FAQs

Commonly Asked Questions:

General Questions

General Questions:

Who is a good candidate for home birth?

Home birth is a wonderful option for healthy, low-risk pregnancies (95% of mothers!). Ideal candidates are women with uncomplicated medical histories who desire a natural, low-intervention birth. During your prenatal care, we’ll review your health history, labs, and overall wellness to ensure home birth is a safe option for you and your baby. If any concerns arise, we can make a collaborative plan that prioritizes your safety and wishes.

What is a midwife, and how is care different than an OB/GYN?

A midwife is a trained healthcare provider who specializes in caring for women during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period as well as healthy newborns. Midwives view birth as a natural, physiologic process , not a medical event, and provide care that’s personal, continuous, and centered around informed decision making.

While OB/GYNs are physicians who focus on managing medical or surgical complications, midwives focus on supporting normal pregnancy and birth with as few interventions as possible. We spend more time in appointments (an hour vs. 5-15 minutes), offer education and emotional support, and encourage you to be an active participant in your care. If medical concerns arise, we work collaboratively with physicians and hospitals to ensure safe, seamless care.

What are the benefits of choosing a midwife for pregnancy and birth?

Families who choose midwifery care often describe it as deeply personal, empowering, and respectful. Some of the benefits include:

• Personalized attention: Longer, unrushed visits with time to ask questions and build trust.

• Continuity of care: You know exactly who will be with you during your birth.

• Evidence-based support: Lower rates of induction, cesarean, and interventions.

• Holistic care: Focus on nutrition, mental health, and overall well-being, not just lab results.

• Empowered experience: Midwives honor your intuition and involve you in every decision.

Midwifery care supports both safety and confidence; creating space for birth to unfold naturally, with skilled guidance when needed.

What kind of training and credentials do midwives have?

Midwives are highly trained professionals who specialize in normal pregnancy and birth. The specific credentials can vary:

• Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) are nationally credentialed and trained specifically for out-of-hospital birth settings.

• Licensed Midwives (LMs) are regulated by their state and meet rigorous education and clinical experience requirements.

• Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) are registered nurses with graduate-level training in midwifery and often practice in hospital settings.

All midwives complete extensive clinical training, maintain certifications in CPR and neonatal resuscitation, and follow strict safety standards. Ongoing education and peer review ensure midwives stay current with best practices in maternal and newborn care. Cradle Midwifery is run by Sarah Bausman, a proud CPM, LM.

What’s the difference between a midwife and a doula?

A midwife is a licensed healthcare provider who offers clinical care throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Midwives monitor your health and your baby’s wellbeing, order labs, provide clinical assessments, catch babies, manage emergencies, and ensure safety during the entire process.

A doula, on the other hand, is a non-clinical support person who provides emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy, labor, and early postpartum. Doulas help with comfort measures, advocacy, and emotional reassurance, but they do not (and should not) provide medical care, deliver babies, or make clinical decisions.

Many families choose to have both a midwife and a doula. It’s a wonderful combination! Your midwife focuses on the clinical and safety aspects of birth, while your doula focuses on continuous comfort and emotional support. Together, they create a calm, nurturing, and empowered birth environment.

What’s your philosophy about birth?

I believe birth is a natural, physiological process that unfolds best when undisturbed, supported, and respected. My philosophy centers on holistic care, informed choice, trust in the body’s innate wisdom, and honoring birth as a sacred life event, not a medical emergency waiting to happen. My role is to provide clinical expertise and emotional grounding, allowing you to birth in confidence, safety, and peace.

What makes your practice unique?

Clients often tell me that my care feels deeply personal, balanced between being lighthearted and thorough, and a mix between modern safety and traditional wisdom.

I value real connection, taking the time to listen, explain, and individualize care. My background as a holistic midwife means you’ll receive evidence-based medical care combined with natural wellness support, emotional attunement, and an environment of trust. Every birth is unique, your care should be too.

