If you’ve been keeping up with my series on using a midwife, (click here, here or here for my three previous posts) you may be getting depressed.  Yes, the Nurse Midwifery Birth Center is wonderful, quaint, friendly and covered by most mainstream insurance—but what are people supposed to do who don’t live here in Eugene, Oregon?  What if you’d like a midwife, but aren’t sure where to start looking?

Here are a few tips that I’ve gleaned from friends and family who have found their dream midwives with a bit of research.

  1. Ask friends, family and co-workers.  The best references are from people who have had a positive birth experience with a skilled midwife.
  2. Check online directories. Midwifery Today has an online directory that can give you names of the people in your area.  Their national conference is being held right here in Eugene, Oregon, this Spring! 
  3. Interview your midwife. This is a critical relationship and deserves some important investigation in the beginning.  Ask if she has had any emergencies or fatalities in her history.  Make sure she’s willing to go to the hospital if things go wrong and most importantly, make sure you feel connection and trust in her presence.

Any other tips?  I know several of you have found midwives through hospitals or had doctors come to your homes for the birth.  How did you manage to find the right person to deliver your baby?