Get all the details

FAQ - Frequently asked questions

Birthstone Midwifery provides licensed home birth midwifery care for families throughout Riverside County, the Inland Empire, and San Diego County. These frequently asked questions are designed to help you understand home birth midwifery care, safety considerations, postpartum support, and what it’s like to work with a home birth midwife in Southern California.

  • Home birth midwifery care is a relationship-based model of care that supports healthy, low-risk pregnancies, birth, and postpartum in the comfort of your own home. Care includes comprehensive prenatal visits, continuous support during labor and birth, and in-home postpartum and newborn care after your baby arrives.

    Rather than focusing on routine interventions, home birth midwifery care centers on informed choice, individualized support, and trusting the normal physiology of birth — with safety planning and skilled care always at the forefront.

  • Midwifery care is typically more personal, unhurried, and collaborative than hospital-based care. Prenatal visits are longer, allowing time for education, questions, and relationship-building, and care is centered around you rather than a standardized schedule.

    In contrast to hospital settings where multiple providers may be involved, midwifery care offers continuity — you build a relationship with the same midwife throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. The focus is on informed consent, individualized care, and supporting birth as a normal life event whenever it is safe to do so.

  • Yes, absolutely. First-time parents often thrive in midwifery care because of the time, education, and support built into each visit. Extra guidance, reassurance, and preparation are a natural part of caring for families welcoming their first baby.

    Whether this is your first birth or you’ve given birth before, care is tailored to your unique needs, questions, and experience, so you feel informed, supported, and confident as you prepare for birth.

  • A good candidate for care with Birthstone Midwifery is someone who is seeking a collaborative, relationship-based approach to pregnancy and birth. Home birth works best when families are open to building trust, communicating openly, and partnering together throughout pregnancy, labor, and postpartum.

    Care is designed for healthy, low-risk pregnancies, and families who value informed choice, preparation, and personalized support. Every pregnancy is unique, so we take time during consultation and early care to ensure that home birth is a safe, appropriate, and supportive option for you and your baby.

  • Yes, sometimes circumstances arise during pregnancy or labor that may make a hospital birth the safer option. Ongoing assessment is an important part of midwifery care, and recommendations are always based on current health, clinical findings, and individual needs.

    If home birth is no longer recommended, this is discussed openly and thoughtfully, with your safety and well-being at the center of the conversation. Planning for flexibility is part of responsible care, and having clear options in place helps families move forward with confidence, even if plans change.

  • The best time to reach out is as soon as you know you’re pregnant. As a small, relationship-based midwifery practice, Birthstone Midwifery intentionally supports a limited number of families each month to ensure attentive, unrushed care.

    If midwifery care is something you’re considering, scheduling a free consultation early gives us time to connect, answer questions, and confirm availability before spaces fill.

  • Birthstone Midwifery primarily serves families in Riverside County, the Inland Empire, and San Diego County. In some cases, care may be available slightly outside these areas depending on distance, timing, and overall fit.

    If you’re unsure whether your location falls within the service area, you’re always welcome to reach out. We’re happy to talk through logistics and help you determine whether care is a good match.

  • Birthstone Midwifery is currently a direct-pay practice and does not bill insurance directly at this time. We are in the process of becoming a Medi-Cal provider and pursuing contracts with IEHP and Community Health, though these agreements are not yet in place.

    Some families are still able to receive partial reimbursement. We can work with PPO insurance plans as an out-of-network provider and accept many Christian health share plans. We’re happy to help guide you through understanding your options and determining what coverage or reimbursement may be available to you.

  • If a hospital transfer becomes necessary, I coordinate care and communicate with the hospital team to ensure a smooth transition. Transfers are handled calmly and professionally, with your safety and wellbeing as the priority.

  • I provide licensed home birth midwifery care to families in Riverside County, the Inland Empire, and San Diego County. If you’re unsure whether you’re within my service area, feel free to reach out.

  • Postpartum care includes in-home visits to support maternal recovery, newborn assessments, feeding support, emotional wellbeing, and family adjustment. Care continues through the early weeks after birth to ensure you and your baby are thriving.

  • Postpartum care with Birthstone Midwifery is comprehensive and centered on both you and your baby. Care includes multiple in-home visits in the early weeks after birth to support physical healing, emotional well-being, feeding, and newborn adjustment.

    Visits focus on monitoring your recovery, answering questions, offering reassurance, and providing guidance as you transition into life with your baby. Care is designed to feel supportive, unhurried, and responsive during this important time.

  • Postpartum care begins immediately after birth and continues through the early weeks, with structured visits during the first month and a final postpartum visit around six weeks. Because healing and adjustment don’t follow a strict timeline, additional support and visits are available as needed.

    Birthstone Midwifery remains a consistent point of care during this transition, ensuring you feel supported, informed, and cared for as you recover and settle into parenthood.

  • Yes. Breastfeeding or chestfeeding support is an important part of postpartum care. Support begins in the early hours after birth and continues throughout the postpartum period as questions or challenges arise.

    Care includes hands-on guidance, assessment of feeding and latch, and ongoing encouragement as you and your baby learn together. Referrals to additional lactation support are also available when needed.

  • Newborn care includes regular assessments of your baby’s health and well-being, weight checks, feeding evaluation, and a comprehensive head-to-toe newborn exam. Routine newborn screening is offered according to state guidelines, including metabolic screening and screening for Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD).

    Newborn hearing screening is not provided in-home; however, families are given guidance on how and where to complete hearing screening after birth if desired.

  • Yes. Payment plans are available to help make care more accessible. A deposit is collected at the start of care, with the remaining balance divided into payments throughout pregnancy.

    The full balance is due by 36 weeks of pregnancy. Payment options and timing can be discussed during your consultation so we can find a plan that feels manageable and clear for your family.

Still have questions about home birth or midwifery care? I’m happy to help.

Ask Your Midwife