I don't practice midwifery for quantity. I love what I do and try to practice as sustainably as possible, without compromising my clients, myself, or my family for this sacred work.

Prenatal Care

Prenatal Care:

How often will I have appointments?

Generally, appointments are every 4 weeks until 28 weeks, then every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, then weekly until 40 weeks, and as needed beyond that. That said if there are any concerns, in between visits are a real thing.

When should I start prenatal care?

Some moms want to start care earlier, some later. My preference is between 8-12 weeks. That said, there's flexibility for specific needs or circumstances.

Where do visits happen?

At home! Cradle Midwifery does not have an office, and for good reason. Home is where the heart is, and visits (including with labs) can be done from the comfort of your own home.

Do you offer labs or other testing?

Absolutely! Labs are information to help navigate your care, whether it be nutritional recommendations, or problem solving symptoms.

Labs can be done in home (Bonus points to your midwife for that phlebotomy certification paying off after all.)

Ultrasounds are referred out to our lovely friends at Boise Ultrasound Company, where a homey environment is provided combined with professionalism and quality care.

Both labs and ultrasounds can be cash pay or billed to insurance.

What wellness support do you offer?

I love this question! I'm all about nutrition, movement, and problem solving stress for your best life, not just pregnancy. My philosophy is preventative; treat with nutrition, then supplements, then medication. Treat with movement and lifestyle changes.

Labor and Birth

Labor and Birth:

Do you do water birth?

Yes! Water birth is a wonderful option for pain relief, whether in your own tub or one of our rented birth tub kits. We utilize Earthside Pools (the pretty white ones) because they're a local business, high quality, a great size, and comfortable.

When do you come in labor?

This is dependent on so many factors! Is your water broken? Can you walk and talk with/without pausing during contractions? Are you a first time mom? What signs/symptoms are you having? How far away do we live from each other? How's the weather? Etc.

Ideally, active labor, when contractions are stronger, longer, and harder to breathe through. If you're hoping for or wanting support earlier, a doula is your best option for that continuous support peace! Your midwife team should be well rested, so we can support you best for the most critically important stages of labor, birth, and the immediate postpartum.

How hands on/hands off are you?

My general approach is hands off, if it's not broke don't fix it. This includes a very low intervention approach (I don't break water and I don't routinely do cervical checks (unless indicated or asked for). That said, I am trained to step in when things fall outside of normal.

Any intervention, including a position change, is with the goal to bring things back to normal if possible.

What equipment do you bring to a home birth?

You’d be surprised how well-equipped a home birth can be! I bring:

• Medical supplies like a Doppler for listening to baby’s heart rate, blood pressure cuff, thermometer, and newborn scale.

• Birth tools such as sterile instruments, IV supplies (if needed), oxygen, anti-hemorrhagic medications, and suturing materials.

• Emergency equipment for neonatal resuscitation, and hemorrhages.

• Comfort items like a birth stool and rebozo.

  That said, I can't carry all the things, which is why you'll have a homebirth supply list to have ready for birth.

How do you handle emergencies or transfers to the hospital?

In the rare event a transfer becomes necessary, we already have a clear plan in place. We talk in real time about what's going on, I communicate directly with the receiving hospital and provider to ensure continuity of care, send records, and I do by best to remain with you through the transition for advocacy and support.

My focus is on a smooth, respectful process so you continue to feel informed and supported every step of the way, while respecting that we're seeking a higher level of care for a reason.

How do you manage pain relief at home?

First and foremost, labor is a mindset. I require my first time moms to hire a doula, because if your goal is a home birth and doula is only going to help you meet that goal.

There are many effective, natural ways to cope with contractions. A calm envrionment, rest, water immersion (in the tub or birth pool), movement, massage, counterpressure, rebozo techniques, essential oils, and guided breathing are all powerful tools

The peaceful home setting itself often reduces stress and pain significantly.