MARKETING TIPS FOR MIDWIVES
Marketing a Midwifery Practice is Incredibly Important. You can have the greatest product in the world, but this doesn’t matter if no one knows you exist. Admittedly there are midwives whose practices are well established and they are content with their current client volumes. But there are many others who are just starting out or who want to expand their outreach, perhaps even add another midwife to their team. If you want to your practice to grow, this post is for you. Many midwives have tight budgets and opt to do their own marketing to save on costs. This might save money at the outset but isn’t the best strategy for the long term. I challenge you to think about how much faster your practice could grow with a proper marketing campaign run by an expert. Budget a portion of your overhead to marketing from the beginning. A rough estimate is that 5% of your incoming revenue should go towards marketing until you hit the point where you have a waiting list or don’t want to continue expanding. The Majority of Midwifery Clients are 20- 35 Years Old and Born in the Digital Era, so most are Very Tech Savvy. They can probably be found on social media platforms every day. In today’s world there are many ways to reach them. You can create very affordable, highly impactful marketing campaigns with a great website and by engaging on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube to promote your services. Posting on some of these is ostensibly free but can consume a lot of your time, while other platforms have a cost associated when you create ads or provide content to be widely distributed. Depending on your skill set and time constraints, it may make sense to hire a marketer whose job is to manage these for you. The way that I look at it, if a midwife can hire someone for less than $100/hr it is worth the investment – this saves the midwife from having to do the research and actively engage in the project; that time can be better spent seeing clients and being at births. Our time is our most valuable asset, and we, as midwives, should focus on midwifery, not on building a website or keeping up with social media. Before Starting a Marketing Campaign you First Want to Assess the Community you’re Trying to Reach. This will be essential as you design your logo and plan for the type of branding you want, to guarantee that your outreach conveys both your services and your overall mission. The next step is to decide where to direct your marketing budget to get the best “bang for the buck.” Think about where you are at now with your practice and where you want to go. Do you want to expand current resources, add to your team, or introduce new services to the community? Do you want to transition from a home birth practice to a birth center practice? Do you want to transition from cash paying clients to insurance contracted clients? There are many things to consider, and having an expert as part of your team will make those answers easier to find. There are also great resources available to help with marketing, even marketing companies specific to the midwifery business; Messmer Marketing and Wild World Momma are among my favorites. If you’re not yet ready to hire a marketing company, you can start small by getting in the habit of running simple marketing campaigns aimed at finding your ideal clients and expanding your service market. Make a goal of networking with at least one new person every week. Send out a survey to past clients to ask how your practice might better fit the community’s needs. Run an ad in your local newspaper’s online platform. Set aside an hour each week to visit Facebook groups aimed at midwifery-minded potential clients where you can promote your expertise and direct them towards your services. Small and simple acts such as these, especially when done consistently and purposeful in nature, can have a big impact on any midwifery practice. If this post has roused your interest, please consider taking this great online course that expands upon the many ways to market a midwifery practice on any budget: 50 Ways to Market a Midwifery Practice | Empowering Midwifery (teachable.com)
Marketing for a Midwifery Business
Marketing Midwifery Business The activities and success of your midwifery business will depend on numerous organized factors that are being continuously analyzed. One important factor is marketing. Marketing plays a major role in establishing and maintaining relationships between your midwifery business and your clients. However, the scope of marketing activities is rather broad, and the role of various types of marketing activities heavily depends on the characteristics and images of your midwifery business that you want to portray. The bottom line of your midwifery business as well as other businesses out there is “to make money” and marketing is an essential part of attaining that end. Although, most midwives’ goal is to provide the best care services to the mothers, how can we provide the “best” if we cannot finance our business itself? So, it is easier to meet halfway within our goals, to provide the best services to our clients we have to earn income and by earning means, we have the capacity to provide the “best” services that we desire. Marketing is not just about paying fees for advertisement. Marketing is everywhere. You can have it on your own website or through online communities (which is what most businesses use for now). You can also have on one talks with your prospective clients. Additionally, you may market your business through flyers, brochures, postcards, and even in a newspaper, anything that works perfectly fine for you. Here are 8 steps that you can practice in marketing your own midwifery business. 