Giving Birth- Choosing a Care Provider

 Soooooo you're pregnant!!! Congratulations! Now what?  After the excitement wears down it's usually time to think a little bit about who is going to care for you during your pregnancy.  This is really exciting and maybe, just maybe, a little overwhelming.  If you don't know me in real life you may not know that I have been a birth doula for almost thirteen years, both at home births and at hospital births, and that I have seven of my own beautiful children... this means seven pregnancies of my own.  I will let you in on a few things before we get started just so you know where I am coming from!

I intended to have my first baby at home, but for reasons that were unforeseeable, finances and health insurance, we were unable to do that.  We ended up with a hospital birth that was long, uncomplicated, but exhausting and scary.

We hired a doula AND I became a doula during my pregnancy with my second son.  I knew I needed help.  My husband needed help.  Just one other person there he could bounce things off of and that would be on his team!  That labor lasted a little less than two hours and our doula felt useless... hindsight, that is every doulas prayer really.  That the husband or birth partner is all in and the labor goes fast and is uneventful.

Fast forward.  My births have gotten shorter and a little more hands on as we continue to add to our family.  This includes a forty-five minute birth and lots and lots of bed rest.  This includes needing to get my blood drawn constantly, and two babies needing oxygen.

I have had many different experiences with my own births and with the births of others and no matter how different the birth experience is there is one commonality!  The happier a mother is with her care provider, the happier she is with her birth!  Here are some things to think about when interviewing a pregnancy care provider- meaning a doula, midwife, OBGYN, or family Dr.

• What services do you provide?  
• What does your postpartum support look like?
• How do you feel about many people/no people supporting me during labor?
• Where can I deliver if I am under your care? Home? Hospital? Birth center? Is water an option?
• Do you have any local references?
• What is your relationship like with the local hospital?  Other Docs? Midwives? 
• Will you be the one to deliver?  Are you on a rotation with other doctors or midwives?
• How do you feel about pain medication in labor, and what are my options?
• How often will I see you?
• What is your transfer rate?  What is your C-section rate?

If other things like vaccines or routine interventions concern you, feel free to ask your provider how they feel about those things as well.  Usually, I have found, after a few conversations you can tell if you have found a good fit!  Post any additional questions here!  I am happy to answer all of them!