FINDING A NURSE-MIDWIFE

Contact community resources--birthing centers, hospitals, the La Leche League--for recommendations. Or call the American College of Nurse-Midwives in Washington, D.C., (202) 289-0171; it maintains a list of certified nurse-midwives.

* Personally interview the midwives being considered. (This generally is a free consultation.)

* Ask for professional and patient references; ask about experience.

* Who are her back-up--physicians and hospitals--and how often are they used?

* If the midwife works primarily with births at home or in birth centers, how many patients are transferred to hospitals? If it’s close to half, that’s too many. If it’s none, that’s too few.

* What is her rate of Cesarean sections? 10% to 15% is acceptable.

* If the midwife practices alone, how busy is she? If she assists more than 10 births a month, she might be burned out.

* When does she use medications during labor?

* Is she covered by malpractice insurance?

Source: Laura Denman, R.N., C.N.M., American College of Nurse-Midwives .