1. Conduct market research When starting your own midwifery business, it is essential to conduct market research beforehand. Market research is a key part of developing your market strategy. It is about collecting information that provides an insight into your customer’s thinking, and location. “What services do they need the most?” “Where is the best place to establish your business?” “How do you view your competition in all directions?” These are a few questions you can study when conducting your market research. It is clear that market research is vital when developing your marketing strategy before starting your own midwifery business. It provides great insights into your business and the wider marketplace. 2. Profile your target markets Trying to promote your midwifery service to everyone can be costly and ineffective. Grouping or segmenting your potential customers based on certain characteristics will help to focus your marketing efforts. Generally, segmentation is based on factors such as: a. Geography – location b. Demographics – age, gender, education level, income, occupation c. Behavior – loyalty, attitude d. Lifestyle – social class, personality, personal values. Your target market should have a need for your product or service and be willing to pay for your offer. 3. Develop your business brand Every business, regardless of size, is likely to need a brand. A brand is more than a logo, color or tagline. A well-articulated brand emotionally connects with your target customers and conveys who you are, what you stand for and what you can deliver. 4. Choose your marketing avenues While there are many available options, consider your target audience when you are determining which to use. Options include a business website, social media, blogging, brochure and flyers, networking events, print advertising, word of mouth, cold calling and letter drops. 5. Set your goals and budget Marketing goals will help you to define what you want to achieve through your marketing activities. Your goals should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bounded). You will also need to allocate a budget to your marketing activities. Your marketing budget will need to include elements such as: · Website development and maintenance · Search engine optimization strategy · Design of branding Printing of promotional material (business cards, brochures, signage, etc.) Advertising Donations and sponsorships Employing staff to undertake marketing activities. TIP : As a general rule of thumb you should spend between three and five percent of your actual or expected annual turnover on marketing. If your business is new you may need to allocate more funds initially to build your business profile. 6. Nurture your loyal customers Your customers are the key to your success so it is important to look after them and encourage loyalty. Providing exceptional customer service can keep people coming back and set you apart from your competitors. Strategies to build loyalty in customers include: · Communicating regularly with customers through social media, blogs or e-news · Providing after-sale follow up Delivering on your promises Going the ‘extra mile’ and providing benefits that exceed initial expectations Using feedback and complaints as an opportunity to improve services Listening to customers Training staff in customer service and basic sales processes. 7. Monitor and review It is important to regularly monitor and review your marketing activities to determine whether they are achieving the desired outcome, such as increased sales. Initially you should review your marketing plan every three months to ensure your activities are supporting your strategy. Once your business becomes more established review your plan when you introduce a new product or service, if a new competitor enters the market or if an issue arises that affects your industry. Monitoring activities may include reviewing your sales figures on a regular basis (monthly) or monitoring customer activity during an advertising campaign. You can also access and review free analytic tools to determine the effectiveness of your social media or website campaigns. The first step is always indeed the hardest part. Hence, you will never go wrong if you know the path you are taking. Take some time to study. Don’t hesitate to look for people who can greatly contribute in your business. You’re on the right track! You’ve worked hard to build up your practice. Now, you need to figure out how to get people to hear about it! The right marketing is what will set you apart from other local practices. While there are a ton of marketing firms out there claiming they can help, it can be hard to find someone who understands
Maria King, CNM Extraordinaire!
