the midwife explain the agreements between you, and have a corresponding

contract which outlines the manner of care during pregnancy, childbirth and

afterwards? Is there clarity regarding the payment, and about the presence of additional

professional help at birth?

● Does the midwife transfer to the hospital in case a problem arises? Does she allow you

to transfer to the hospital if you want?

● Do you feel that the midwife is listening to you? Is she interested in your needs and

concerns? Do you have open, enabling and easy communication with the midwife? Does

your family feel comfortable with the midwife too?

More about the choice of midwife

Many women, when choosing a midwife, turn to a midwife who have helped their friends. This

is a logical approach that gleans wisdom from experiences of others….

It is certainly true that the personality and attitude of the midwife has an important influence on

the birth experience. However, it is vital to find out if this is a qualified, experienced, and

recognized professional, who works honestly, within the law, using the official documents and

who is recognized by the accepted health system.

Home birth midwifery relies on the proven fact from research, that for a healthy woman with a

healthy pregnancy, giving birth at home with a professional midwife, conducted according to

professional guidelines, is safe for the mother and the newborn. In fact, research reinforces the

midwifery paradigm that the physiological birth process, which takes place without interruption,

and without medical interventions, has many advantages. At the same time, we know that there

are conditions that require increased supervision in the hospital and even medical interventions

to prevent complications and treat complications at birth. The midwife must be sufficiently

professional and experienced and able to diagnose signs that indicate a complication is brewing

and transfer the mother or newborn to the hospital. She must also have knowledge, skill and

experience and be equipped with the right equipment to handle emergency situations in the

mother's home.