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Having a baby in North Dakota

Medicaid and WIC income limits, paid leave, doula and lactation coverage, breast pumps and childcare prices in North Dakota, with the agency and link to apply for each.

Checked October 2026 · 24 sources

Short answer

North Dakota Medicaid covers pregnancy for incomes up to 175% of the poverty level, about $37,870 a year for you and one baby, and for 12 months after birth. WIC takes households of two earning up to $40,034. North Dakota has no state paid family leave program. Full-time infant care at a center runs about $11,118 a year (2022 prices).

What you can get in North Dakota

The short answer for each benefit, with its source. Tap Details for income limits, how to apply and the fine print.

Yes

Can Medicaid cover your pregnancy in North Dakota?

In North Dakota, North Dakota Medicaid covers pregnancy for household incomes up to 175% of the federal poverty level (about $37,870 a year for a household of two); Medicaid postpartum coverage lasts 12 months.

Source: KFF State Health Facts, income limits as of January 2026Details
Yes

Can you get WIC in North Dakota?

Yes, if your household's income is at or below $40,034 a year for two people (you and your baby). If you get Medicaid, SNAP or TANF, you may already qualify. Apply by phone or in person.

Source: North Dakota Health and Human Services, October 2026Details
No

Does North Dakota have paid family leave?

North Dakota has no state paid family leave program, so paid time off after birth depends on your employer; federal FMLA gives eligible workers 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave.

Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, October 2026Details
No

Does North Dakota Medicaid pay for a doula?

North Dakota Medicaid doesn't cover doula care.

Source: National Health Law Program (NHeLP), October 2026Details
Limited

Does North Dakota Medicaid cover a lactation consultant?

In North Dakota, Medicaid pays for breastfeeding counseling only as general preventive counseling by enrolled clinicians and refers members to WIC for lactation services.

Source: North Dakota Health and Human Services (ND Medicaid), October 2026Details
Yes

Does North Dakota Medicaid cover a breast pump?

In North Dakota, Medicaid covers a manual breast pump each year or an electric pump every three years, with a prescription and no service authorization.

Source: North Dakota Health and Human Services (ND Medicaid), October 2026Details

Medicaid for pregnancy in North Dakota

Yes

175%

of the federal poverty level is the upper income limit

KFF, January 2026

12 mo

of Medicaid coverage after birth

KFF, July 2026

Program
North Dakota Medicaid
Agency
North Dakota Health and Human Services
Medicaid limit
175% of the poverty level
12-month postpartum coverage since
January 1, 2023
Presumptive eligibility
Not for the pregnancy group, but hospitals can still make presumptive determinations.

Hospitals in every state may make presumptive eligibility determinations.

Apply for North Dakota Medicaid Check your income
North Dakota Medicaid income limit by household size175% of 2026 guidelines (48 states and DC)
HouseholdPer yearPer month
2you + 1 baby$37,870$3,156
3$47,810$3,984
4$57,750$4,813
5$67,690$5,641
6$77,630$6,469
7$87,570$7,298

Count yourself plus each baby you're expecting. Gross household income; North Dakota rounds and updates on its own schedule, so treat these as approximate. Compare every state

Sources: KFF State Health Facts; KFF and Georgetown University Center for Children and Families; KFF; North Dakota Health and Human Services; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Data as of October 2026.

WIC in North Dakota

Yes

North Dakota WIC gives pregnant and new parents, babies and children under 5 healthy food, nutrition help and breastfeeding support. You qualify on income at or below 185% of the poverty guidelines, and you may already qualify if you get Medicaid, SNAP or TANF.

Program
North Dakota WIC
Agency
North Dakota Health and Human Services
Phone
(800) 472-2286
Apply online
No. Apply by phone or in person.
Notes
North Dakota says in-person enrollment at a WIC clinic is the only way to apply.

  1. Call your WIC office

    Contact a WIC agency where you live to start, by phone or online. The agency schedules an in-person or virtual appointment to finish the application and nutrition check.