I am starting to interview midwives all over the country about their practices and tips they have for aspiring midwives. Maria King, CNM founder of The Natural Birth Place in San Bernardino, California is a perfect example of a fighter for normal birth options! She has been a Certified Nurse Midwife since 1995. She started out in United Kingdom, moved to Florida and then California where she was told midwives have more autonomy. It was so lovely to talk with her and gather all the wisdom and inspiration I could from a driven woman! Maria has seen how much better maternity care can be from working with families in Europe. “Care in United States is complete opposite (of United Kingdom),” Maria explained. “It was a cultural shell shock from lies and disrespect women are given here.” Maria started The Natural Birth Place four years ago to give families a normal birth experience outside of the hospital setting. “I didn’t like driving in a car, so the birth center model of care made more sense to me.” She has worked for seventeen years to get hospital privileges and access to continued care for transfers. “I am stubborn and don’t take no for an answer.” If we only had more determined and driven midwives like Maria, the United States medical driven health care system would have a run for its money to keep maternity care dominance from midwives! It’s truly amazing how hard Maria works to serve the families in her community. She has multiple jobs so that she doesn’t have to take an income from her practice. She struggles like many other practices do with insurance reimbursement, insurance credentialing processes, and getting overhead budgets to make sense. She is so positive and looks at these things as barriers to overcome like everything else she has been doing. Maria offers full scope midwifery (she offers newborn care and breastfeeding support) to the families she serves. Her group partners are midwifery students that “hung around” after training. She is currently working on the CABC accreditation process and getting more access for insurance payments. Most of our discussion focused on the challenges that midwives have with getting paid our worth! “An insurance plan will easily pay $50,000 for hospital birth, but not $4,000 for birth center delivery.” Many of her clients do prenatal care at the birth center and transfer to a hospital practice for birth due to insurance reimbursement barriers. I wish we had more Maria’s starting private practices and resisting the temptation of the “easy way” of working for someone else and truly living your life’s passion. Maria ended our call with some great tips to other midwives. “Advice I can give new midwives considering to start a birth center are: have a side income while you are starting your practice in the beginning, get insurance contracts going before starting care, set up business entity and legal documents before seeing clients, and offer diverse services like breastfeeding support and gynecological care.” Other tips that Maria shared were fostering regular communication among the staff, ensuring business partners have regular meetings about finances, business decisions, and strategic planning, and creating a salary model for the midwives (plus providing a bonus system at the end of the year to split the remaining profits.) Maria King, CNM founder of The Natural Birth Place is a shining example of midwives all over the country creating options for families that are more of a challenge to get started, but so worth it in the end. As midwives, we are here to serve families and should inspire each other to push for better options. At Midwifery Business Consultation, we can help you with tools, templates, resources, and guidance in getting your midwifery business foundation set up correctly. Midwifery private practices are possible with support, determination, and passion for normal birth options! https://www.naturalbirthplace.com/
Managing Time For Success in Midwives Continuing Education
Time is both free and valuable; it is not so much that we have it as it is how we use it. Midwifery is a profession in which midwives frequently work under stressful conditions. Time management is concerned with how one manages oneself. One cannot manage time; one can only manage how one uses it. Organizing and prioritizing patient care activities is critical for providing quality care and maintaining personal and professional balance. Setting and attaining goals while using the least amount of time possible is part of managing your time. Good time management skills and approaches are crucial to operating more successfully and concentrating on results. A few advantages of good time management are greater productivity, less stress, higher efficiency, more opportunities for job progress, and more chances to accomplish personal and professional goals. The ability to handle pressure and time constraints while executing a variety of activities throughout the day is a requirement for the nursing profession. It’s crucial to comprehend the value of time management and how to improve it. As midwives, we are aware of the numerous advantages of effective time management. Time management techniques provide more productivity, better job quality, and fewer missed deadlines. With good time management, there is also a greater sense of self-control, an enhanced self-image, and less stress. How to effectively manage your time during continuing education There are important strategies that can improve time management skills, which include organization, prioritization, and delegation. Organization It involves planning out activities that need to be done, including anticipation of how long activities will take. Planning out tasks that need to be completed, including estimating how long they will take, is part of the organization. Finding a list or tool that works best for you can be beneficial. Prior to beginning work, gather all necessary materials, tools, and information (such as policies) to aid in concentration and