How to get a birth certificate after a hombirth in RI?

[hippiemum21580]

Can't seem to find the info on the UC page here.....am planning one in January and need to find out how to obtain a birth certificate afterwards..... Anyone know from past experience how easy it is or have a site or something I can find out the info on???? Thanks!

[BirthMatters]

Hmm...no personal experience with RI but you could give Sue Smith a call, she's a MA midwife who attends homebirths in RI 508-278-2989 [e-mail]
BTW, I totally dig your sig! I'm much of the same...including UC'ing my 4th baby boy just last month!
Not sure we'll go for #5, but awesome for you! Good luck

[Paige, CPM]

Hi Tonia,

You can just call the department of health in RI and ask for a homebirth form and then fill it out and send it to them. They will answer any questions you may have. I have heard that someone in the department has had a homebirth and they are used to it anyway.

I hope you have a lovely birth!

[purplepaisleymama]

Yup to the previous answer of calling the Department of Health and asking for a homebirth worksheet. They are used to the request, as far as I can tell, I have had 4 hb's in RI and have had to register with the Health Dep't for three of them. You will need to fill out the form with the name and contact info for any doctor whom you saw for the pregnancy and there will be questions about your pregnancy and the birth, from what I remember they had to do with number of prenatal visits and whether the birth was complicated. You are not under any real obligation to provide the mw's information as I never did and was never bothered. You may get a call later from someone at the Dep't of Health regarding whether the baby was tested for any hearing problems and if you had the PKU done. I have always just told the person calling that we were all set and we were never bothered again. You should be able to get a copy of the birth certificate at your town clerk's office after about 2-3 months, if you need it for anything in particular I would keep calling and checking on it, sometimes they wait for a few to come in before they process them and it can take a few months. I have never had any trouble with getting one, jsut had to be persistent to get it when I wanted it, to go and get a social security number, though you can check a box to have that done automatically.
laura