Home Birth & Holistic Midwifery Care
Beth A Karberg, RM CPM MS
Beth A Karberg, RM CPM MS
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| Midwifery Services Provided Include: Complementary Interview A one-hour appointment is available free of charge to give us a chance to meet and get acquainted, answer any questions that you have, and find out what midwifery care feels like in person! I strongly urge partners to come to the interview appointment. You need to make the choice of a care provider and place of birth together, and I need to know that both you and your partner are committed to the midwifery model of care if that is what you choose. Preconception Consultations A 1-2 hour appointment is available to discuss preparing for a healthy pregnancy, getting to know your fertility signs, and natural methods for supporting optimal fertility. |
| Fees Please contact me for specific, current information about fees for midwifery care. Payment Plans We typically work out a payment plan at the first prenatal visit, outlining the total fee to be paid and a schedule of monthly payments. I also accept credit card payments through PayPal; a 6% service charge is added for this payment option. Insurance Coverage While I require payment for midwifery care to be completed by a month before the due date, many health insurance plans will reimburse you for a portion of these fees after the birth of your baby. Health insurance plans that include maternity coverage with out-of-network benefits are likely to cover the costs of midwifery care for a home birth. If you have such insurance or health care coverage, my billing service will submit claims to your insurance company. I contract with a professional midwifery billing service to get the maximum reimbursement possible, and to allow midwives to focus on providing quality care. Colorado State University student health insurance covers fees for midwifery care and home birth, as do plans with out-of-network coverage offered to employees of HP and Poudre School District. I also accept payment through the CHP+ prenatal program. If you do not qualify for Medicaid, but also do not have health insurance through your work, you may qualify for the CHP+ program. For more info see www.cchp.org. Alternate payment arrangements In order to make home birth accessible to those who would not otherwise be able to afford midwifery care, I accept an extended payment schedule, or barter for partial payment, for a limited number of committed, Medicaid qualified clients. Please talk to me if you would like to apply for an alternate payment option. |
| Midwifery Care in Northern Colorado For More Info Please Call: 970.498.9460 |
Postpartum Care
Your midwife will visit you in your home 2 or 3 times during the first week after the baby is born. This intensive follow-
up care provides you with the best support available for successful breastfeeding, and encourages you to get the rest
that you need during this amazing time. Two more office visits are scheduled for around 2-3 weeks and 5-6 weeks
after the birth. More visits will be scheduled if needed.
Newborn Care
Midwives provide care for healthy newborns for the first six weeks after birth. I provide a complete newborn exam
following the birth, and then monitor the baby’s growth and well-being at each postpartum visit. I respect the rights of
parents to make decisions about their child’s care. Education is provided to help you make informed choices about
routine medical treatments such as antibiotic eye ointment, vitamin K injections, and vaccines. Since I respect the
perfect and acutely sensitive nature of each newborn, I discourage circumcision (see more info in the circumcision
section). I offer the newborn metabolic screen test (PKU) and expanded newborn screen, and can do these tests in
your home. I file all paperwork necessary for your baby’s birth certificate.
Lactation Consultations
I provide additional visits as needed to support successful breastfeeding as part of my midwifery care. I am also
available for in-home or office lactation consultation for women who have given birth in the hospital.
Well-Woman Care
Lab tests, cultures, STD screens, breast exams, and natural options for treating minor vaginal infections are a part of
routine prenatal care. Pap tests are recommended at 3 to 6 months following the birth and can be scheduled at the
last postpartum visit. I also offer consultations on charting your cycle and using fertility awareness for either planning
or preventing conception.
High Risk Pregnancy: What is outside of the scope of midwifery care?
The vast majority of pregnant women are “low risk” and midwifery care is a safe and appropriate option for them.
Pregnant women with the following conditions require the care of an obstetrician: diabetes, hypertension, cardiac
disease or pulmonary disease that interferes with activities of daily living, history of thrombophlebitis or pulmonary
embolism, blood dyscrasias (i.e. sickle cell anemia), seizures within the past year, HIV positive, hepatitis B positive, or
current addictions to drugs or alcohol. Complications can also develop during pregnancy that require transferring
care to an obstetrician: signs of pre-eclampsia, twins, breech presentation at the onset of labor, or pre-term labor
(before 37 weeks). Pregnancies that continue beyond 42 weeks also require consultation with a physician. If you
have any questions about whether or not midwifery care and home birth are an appropriate option for you to consider,
please call!