productivity. Planning can be made more effective by dividing activities into smaller ones and grouping related tasks together. It’s also critical to keep in mind that unforeseen events or circumstances can derail plans. Prioritization can be challenging due to distractions, time restraints, assessment, and various conflicting obligations. Prioritization In midwives is important. It is the process by which potential development items or tasks are ranked in order of importance. Midwives’ activities are viewed in terms of importance and urgency and are based on critical thinking and clinical decision-making skills. Delegation Delegation is defined as the transfer to a competent individual, of the authority to perform a specific task in a specified situation. Accountability is the principle that individuals and organizations are responsible for their actions and may be required to explain them to others. Appropriate delegation of tasks is also an important component of time management. Following up on those delegated activities is needed. It takes practice to acquire effective time management; it doesn’t just happen. Every midwife must locate the resources and techniques that will enable them to successfully manage their time. And when a midwife switches positions, this also needs to be developed again because there needs to be an adjustment to the new work environment and patient group. For inquiries about continuing education contact us here: www.midwiferybusinessconsultation.com or visit our Teachable Courses
Managing Midwifery Burnout
Managing Midwifery Burnout Midwifery burnout is a significant concern that can impact both the well-being of midwives and the quality of care they provide. Effectively managing burnout involves addressing its causes, promoting self-care, and creating a supportive work environment. Have you ever wondered why so many health care professionals, particularly midwives get burnout? It is so sad to me that average career of a midwife is around seven years. Many midwives are divorced and have little contact with their children. Why is this profession push women to want to serve each other, but lose themselves and their families in the process? Professional Burnout I personally had professional burnout about three years and was very close to suicide. It was a very dark time in my life and really appreciate having an amazing support system to help me through it. It made me go back to the basics of life and finding my soul purpose. I loved supporting women and realized the massive educational deficits with business ownership I had (ran a birth center / home birth practice for 4yrs). I took business and financial courses to change the course of my life. This knowledge is now passed along to midwives all over the world. If I hadn’t gone through that rough patch of life, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Whether you are wanting to be proactive and prevent burnout or in the middle of the deep dark hole, I am here for you! Struggles in life make us stronger, more creative, and fight for what we really find most important. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Things do get better when you take action and make change. Change Habits If you don’t like where you are at, do something different and change habits. Find your soul purpose and live it! Life is too short to be keeping a job you don’t like just to pay bills. You can make money doing ANYTHING you love and creating value for others. Look at your career path, family structure, financial assets, and community resources. Reach out to other midwives for help and advice. Many midwives have went through burnout or harder times in life. It is very difficult to be available for women all the time and put your family and self second. Join a group practice. Start exercising, eating well, and sleeping eight hours a night again. Meditation is Great for the Mind and Soul Getting enough water is essential with a busy schedule. If we don’t give our body the proper fuel, how do we expect it to keep up with our dreams and goals in life? Make a vision board and imagine if money and time were no object, what would you and be? Think creatively about how that dream can become a reality. If you want to be a millionaire, you need to create income streams that support that goal (business, real estate, working extra hours, saving money, living within your means, and knowledge). If you want to start a birth center, write down strategic plan to make that a reality. Figure out the barriers present and how you can over come them. Don’t have the money? No problem. Make strong business plan that shows how financially profitable your birth center will be and there won’t be any issue finding a business partner, investor, or bank to loan you money! Think About your Current Life Situation What do you like about it and not? How do you decrease doing what you don’t like and increasing time for your family, hobbies, and passions again? What are past time you used to do and loved, but time seems to limit those opportunities? Start making a schedule of life and cutting out non-essential things draining your precious time. Do you really need to check Facebook and emails five times a day? Do you need to watch TV every night before bed? Do you really need to play that addicting game on your phone any down time? Those are precious minutes that really add up with time for self care, personal development, and achieving your life dreams. Burnout doesn’t have to be the end of your midwifery career. It is a milestone in life of changing course and creating something new with your talents and skills. Life is a journey and we only get to travel it once. Remember that and do what makes you happy. Change habits, routines, and current challenging situation you are in. We are all here to help each other. Create amazing things in this world and be proud of your life! Check out our course on How to Prevent and Recover from Midwifery Burnout
Malpractice Insurance: Scary Subject to Talk about!
