How to Choose a Provider
This topic is very important. Very important! Your provider can make or break your
birth experience. You have a choice about who you want your provider to be and
there are several options. You can choose an obstetrician, a family practice
doctor, or a midwife. These are the three main choices. It may be necessary to
check with your insurance company regarding coverage for certain providers.
Sadly, some insurance companies do not yet recognize the importance of
midwives and do not cover their services. This does not stop some families,
however. There are couples who feel having a midwife is important enough to
pay for her services out of pocket.
An obstetrician is a medical doctor trained in the area of obstetrics. This type of
physician is also a trained surgeon. They can perform Caesarean Sections as
well as vaginal deliveries. They are trained well regarding interventions during
childbirth. They do not typically attend breech (baby turned feet or bottom first)
deliveries. They usually have a large number of patients and may be in a
practice with several other doctors. They will most likely check in on you during
your labor, but not stay with you the entire time. They will be with you at the time
of birth. They are typically used to responding well during emergencies or
stressful situations. They typically only attend deliveries in the hospital, though
there are extremely rare exceptions.
A family practice doctor is a medical doctor that has a general area of expertise
in medicine and has included childbirth as part of that expertise. They seem to
usually be a middle ground between an obstetrician and a midwife. They most
often attend deliveries in hospitals. They are trained to perform some
interventions. They cannot perform a C-Section.
A midwife is an age old profession that is literally translated as “with woman”.
Midwives can attend births in a hospital or home setting. A midwife typically does
not take a huge amount of patients and therefore is able to be more available to
spend time with a woman in labor. Midwives typically perform less interventions
and cannot perform C-Sections. This does not mean they are not well suited to
attend deliveries, however. They typically are very well trained and can handle a
range of situations. They have been known to more commonly attend breech
deliveries as well.
For more information regarding midwives, see the section Midwives: Miracle
Workers or Felons.
So, now with some background information on which type of provider you can
choose, which one is right for you? How do you find a good fit for you? Keep in
mind that whether you choose a doctor or midwife, each one is going to have a
different personality. The best way to determine if a certain provider is right for
you is to interview that person. Ask them questions and see how they respond. It
may be beneficial to you to have already worked on your birth plan or at least
have some things in mind that are most important to you regarding your birth to
run past your prospective provider. Don’t assume that whatever OB-GYN you go
to for an annual pap smear has to be the provider present during your birth. Also
don’t be scared to change providers mid or late pregnancy if they didn’t turn out
to be what you are wanting or expecting or if something just doesn’t feel right.
This interview type process should take place on an even playing field. You
should be fully dressed probably in an office setting, not spread eagle on an
examination table. If you don’t like the answers that you get, move on. You’ll find
a fit that works for you, and you’ll be happy you did.
Questions to Ask
Here’s a list of questions you can consider asking your provider. Yours will
probably end up being a variation of this one based on the things that are
important to you. No questions are stupid, so ask your provider whatever you
want to know. Watch your providers reaction to your questions as well as your
response. Some may say they are okay with something, but their body language
will signify differently. Most importantly, trust your gut.
Physician Questions
What is your childbirth philosophy?
What is your induction rate?
What is your C-section rate?
When do you recommend a woman in labor come to the hospital?
Do you support the use of doulas?
Can I give birth in any position I choose?
Do you require that I have an IV?
How often do you perform an episiotomy?
If induction becomes necessary, what method do you most often use?
How far past my due date are you comfortable waiting before scheduling an
induction?
Are there other physicians in your practice?
If you are not available for our birth, will the other providers honor our wishes?
What are the chances that you will be available for our birth?
Do you have time limits for labor or pushing?
Do you allow for self guided pushing?
Do you have any restrictions of food during labor?
Do you have any restrictions of movement during labor?
What methods of fetal monitoring are available?
Do you support continuous fetal monitoring?
What is your rate of vacuum extraction/forceps deliveries?
Which method do you prefer?
Do you require routine use of any medications during labor or routine use of
Pitocin
following delivery?
Midwife Questions
Where did you receive your training? How many births have you attended since
completing your training?
How many births do you take per month?
Do you have back up? What happens if two births are happening at the same
time?
What equipment do you bring?
Are you certified in neonatal resuscitation/NRP?
What emergency situations have you experienced? What were the outcomes?
What is the process if a transfer becomes necessary? What types of
circumstances
require a transfer?
What is your fee? What does this include?
This is only a small list of the possibly questions you can ask. Give it some
thought to
make sure you cover everything that is important to you.