  2. Go to your appointment

    In person or virtual. Staff finish your application and do a free health and nutrition check.
North Dakota WIC WIC limits for every state
WIC income limits, 48 states and DCJuly 2026 to June 2027
HouseholdPer yearPer month
1$29,526$2,461
2$40,034$3,337
3$50,542$4,212
4$61,050$5,088
5$71,558$5,964
6$82,066$6,839

Gross household income. Count each unborn baby as a household member.

Sources: North Dakota Health and Human Services; USDA Food and Nutrition Administration; USDA Food and Nutrition Service (Federal Register). Data as of October 2026.

Doula coverage in North Dakota

No

North Dakota Medicaid doesn't cover doula care.

Payment
No Medicaid doula benefit. Moms on Medicaid pay a doula out of pocket or use a free or sliding-scale community program.
Notes
No Medicaid doula benefit. HB 1464 (2025), covering postpartum doulas, did not pass.

15

doulas listed in North Dakota

CMS NPPES and state doula lists

Doulas in North DakotaDoula coverage in every state

Sources: National Health Law Program (NHeLP); National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP). Data as of October 2026.

Lactation support in North Dakota

Limited

In North Dakota, Medicaid pays for breastfeeding counseling only as general preventive counseling by enrolled clinicians and refers members to WIC for lactation services.

Where
telehealth
Notes
North Dakota Medicaid lists breastfeeding among the covered topics for preventive medicine counseling (CPT 99401-99402), billed separately from office and preventive visits and allowed by telehealth. There's no lactation consultant provider type, and ND Medicaid's breast pump policy tells members who need lactation services to contact WIC. KFF's 2021 survey reported no North Dakota lactation coverage.

North Dakota Medicaid member information

14

lactation consultants listed in North Dakota

CMS NPPES

Lactation consultants in North DakotaLactation coverage in every state

Sources: North Dakota Health and Human Services (ND Medicaid); KFF. Data as of October 2026.

Breast pumps through North Dakota Medicaid

Yes

In North Dakota, Medicaid covers a manual breast pump each year or an electric pump every three years, with a prescription and no service authorization.

Pump types
manual; personal electric; hospital-grade rental
Prior authorization
Not required
Prescription
Required
When you can get one
One manual breast pump every year, or one electric breast pump every 3 years
Notes
Manual (E0602) and electric (E0603) pumps are purchase-only and need no service authorization, but a prescription and practitioner documentation of medical necessity are required. The policy says pumps should be used when natural feeding is not possible. Hospital-grade rental (E0604) needs no authorization for the first month and service authorization after that; if the child is in WIC, the hospital-grade pump must come from WIC when available.

North Dakota Medicaid member information

Sources: North Dakota Health and Human Services (ND Medicaid); KFF. Data as of October 2026.

Childcare costs in North Dakota

$11,118

a year ($214 a week), the median for infant care at a center

DOL state estimate, 2022

$8,181

a year ($157 a week) in a family childcare home

DOL state estimate, 2022

Full-time provider prices before any subsidy, in 2022 dollars. The national median for center infant care was $12,647 a year. 53 county infant center prices were modeled by DOL from statewide survey data rather than reported for the county. 53 county infant center prices were not surveyed in 2022; DOL estimated them from the price trend between other survey years.

Center infant care, lowest and highest county2022 prices
CountyPer year
Divide Countyhighest$12,484
Eddy Countylowest$10,145

53 of 53 counties have a center infant price.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau. Data as of October 2026.

Questions about having a baby in North Dakota

What is the income limit for pregnancy Medicaid in North Dakota?

North Dakota Medicaid covers pregnancy for household incomes up to 175% of the federal poverty level. At the 2026 poverty guidelines that's about $37,870 a year for a household of two, $47,810 for three and $57,750 for four. Count yourself plus each baby you're expecting.

How long does Medicaid cover you after birth in North Dakota?