In honor of Halloween, I wanted a topic that tends to scare midwives! Being sued and liability risk for obstetrics care. Malpractice insurance is such a mysterious topic among midwives and health care provider as a whole. I am not a expert and would strongly suggest you talk with your malpractice carrier for detailed questions. My goal of this posts is to get you to start thinking about are you really covered how you want to be covered, are you paying a fair price, what are different kinds of malpractice insurance and coverage, and do I “really need it.” Obstetrics is a high litigation field to be practicing in. Even if your births goes perfectly, something may be wrong with the baby down the road developmentally and could be linked to the birth and care during pregnancy. When a midwife is practicing in a community with lack of medical support, doctors can sue midwife or request investigation after a hospital transport. Malpractice insurance can have a clause to have legal support when your license is up for question to a midwifery board. Some states a midwife can be sued up to 18 years after birth has occurred. As your business grows and becomes successful, last things any midwife wants is to lose everything professional and personally from a major lawsuit. We work too hard for our families and they deserve long term asset protection with proper liability coverage. Picking the right business entity, getting with a lawyer for asset protection, and setting up proper safety protocols and collaborative arrangements are vital for liability coverage on top of getting malpractice insurance. I will just go over the basics of malpractice insurance (anyone can google search an article about it before calling a malpractice carrier). Medical malpractice insurance is a type of errors and omission coverage. It protects midwives against claims alleging their negligent acts caused injury to patients. Most medical malpractice coverages are written on claims made forms. A claims-made policy covers claims brought against the insured physician (or other professional) during the policy period. Claims brought after the policy has expired aren’t covered unless you have purchased tail coverage (very expensive). Some medical malpractices coverages are available on occurrence policies. An occurrence policy covers claims arising from acts committed during the policy period no matter when the claim is filed. Claims made many years after the policy has expired may be covered as long as they result from acts committed while the policy was in effect. Limits are important to know the basics about. Medical malpractice policies generally include two limits, an aggregate (annual) limit and an individual limit. Depending on the policy, the latter may apply to each claim or each event. When choosing a limit, consider your specialty and location. There are some states that require any midwife practicing to have malpractice insurance. Many home birth midwives can’t even get affordable coverage. In Michigan, most home birth midwives don’t have it for misunderstandings that I don’t need it, I won’t get sued if I don’t have any money for lawyer to go after, or can’t afford it. Midwifery licensure is very new to Michigan. Before placed, many midwives would say to me I can’t be sued because I don’t have a license in the state. I only care for the Amish, they don’t sue so I don’t have anything to worry about. Many midwives don’t realize that how important malpractice insurance really is. It should be factored into the business budgets as a needed expense. With today’s society being sue happy and obstetrics is a high litigation scope, midwives need to protect themselves. When a poor outcome happens with a mother or baby, it is many times for millions of dollars. Especially if patient doesn’t die, jury looks at the long term costs to care for the injured victim. Make sure your malpractice coverage level is minimum of $1,000,000/$3,000,000 claims made policy.. Find a great carrier in your area to work out a better rate for your specific needs. It is standard for midwives in the hospital and should be part of every midwives private practice model. Doctors will more likely collaborate with you, your business has better chance of long term success, and your anxiety will go down having liability coverage in place. My knowledgeable, great resource Terry Johnson with Coverys is a great resource for Michigan midwives. His contact email address is tjohnson@coverys.com. He isn’t licensed nationwide, but you can definitely contact Coverys customer service to see who is your local representative. I encourage every midwife to protect their license, business, and personal assets by getting malpractice insurance. Our course, Comprehensive Legal Defense Tips for Midwives, is one of the most crucial classes you can take for your practice.