This topic is very important. Very important! Your provider can make or break your
birth experience. You have a choice about who you want your provider to be and
there are several options. You can choose an obstetrician, a family practice
doctor, or a midwife. These are the three main choices. It may be necessary to
check with your insurance company regarding coverage for certain providers.
Sadly, some insurance companies do not yet recognize the importance of
midwives and do not cover their services. This does not stop some families,
however. There are couples who feel having a midwife is important enough to
pay for her services out of pocket.
An obstetrician is a medical doctor trained in the area of obstetrics. This type of
physician is also a trained surgeon. They can perform Caesarean Sections as
well as vaginal deliveries. They are trained well regarding interventions during
childbirth. They do not typically attend breech (baby turned feet or bottom first)
deliveries. They usually have a large number of patients and may be in a
practice with several other doctors. They will most likely check in on you during
your labor, but not stay with you the entire time. They will be with you at the time
of birth. They are typically used to responding well during emergencies or
stressful situations. They typically only attend deliveries in the hospital, though
there are extremely rare exceptions.
A family practice doctor is a medical doctor that has a general area of expertise
in medicine and has included childbirth as part of that expertise. They seem to
usually be a middle ground between an obstetrician and a midwife. They most
often attend deliveries in hospitals. They are trained to perform some
interventions. They cannot perform a C-Section.
A midwife is an age old profession that is literally translated as “with woman”.
Midwives can attend births in a hospital or home setting. A midwife typically does
not take a huge amount of patients and therefore is able to be more available to
spend time with a woman in labor. Midwives typically perform less interventions
and cannot perform C-Sections. This does not mean they are not well suited to
attend deliveries, however. They typically are very well trained and can handle a
range of situations. They have been known to more commonly attend breech
deliveries as well.
For more information regarding midwives, see the section Midwives: Miracle
Workers or Felons.
So, now with some background information on which type of provider you can
choose, which one is right for you? How do you find a good fit for you? Keep in
mind that whether you choose a doctor or midwife, each one is going to have a
different personality. The best way to determine if a certain provider is right for
you is to interview that person. Ask them questions and see how they respond. It
may be beneficial to you to have already worked on your birth plan or at least
have some things in mind that are most important to you regarding your birth to
run past your prospective provider. Don’t assume that whatever OB-GYN you go
to for an annual pap smear has to be the provider present during your birth. Also
don’t be scared to change providers mid or late pregnancy if they didn’t turn out
to be what you are wanting or expecting or if something just doesn’t feel right.
This interview type process should take place on an even playing field. You
should be fully dressed probably in an office setting, not spread eagle on an
examination table. If you don’t like the answers that you get, move on. You’ll find
a fit that works for you, and you’ll be happy you did.
Questions to Ask
Here’s a list of questions you can consider asking your provider. Yours will
probably end up being a variation of this one based on the things that are
important to you. No questions are stupid, so ask your provider whatever you
want to know. Watch your providers reaction to your questions as well as your
response. Some may say they are okay with something, but their body language
will signify differently. Most importantly, trust your gut.
Physician Questions
What is your childbirth philosophy?
What is your induction rate?
What is your C-section rate?
When do you recommend a woman in labor come to the hospital?
Do you support the use of doulas?
Can I give birth in any position I choose?
Do you require that I have an IV?
How often do you perform an episiotomy?
If induction becomes necessary, what method do you most often use?
How far past my due date are you comfortable waiting before scheduling an
induction?
Are there other physicians in your practice?
If you are not available for our birth, will the other providers honor our wishes?
What are the chances that you will be available for our birth?
Do you have time limits for labor or pushing?
Do you allow for self guided pushing?
Do you have any restrictions of food during labor?
Do you have any restrictions of movement during labor?
What methods of fetal monitoring are available?
Do you support continuous fetal monitoring?
What is your rate of vacuum extraction/forceps deliveries?
Which method do you prefer?
Do you require routine use of any medications during labor or routine use of
Pitocin
following delivery?
Midwife Questions
Where did you receive your training? How many births have you attended since
completing your training?
How many births do you take per month?
Do you have back up? What happens if two births are happening at the same
time?
What equipment do you bring?
Are you certified in neonatal resuscitation/NRP?
What emergency situations have you experienced? What were the outcomes?
What is the process if a transfer becomes necessary? What types of
circumstances
require a transfer?
What is your fee? What does this include?
This is only a small list of the possibly questions you can ask. Give it some
thought to
make sure you cover everything that is important to you.
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Blog
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