Giving Birth on The Farm

Numerous studies have been done to determine the safety of out-of-hospital birth. All of these studies have shown that home or birthcenter birth with a skilled attendant are just as safe, and in some instances, safer than hospital birth for healthy, low-risk women.

In fact, the countries in the world with the best birth statistics are those in which midwives are the primary caregivers for pregnant women and the home birth rate is much higher than in the United States.

Of course, there are some situations in which the hospital is the best place for a woman to have her baby, and for these situations, we are grateful to have the hospital as an option. Part of what makes community birth safe is having a collaborative relationship with hospital-based providers to allow for a smooth transfer of care should acute care become necessary.

But the fact is, out-of-hospital birth is a safe alternative to hospital birth for the vast majority of pregnant people.

If you are healthy, carrying one baby in a head-down position, and free of major complications such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or placenta previa, you are likely a candidate. We recommend scheduling a consultation to discuss your individual situation.

We specialize in caring for healthy, low-risk people experiencing normal pregnancies. During your initial consultation, we’ll review your health history to make sure The Farm Midwifery Center is the right fit for you. If higher-risk concerns arise during your care, we’ll help connect you with collaborative providers or hospital-based care as needed.

Please visit our Contact page and fill in the Contact form.

The Farm Midwifery Center does not file insurance directly. However, some of our midwives work with an experienced medical biller who can help clients with PPO plans that have out-of-network maternity benefits. In many cases, this biller can obtain pre-approval and assist you in receiving partial reimbursement after care.

We also provide detailed receipts (superbills) that you may submit to your insurance company, HSA, or FSA for reimbursement. Many families combine these options with payment plans, which are available upon request.

While most of our clients live within a 100-mile radius of our community, we often work with clients who come from long distances.

This brings up the question of prenatal care. There are several options:

Receiving prenatal care from a physician or midwife in your area.

Tele-health appointments.

An in-person visit in the beginning and then the remaining appointments when you arrive here.

We will need copies of all your records, sonograms, and lab reports.

People often bring their other children. We require that you arrange for a care provider to be present for the sibling(s). It is important for the laboring person and their partner to be able to keep their attention focused. Sometimes people hire a local doula or have a friend or relative that comes along to assist them. There are many close by BnB’s that can accommodate your family or friends.

Sorry. Our facilities are unable to accommodate pets.

We provide a supply list, including a birth kit with items specific to out-of-hospital birth. Some items (like the birth pool liner) are ordered ahead of time, while others (like towels, blankets, and snacks) you can bring from home.

Yes, we welcome doulas, photographers, and other members of your birth team. Please let us know in advance so we can make space for them to support you.

The Farm Midwifery Center is unable to accommodate general visitors. However, to schedule an in-person prenatal consult with a midwife, please message us and ask for a particular midwife or for next available.

The Farm Midwives do host an annual picnic, a meet-and-greet and a reunion with clients, the first weekend in May. Additionally, please follow our Facebook and Instagram page for more events.

Traveling Midwife? Use the message section of the contact page to connect with us, and please include when you might be in Tennessee.

The Farm Community is open to visitors. For a self-guided tour, stop at the Welcome Center to get a map, or to schedule a guided tour contact the Welcome Center 931-964-3574.

Comments are closed.