Is this covered by my insurance?

If you have a PPO insurance plan, all of your labs, ultrasounds, hospital stay, and any emergencies such as cesarean section or vacuum delivery are covered at your in-network rate. However, the midwives of Collective Birth are out of network for all major insurers. Our fee will be partially reimbursed by your insurance plan after we submit the superbill (which happens in the first six weeks after the baby is born). Because each plan is different, we are unable to determine how much your reimbursement will be. We do know that plans with a higher deductible will be reimbursed less. We generally recommend that you budget for our fee as an expense for the year, and that way any reimbursement you get is icing on the cake. As for HMO plans, we cannot bill for services, so although it is still true that all labs, ultrasounds, and hospital stays are covered, our midwifery fees will be completely out of pocket and without reimbursement.

Do we still need a doula if we also have you?

Although hiring a doula is never a requirement, it sure is a nice way to build a great birth team! Especially if you are first time parents, labor can be long! Early labor should be experienced in the comfort of your own home. Although we also offer a ton of labor support, we do not typically join you until you are further into your labor process and ready to be admitted to the hospital. A doula can be a great resource for comfort measures, partner relief, and helping to determine when it might be time to call your midwives and go to the hospital. Some doulas can also help with breastfeeding or placenta encapsulation. Please ask us for great doula recommendations :)

Can other members of the family attend prenatal visits?

Absolutely! We encourage partners, siblings, and any other loved ones to attend and be involved in your prenatal care. Especially for older siblings, visiting the midwives and helping with care can be a sweet way to get them involved and excited. We ask that all visitors be healthy and masked if they are of age and ability. 

Do you have recommendations for other providers that I may need to see during my pregnancy?

Yes. We have access to a rich network of community resources for all stages of your journey, including but not limited to acupuncturists, chiropractors, pelvic PT, doulas, lactation consultants, massage therapists, childbirth educators, parent groups, and pediatricians, as well as BIPOC and queer-specific resources. 

Can I still get an epidural if I use your services?

Under our care, you will have access to the full scope of pain management techniques, including non-pharmacological options as well as all the things the hospital has to offer (nitrous oxide, IV pain meds, and epidural). That said, pregnant people who feel fairly certain they want to avoid pain meds during labor are generally able to achieve that under our care because we stay by our clients' side during the most active and intense parts of labor. We offer alternatives, encourage movement, and increase our support when it's most needed.