Why My Fee Remains the Same for Late-to-Care Transfers

I understand that clients who transfer late into care may wonder why my fee remains the same regardless of when they begin working with me. While I appreciate and welcome families seeking home birth at any stage of pregnancy, I want to clarify why my fee structure does not change for late-to-care transfers.

1. You Are Paying for My Expertise, Not Just a Set Number of Prenatal Visits
My fee is not simply a breakdown of the number of prenatal appointments you receive. Instead, it reflects my years of training, experience, and expertise in home birth midwifery, as well as the time and responsibility I take on when accepting you into my care. Whether I see you for one prenatal visit or ten, I still provide the same level of individualized care, risk assessment, birth planning, and on-call availability.

2. A Late Transfer Still Requires Significant Work and Responsibility
Even if you enter care late, I still thoroughly review your medical history, prenatal records, lab results, and ultrasounds to ensure I can safely provide home birth care. This is a time-intensive process that requires my clinical expertise to determine if any additional testing, referrals, or interventions are needed before your birth.
Additionally, I take the time to establish a relationship with you, discuss your birth preferences, and ensure you are prepared for a safe home birth. These steps are essential to providing quality midwifery care, regardless of when you transfer in.

3. If You Transfer at 32 Weeks or Later, Additional Visits Are Required
For any client transferring into care at 32 weeks or later, I require:

✔ Weekly prenatal visits until birth OR
✔ A minimum of four prenatal visits before birth (if possible)

These additional visits help ensure that we have time to establish a complete understanding of your pregnancy, build a relationship, and prepare you for a safe home birth experience.

4. My Fee Reserves My Time on Call for You—Whether for One Day or Five Weeks
When I accept you as a client, I commit to being on call for you 24/7 from 37 weeks until you give birth. This means I adjust my personal and professional life to be ready for your labor at any moment. Some clients birth within a day of entering my care, while others remain under my on-call coverage for four to five weeks.
By keeping my fee consistent, I ensure that my time, energy, and professional responsibility are valued fairly, regardless of how long I am on call for you.

5. I Limit My Client Load for Safety and Personalized Care
I take a limited number of clients per month to ensure I can provide each family with the individualized care and attention they deserve. If I were to discount late transfers, it could encourage people to wait until the last minute, which would lead to financial instability and scheduling challenges.

By maintaining a consistent fee structure, I can continue to provide safe, high-quality home birth care while ensuring fairness to all clients, whether they begin care early or later in pregnancy.

6. My Fee Supports the Full Scope of Home Birth Midwifery Care
Home birth midwifery is about more than just birth-day care. It includes:

✅ Comprehensive prenatal, labor, birth, and postpartum care
✅ A thorough review of your health history and pregnancy records
✅ 24/7 availability for urgent concerns
✅ Professional supplies and emergency equipment
✅ Home visits, newborn care, and postpartum support

All of these services remain the same, whether you transfer at 10 weeks or 37 weeks.

Final Thoughts
​I am honored to support families choosing home birth, and I want every client to feel confident in their care. My fee structure reflects the time, expertise, and commitment I bring to every birth. If financial concerns are an issue, I encourage clients to reach out early so we can discuss payment plans or financial need discounts where applicable.
If you have any further questions, I am happy to discuss them with you!