The two home birth midwives in Ithaca practice in Tompkins County, at the south end of Cayuga Lake. No other New York midwives practice within about 40 miles, so start by asking these two whether they serve your address.
Last updated November 10, 2026
Midwife Directory Listings in Ithaca
2 of the midwives above are listed as enrolled New York Medicaid fee-for-service providers in the NYS Department of Health Medicaid Enrolled Provider Listing dated November 2, 2026. Enrollment does not confirm they take new Medicaid clients or your managed care plan, so ask directly. See all New York Medicaid-enrolled midwives in our directory.
Midwife Listings Near Ithaca
These New York listings are in nearby towns. Distances are straight-line from Ithaca and are approximate. Home birth midwives often travel to clients, so ask each practice whether it serves your address. Only New York listings appear here because midwifery licenses do not carry across state lines.
- Julie Elizabeth Carlson, Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)Hamilton, NY · about 56 mi
Midwives listed in Ithaca
Lisa M Benedetto is a Certified Nurse-Midwife. Emeline M Mandeville is a Licensed Midwife. In New York, Licensed Midwife is the state midwife license title, issued by the State Education Department.
Look each one up with the State Education Department before you hire. You can also get a free midwife match or browse the New York midwife directory.
No other New York midwives practice within about 40 miles of Ithaca. Hamilton has one midwife, about 56 miles away, outside that range. Ask each Ithaca midwife whether she serves your address before you book.
What New York licenses
The profession of midwifery is licensed in New York by the State Education Department, under Education Law Article 140, the Professional Midwifery Practice Act [1]. A person may practice midwifery or use the title midwife only if licensed or exempt under that article. Someone licensed under both Article 140 and the nursing article may use the title nurse-midwife [1].
For licensure, the State Education Department's license-requirements page names the American Midwifery Certification Board examination as the required examination [2]. An NARM certified professional midwife credential, by itself, is not a New York license. Check a license with the Office of the Professions before you hire [1] [2].
Article 140 says a midwife shall have collaborative relationships with a qualified physician, or with a hospital that provides obstetrics, shall keep documentation of those relationships, and shall make that information available to patients [1]. The New York midwife guide has the state-level sources.
What a home birth costs in Ithaca
Ask each practice for a written quote, and compare what the fee includes. Nationally, a 2021 survey of 129 U.S. practices found an average of $4,650, a median of $4,400, and fees from $2,000 to $9,921 [3]. The home birth midwife cost guide has the national survey tables.
New York Medicaid and home birth
Ask your New York Medicaid plan, in writing, whether it pays for a planned home birth, whether the midwife is enrolled, and whether prior authorization is required. Then ask the midwife whether she is enrolled and accepting Medicaid clients.
Medicaid must cover care from certified nurse-midwives in every state [4]. New York's medical assistance regulation on licensed midwife services, 10 NYCRR 85.36, says those services may be provided in a hospital, a treatment and diagnostic center, the midwife's or collaborating physician's office, or the recipient's home [5]. The New York Medicaid home birth page has the state-specific sources.
Hospitals nearby
A hospital being near you does not mean a given midwife transfers there. Ask each midwife which hospital she uses and who goes with you if you transfer.
Hospitals with an Ithaca mailing address include Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca at 101 Dates Drive.
Questions to ask a midwife in Ithaca
When you call, these are the questions that matter most in Ithaca:
- Ask whether she serves your Ithaca area, including if you live elsewhere in Tompkins County.
- Ask which hospital she uses if you transfer, and whether she has worked with Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca.
- Ask her to confirm a current New York State Education Department midwife license, and check it with the Office of the Professions.
- If you use New York Medicaid, ask in writing whether the plan pays for a planned home birth with her credential, and ask her whether she is enrolled and accepting Medicaid clients.
- Ask for a written fee quote that lists what is included, and whether she has room around your due date.
For a longer list of questions, see questions to ask a midwife. To get help finding a midwife, use the free matching form.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a home birth midwife cost in Ithaca?
Ask each practice for a written quote, and compare what the fee includes. Nationally, a 2021 survey of 129 U.S. practices found an average of $4,650, a median of $4,400, and fees from $2,000 to $9,921.
Does Medicaid cover home birth in New York?
Ask your New York Medicaid plan, in writing, whether it pays for a planned home birth, whether the midwife is enrolled, and whether prior authorization is required. Then ask the midwife whether she is enrolled and accepting Medicaid clients. Medicaid must cover care from certified nurse-midwives in every state. New York's medical assistance regulation on licensed midwife services, 10 NYCRR 85.36, says those services may be provided in a hospital, a treatment and diagnostic center, the midwife's or collaborating physician's office, or the recipient's home.
How many midwives are in Ithaca?
Ithaca itself has two midwives. No other New York midwives practice within about 40 miles. Check each one's license with the State Education Department, and ask about her availability for your due date.
Does every listed Ithaca midwife attend home births?
No. A listing does not tell you whether she currently attends home births, serves your area, holds a current license, or has an opening. Ask her those questions directly.
What should I confirm before contacting an Ithaca midwife?
Confirm a New York State Education Department midwife license before you hire, and ask about home birth services, whether she serves your Ithaca area, fees, insurance, and availability around your due date.
How do I choose the best midwife in Ithaca, NY?
There is no official ranking of midwives, and Home Birth Partners does not rank the practices it lists. Families usually compare current license status, home birth experience, the emergency transfer plan and receiving hospital, fees and what they include, and availability around the due date. New York issues a single Licensed Midwife credential through the State Education Department under Education Law Article 140, covering both nurse-midwifery and direct-entry pathways since 1992. Verify each midwife's license before hiring. Our midwife interview guide lists questions to ask.
Are there other New York midwives close to Ithaca?
No other New York midwives practice within about 40 miles of Ithaca. Hamilton has one midwife, about 56 miles away, outside that range. Ask each Ithaca practice whether your address is inside her service area.
Sources
- New York Education Law Article 140, Professional Midwifery Practice Act (sections 6951 to 6955), as published by the New York State Education Department Office of the Professions, and the Office of the Professions midwifery license lookup. https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/midwifery/laws-rules-regulations/article-140 and https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/midwifery
- New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions. Midwifery license requirements, including the American Midwifery Certification Board examination. https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/midwifery/license-requirements
- Anderson and Gilkison. The Cost of Home Birth in the United States. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021 (survey of 129 midwifery practices in 49 states). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8507766/
- Social Security Act § 1905(a)(17), on Medicaid coverage of nurse-midwife services. https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title19/1905.htm
- 10 NYCRR 85.36, Licensed midwife services (medical assistance; where care may be provided, including the recipient's home). https://regs.health.ny.gov/content/section-8536-licensed-midwife-services