North Dakota Medicaid covers you for 12 months after the pregnancy ends, a rule in place since January 2023.

What is the WIC income limit in North Dakota?

From July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, North Dakota WIC uses USDA's limits: $40,034 a year for a household of two, $50,542 for three and $61,050 for four. If you get Medicaid, SNAP or TANF, you may already meet the income rule. Call 1-800-472-2286 to apply.

Does North Dakota have paid family leave?

North Dakota has no state paid family leave program, so paid time off after birth depends on your employer; federal FMLA gives eligible workers 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave.

Does North Dakota Medicaid pay for a doula?

North Dakota Medicaid doesn't cover doula care.

How much does infant daycare cost in North Dakota?

The median price for full-time infant care at a center in North Dakota was $214 a week, about $11,118 a year, in 2022 (U.S. Department of Labor). Prices have risen since, so treat it as a floor and look up your county.

Sources

  1. 1.Medicaid and CHIP Income Eligibility Limits for Pregnant Women as a Percent of the Federal Poverty Level (as of January 2026) KFF State Health Facts. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  2. 2.Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility, Enrollment, and Renewal Policies as States Prepare for Major Medicaid Policy Changes (Table 2, January 2026) KFF and Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  3. 3.Medicaid Postpartum Coverage Extension Tracker (as of July 15, 2026) KFF. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  4. 4.Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility, Enrollment, and Renewal Policies as States Resume Routine Operations Following the Unwinding (Table 7: Presumptive Eligibility, January 2025) KFF and Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  5. 5.North Dakota Medicaid: how to apply North Dakota Health and Human Services. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  6. 6.CMS approval of North Dakota State Plan Amendment ND-22-0025 (12-month postpartum coverage), effective 2023-01-01 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  7. 7.Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines (91 FR 1797, Jan. 15, 2026) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Federal Register). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  8. 8.North Dakota WIC (state WIC page) North Dakota Health and Human Services. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  9. 9.North Dakota WIC: state agency contact USDA Food and Nutrition Administration. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  10. 10.WIC: 2026/2027 Income Eligibility Guidelines (91 FR 23050, Apr. 29, 2026) USDA Food and Nutrition Service (Federal Register). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  11. 11.State Family and Medical Leave Laws (updated November 7, 2025) National Conference of State Legislatures. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  12. 12.State paid family and medical leave contributions and benefits (Feb. 6, 2026) Mercer Law & Policy Group. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  13. 13.State Paid Family & Medical Leave Insurance Laws (chart, April 2026) National Partnership for Women & Families. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  14. 14.The United States Leave Law Report, Vol. 12 (July 28, 2026) Tilt. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  15. 15.N.D.C.C. Chapter 14-02.4, Human Rights (sections 14-02.4-02 and 14-02.4-03) North Dakota Legislative Branch. Accessed October 9, 2026.
Show all 24 sources
  1. 16.29 CFR 825.110 Eligible employee Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  2. 17.Doula Medicaid Project: state-by-state chart of doula Medicaid efforts (last updated Sep. 2026) National Health Law Program (NHeLP). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  3. 18.State Trends in Medicaid Coverage of Doula Services (published April 1, 2026; data as of March 2026) National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  4. 19.Billing and Policy Manual: Preventive Services and Chronic Disease Management and Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) Policy North Dakota Health and Human Services (ND Medicaid). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  5. 20.Breast Pump (Electric and Manual) Policy, Durable Medical Equipment Manual North Dakota Health and Human Services (ND Medicaid). Accessed October 9, 2026.
  6. 21.Medicaid Coverage of Pregnancy-Related Services: Findings from a 2021 State Survey KFF. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  7. 22.National Database of Childcare Prices: 2008-2022 (Data File) U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  8. 23.National Database of Childcare Prices Technical Report (September 2024) U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2026.
  9. 24.National Database of Childcare Prices: State-Level Estimates and Affordability Rankings 2022 U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2026.

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