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Evidence-based guides

Is Home Birth Right for Me?

Deciding whether home birth is right for you is one of the biggest calls you will make during pregnancy. These guides break down the safety data, candidacy criteria, transfer rates, and real-world logistics so you can make that decision with confidence, not guesswork.

Home Birth With Your First Baby (2026 Guide)

Yes, first-time mothers (nulliparous) can plan a home birth, and the data warrants extra caution. The Birthplace in England Study, the large...

What Happens in a Home Birth Emergency?

If a problem develops during home birth, your midwife will either manage it on-site with the equipment and medications she carries, or she'l...

Home Birth Statistics 2026: Safety and Outcomes

CDC counted 55,266 home births in 2023, about 1.5 percent of all U.S. births. For low-risk pregnancies, a 2019 meta-analysis pooling roughly...

Home Birth Transfer Rates: What the Data Shows

Per MANA Stats US data and Birthplace England UK data, intrapartum transfer rates run 22.9-45% for first-time mothers and 7.5-12% for experi...

Home Birth vs Hospital Birth (2026 Comparison)

The two settings differ on six measurable axes, and the safety axis is the one where the published results are least uniform. Birthplace in ...

Planning a Home Birth With a Toddler at Home

Families generally do one of two things: arrange for someone to take the toddler elsewhere during active labor, or keep the child at home wi...

Is Home Birth Safe? What the Research Actually Says (2026)

The research answers this by parity and by health system, so read it that way. Birthplace in England (64,538 low-risk births) found no signi...

Planned Home Birth vs Unassisted Birth: Key Differences

Planned home birth means prenatal care, birth attendance, and postpartum care from a licensed midwife. Across 129 US practices in 49 states,...

What Does a Home Birth Midwife Do?

A home birth midwife provides your prenatal care, attends your labor and birth at home, monitors you and your baby, and provides postpartum ...

Am I a Good Candidate for Home Birth?

There is no single national checklist. ACOG names fetal malpresentation, multiple gestation, and prior cesarean delivery as absolute contrai...

Why I Attend Home Births

I'm a Certified Nurse-Midwife who has attended births in both hospitals and homes. I attend births at home because the setting shapes labor,...

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Step 1 of 8
When is your baby due?
This tells us if midwives have availability in your window.
Step 2 of 8
Tell us about your pregnancy history
This helps us match you with the right credential and experience level.
Step 3 of 8
Has your provider mentioned any of these?
Select all that apply. These affect which midwives are right for you.
None of these
Twins or more
Placenta previa or low-lying placenta
Preeclampsia or high blood pressure
Gestational diabetes requiring insulin
Step 4 of 8
Have you talked to your doctor or midwife about your interest in home birth?
Most midwives like to know your current provider is in the loop.
Step 5 of 8
What's your insurance situation?
This helps us understand whether insurance fit should be part of the match.
Step 5b of 8
What's your insurance plan name?
This is useful for finding a midwife who can bill your plan, but you can continue if you do not know it yet.
You can find this on your insurance card, your employer's benefits portal, or by calling the member number on the back of your card.
Step 6 of 8
Where are you in your decision?
Helps us prioritize your match request appropriately.
Step 7 of 8
Your details
So we can send you your match and stay in touch.
Step 8 of 8
One last thing
What's drawing you toward a home birth? This helps us find a midwife whose approach matches yours.
Please tell us what's drawing you to home birth. This is the most important part of your referral.
Example: "My hospital birth felt rushed and impersonal. I want to be in my own space, with someone who actually knows my name when I walk in the door."
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Come back once you have a confirmed due date

Most midwives begin taking clients at 8 to 12 weeks. Leave your email and ZIP and we'll send local directory options plus a timing guide.

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Your insurance plan name unlocks the right match

It's a useful detail for billing fit. Leave your email and ZIP and we'll send local directory options while you check your plan name.

How to find your insurance plan
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We'll be here when you're ready

Midwives in your area book out 4 to 6 months. Leave your email and ZIP and we'll send local directory options plus planning guidance while you research.

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Based on your answers, a hospital birth is likely the right setting

This isn't a dead end. A hospital-based CNM can give you a midwife model of care inside a hospital. Here's what to ask your provider.

Read: Am I a good candidate?
Your request is in.
We'll be in touch within 1 to 2 business days.
What we know about your situation
When there is a referral fit, we share your summary only with selected midwives. If not, we send directory listings to contact directly.
Free for families. We only share your details with selected midwives for your request.