Making a Midwifery Business Plan & Sticking to It
Want to Learn how to Create a Plan and Keep it on Track? Are you a planner and have trouble following through with your plans? Do you have a list of reasons you don’t stick to your plans? It might seem simple to make plans and achieve them. It’s about finding what you want and then doing the work to get it. It doesn’t matter if you are in business or life, knowing how to make a plan is more challenging than it seems. Continue reading to learn how to create a plan and keep it on track. How to Make a Plan and Stick to It The world seems to love throwing monkey wrenches at even the most well-thought-out plans. But, it’s important to stick with your plan if you have made a good plan and taken the time to consider all options. This is the most important thing to remember before you start thinking about how to create a plan and stick with it. Be True to Your Plan Keep your plan true and maintain a positive outlook. You’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals quickly. The right mindset is key. Stay on track and motivated. It doesn’t matter what your ultimate goal may be, it will be easier to achieve it if you keep it in mind. These are some tips and tricks that can help you quickly reach your goals, starting with your first day of planning. Tips on How to Make and Stick to a Plan 1. What Do You Want When creating your plan, the first thing you should do is to identify your end goal. It is important to know exactly what you want before you can determine how to get there. It is important to understand your goals in order to create a plan. You’ll need to take into account certain factors. Set realistic and achievable goals, for example. It might seem like an impossible dream to reach the moon. However, it may not be possible due to current circumstances. Do not set yourself up to fail when there are so many other options available. Be sure to fit your goals within your grand scheme of final expectations. It doesn’t matter if you are talking about your future or how you plan to run your business, it is important to make sure everything fits together. Imagine someone looking for a way of starting a golf business, but the ultimate goal being to open an ice cream shop. It is important to ensure that things are related. To increase your chances of sticking with your plans, set realistic time frames. Although it may be tempting to believe that you could become a millionaire within a matter of days, that is not the case. You should set achievable goals in a specific time frame, so you have something to strive for and a visual indicator of your progress. 2. What Do You Need It is important to have a plan that you stick to and ensure you have everything you need in order to achieve your goals. Make a list of all the things you need to achieve your goals. To execute your plan, create a plan. All you do should be efficient. This will ensure that you exceed your expectations far faster than you could have imagined. You should ensure that you have enough products in your inventory if you plan on offering sales or promotions. 3. Use lists Layout lists with smaller points that you can highlight or cross off to give you a visual cue toward your goals. This will not only be very satisfying for your mental health but will also help you keep track of what is still to be done. These lists can be used for both daily planning and overall planning. You can keep them up on the back of a door or wall to remind you of what you need. Give your list a timeline such as “Monday’s List” and “Weekly List”. This allows you to set a time limit within which you can complete each task on the list. It’s easy to let things slide if you don’t have a time frame. Keeping things simple like this will help you achieve your goals more easily. Make sure to take advantage of their potential by making it something you enjoy returning to often. 4. Surround yourself with the Right People You can easily plan and stick to your plans when you have the right people around you. A great team of employees can make a huge difference in the success of your business Make them aware of your goals and they will be more open to working with you in achieving them. Negative people can make you feel like a failure. You’ll be able to make plans and stick to them if you surround yourself with optimism and drive. You can help yourself stay on track by having quality staff to assist you. These people will inspire and motivate you to continue your journey every day. They will help you stay focused on your goals and eliminate any negative thoughts. You create a team with them by making them part of your strategy. Give yourself that support when you are most in need. 5. Success Plan Instead of preparing for the worst, prepare for the best. You’ll be more likely to set bigger goals if you make plans in moments of positivity. This will help you stick to your goals and get you closer to your goal. You will make your goal a success story if you aren’t only sticking to your plan but also trying to exceed it. Give yourself the motivation that you need by telling yourself that all these things will happen for you. 6. Believe in Yourself Now that you have a plan in place and know how you will stick to it, what’s the next step? To achieve all you have planned, believe in yourself. You will be successful if you believe