Your midwife will visit you in your home 2 or 3 times during the first week after the baby is born. This intensive follow-
up care provides you with the best support available for successful breastfeeding, and encourages you to get the rest
that you need during this amazing time. Two more office visits are scheduled for around 2-3 weeks and 5-6 weeks
after the birth. More visits will be scheduled if needed.
Newborn Care
Midwives provide care for healthy newborns for the first six weeks after birth. I provide a complete newborn exam
following the birth, and then monitor the baby’s growth and well-being at each postpartum visit. I respect the rights of
parents to make decisions about their child’s care. Education is provided to help you make informed choices about
routine medical treatments such as antibiotic eye ointment, vitamin K injections, and vaccines. Since I respect the
perfect and acutely sensitive nature of each newborn, I discourage circumcision (see more info in the circumcision
section). I offer the newborn metabolic screen test (PKU) and expanded newborn screen, and can do these tests in
your home. I file all paperwork necessary for your baby’s birth certificate.
Lactation Consultations
I provide additional visits as needed to support successful breastfeeding as part of my midwifery care. I am also
available for in-home or office lactation consultation for women who have given birth in the hospital.
Well-Woman Care
Lab tests, cultures, STD screens, breast exams, and natural options for treating minor vaginal infections are a part of
routine prenatal care. Pap tests are recommended at 3 to 6 months following the birth and can be scheduled at the
last postpartum visit. I also offer consultations on charting your cycle and using fertility awareness for either planning
or preventing conception.
High Risk Pregnancy: What is outside of the scope of midwifery care?
The vast majority of pregnant women are “low risk” and midwifery care is a safe and appropriate option for them.
Pregnant women with the following conditions require the care of an obstetrician: diabetes, hypertension, cardiac
disease or pulmonary disease that interferes with activities of daily living, history of thrombophlebitis or pulmonary
embolism, blood dyscrasias (i.e. sickle cell anemia), seizures within the past year, HIV positive, hepatitis B positive, or
current addictions to drugs or alcohol. Complications can also develop during pregnancy that require transferring
care to an obstetrician: signs of pre-eclampsia, twins, breech presentation at the onset of labor, or pre-term labor
(before 37 weeks). Pregnancies that continue beyond 42 weeks also require consultation with a physician. If you
have any questions about whether or not midwifery care and home birth are an appropriate option for you to consider,
please call!
Prenatal Care
I provide complete care for pregnant women, including the lab testing that together we decide is appropriate for you. I
prefer to start care early in your pregnancy. Initial appointments are typically two hours long, routine prenatal
appointments are one hour long. This time gives us an opportunity to get to know each other, discuss your questions
and concerns, provide education about health care options, support good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, as well as
perform the routine monitoring of mother and the growing baby. Prenatal appointments are scheduled every 4 weeks
for through 28 weeks of your pregnancy, every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, then weekly until you have the baby. A home
visit is scheduled around 36 weeks.
I provide complete care for pregnant women, including the lab testing that together we decide is appropriate for you. I
prefer to start care early in your pregnancy. Initial appointments are typically two hours long, routine prenatal
appointments are one hour long. This time gives us an opportunity to get to know each other, discuss your questions
and concerns, provide education about health care options, support good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, as well as
perform the routine monitoring of mother and the growing baby. Prenatal appointments are scheduled every 4 weeks
for through 28 weeks of your pregnancy, every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, then weekly until you have the baby. A home
visit is scheduled around 36 weeks.
Labor and Birth
Two midwives attend each birth. The primary midwife will be in contact
with you by phone from the beginning of labor, and may check in once
or twice in the early stages. Once you are in active labor, a midwife will
be with you to provide one-on-one support and monitoring. After the
baby is born, I help you get settled, prepare a meal, enjoy a soothing
herbal bath with your newborn, get started breastfeeding, and clean up.
If complications arise and you need to transfer to the hospital in labor,
a midwife will go with you to provide support throughout labor and your
first breastfeeding.
Two midwives attend each birth. The primary midwife will be in contact
with you by phone from the beginning of labor, and may check in once
or twice in the early stages. Once you are in active labor, a midwife will
be with you to provide one-on-one support and monitoring. After the
baby is born, I help you get settled, prepare a meal, enjoy a soothing
herbal bath with your newborn, get started breastfeeding, and clean up.
If complications arise and you need to transfer to the hospital in labor,
a midwife will go with you to provide support throughout labor and your
first breastfeeding.