Locum Midwifery Options
Locum Midwifery Options Are you a midwife seeking a flexible and dynamic career path? Are you interested in exploring different practice settings and experiencing diverse patient populations? If so, locum (traveling) midwifery might be the perfect option for you! In this blog post, we will delve into the world of locum midwifery, exploring what it is, why it’s gaining popularity, and how you can pursue locum midwifery opportunities to enhance your career. What is Locum Midwifery? Locum midwifery, also known as temporary or relief midwifery, involves providing temporary coverage in various healthcare settings, such as hospitals, birth centers, and clinics when regular midwifery staff is unavailable due to vacation, sick leave, or other reasons. Locum midwives have experienced midwives who step in and provide care during these temporary absences, ensuring continuity of care for expectant mothers and their families. Why is Locum Midwifery Gaining Popularity? Locum midwifery is becoming increasingly popular for several reasons. Firstly, it offers midwives the opportunity to explore different practice settings and locations, which can be professionally enriching and personally fulfilling. Locum midwives get to experience diverse patient populations, work in different healthcare systems, and encounter unique challenges and opportunities in each setting, expanding their knowledge and skills. Secondly, locum midwifery provides midwives with flexibility and autonomy over their work schedules. Locum midwives have the freedom to choose when and where they want to work, allowing for better work-life balance and the ability to create a schedule that fits their needs and lifestyle. Lastly, locum midwifery can be financially rewarding. Temporary assignments often offer higher rates of pay compared to permanent positions, and locum midwives have the opportunity to earn additional income by picking up shifts during high-demand periods or in underserved areas. This can provide midwives with increased financial stability and the ability to save for the future. Overall, locum midwifery options can be a rewarding and flexible career path for midwives who enjoy diversity, autonomy, and the opportunity to provide care in various healthcare settings. It allows midwives to expand their skills, experience, and professional networks while contributing to the health and well-being of expectant mothers and their families. We love helping midwives learn about the various options doing locums with hospitals, birth centers, and home birth practices. If you want help recruiting a locum / traveling midwife or become one, set up a discovery call with Leslie Cornwell, CNM today! Select a Date & Time – Calendly
Little Touches Make your Midwife Business Stand out from the Rest
Being a midwife, we want to give phenomenal care and stand out from the competition. We want our services to be top on everyone’s search and have extensive waiting lists of families want to be part of our care. Your midwife business can be that successful with the proper planning and additional of little touches for midwife business that have a huge impact in people’s minds. Running a midwife business isn’t just about mission statements and offering great service, it is about branding a marketing image that your practice can’t even be matched with other practices in the area. What are other midwife and doctor offices already doing? Learn your competition. Know what is already done twenty times and what is lacking. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but could just be more time to use to provide a more personalized experience. I have seen birth centers really take advantage of some amazing touches like contract with a chef to make a great postpartum meal for mom and dad after baby is born. Have themes for Holiday seasons with decorations around birth center that are interactive for entire family. Kids are welcome at midwife visits and love to be part of the experience. Have them excited about coming to your office and we are changing an entire generations view points of what birth care should be like! Having aromatherapy going that is safe during pregnancy. Calming colors and themes versus vibrant artwork helps entire family be less anxious during visits and birth. Have in your waiting room special teas for family members and snacks homemade and locally grown ingredients. Stand out with supporting other small businesses in area and knowing what healthy food our going into family’s mouths while during your care. Music is very calming during visits and birth experience. Have in your midwife business relaxing and calming sounds in the background. Give your practice a spa like feeling. Have waves, birds singing, or rain forest sounds subtly playing in the background. Create a resource board in your education room that local businesses supporting families can post their marketing material and educational handouts on ways to support a pregnant women and her baby. Changing up the information regularly will train families to check this board each visit into the office. Start a Facebook page that becomes a virtual support system for women in the community. It will help your marketing budget with this low cost marketing tactic. Referrals are powerful and a couple shares of your posts will get you new clients in no time at all. We created the course, Tips for Running a Successful Midwifery Practice, to teach you all you need to know about being a midwife
Licensing and Accreditation for Birth Centers: State-by-State Overview
Opening a birth center is an exciting and powerful step toward expanding access to safe, holistic maternity care. But before welcoming families through your doors, you’ll need to navigate the licensing and accreditation process—a task that can feel overwhelming, especially since requirements vary widely across the United States. At Midwifery Business Consultation, we specialize in guiding midwives and entrepreneurs through the startup process, including understanding regulations, obtaining licensure, and pursuing accreditation. This blog provides an overview of what to expect state by state and how to position your birth center for long-term success. Why Licensing and Accreditation Matter Licensing: Required by state law to operate legally, licensing ensures that your birth center meets minimum standards for safety, staffing, and facility design. Accreditation: A voluntary step that demonstrates your center meets national standards of care, often required for insurance reimbursement and hospital collaboration. Together, licensing and accreditation: Protect families through quality oversight. Enhance credibility in your community. Improve your chances of insurance contracting and reimbursement. State-by-State Variations Each state has its own rules, regulatory agencies, and requirements for birth centers. Some states are supportive with clear regulations, while others don’t recognize birth centers at all—creating hurdles for midwives. Here are examples of the differences: Texas: Birth centers are licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Regulations outline specific facility requirements and staffing models. California: The California Department of Public Health licenses birth centers and requires them to have physician oversight written into their policies. Alaska: No specific licensure pathway for freestanding birth centers—midwives often operate under professional midwifery regulations. New York: Strictly regulated; birth centers must be affiliated with a hospital or surgical facility to receive approval. Oregon: More supportive environment with both state licensing and pathways to insurance reimbursement. 💡 Tip: Even if your state doesn’t specifically regulate birth centers, local zoning laws, building codes, and health department requirements may still apply. Accreditation Options for Birth Centers While licensing is state-specific, accreditation follows national standards. Two main organizations provide accreditation for birth centers in the U.S.: Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC) Focused specifically on midwifery-led birth centers. Accreditation demonstrates compliance with American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) Standards. The Joint Commission A broader healthcare accrediting body. Sometimes pursued if the birth center intends to expand into additional healthcare services. Accreditation helps with: Insurance contracting (many payers require it). Risk management and liability protection. Marketing—families trust accredited facilities. Steps to Get Licensed and Accredited Research Your State RegulationsContact your state’s health department and midwifery association. Requirements can include facility design, staffing ratios, transfer agreements, and safety protocols. Prepare Policies & ProceduresCreate a comprehensive manual covering clinical protocols, emergency procedures, infection control, and staff responsibilities. Design Your FacilityMost states require specific design features: separate exam rooms, birth suites with space for emergency care, accessible bathrooms, and sterilization areas. Submit Application & FeesLicensing usually requires an application, inspection, and renewal every few years. Pursue AccreditationAfter state licensure, apply for accreditation with CABC or The Joint Commission to strengthen your credibility and insurance relationships. How Midwifery Business Consultation Supports You Navigating licensing and accreditation can be one of the most stressful parts of starting a birth center. At Midwifery Business Consultation, we provide: State-specific startup guidance (including policy templates and compliance checklists). Accreditation preparation support to help you meet CABC standards. Business planning to align regulations with financial goals. Ongoing consulting so you can focus on clients while we help manage compliance. We’ve guided birth centers across the country—from Texas to New York to Oregon—through these steps, saving them time, stress, and costly mistakes. Final Thoughts Licensing and accreditation may feel like a maze, but they’re key to building a birth center that’s safe, trusted, and financially sustainable. With the right support, you can navigate state requirements, achieve accreditation, and confidently open your doors to the families who need you. Ready to Start Your Birth Center Journey? Midwifery Business Consultation offers customized state-by-state guidance to help you navigate licensing, accreditation, and business setup. Schedule a consultation today and take the first step toward bringing your vision to life.