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Most of these questions apply to both doctors and midwives, in hospital, birthing center and homebirth situations. I have specified if a question pertains only to once specific type of care provider, or a specific birth situation (i.e. VBAC).
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- (For an obstetrician) Do you have certified nurse midwives in your practice?
Often times in an obstetric practice, a midwife is available as the primary care provider, while an OB is readily available for back up if necessary.
- How long are the scheduled appointments?
The longer, the better. Your attendant will be less rushed and able to dedicate more time an attention to each individual case.
- What are your nutritional requirements, if you have any?
Focusing on whole-body health and wellness will increase your chances for an easier pregnancy, birth experience, and recovery, as well as a healthier baby.
- At which hospitals/birthing centers do you deliver?
Make sure she/he delivers at a hospital that you are comfortable with.
- (For Certified Nure Midwifes, as opposed to Direct-Entry Midwives)Do you attend homebirths?
Often times, CNMs do NOT attend homebirths.
- How many babies do you deliver per month?
The fewer deliveries, the more time that she/he tends to give to each case.
- Do you limit the number of people I can have with me during labor and delivery? If so, why?
Primarily a hospital issue, but it’s good to know your doc’s protocol, as well. Having family and friends with you for support and encouragement during your birth will help to make it a more personal experience.
- How much time do you spend with your patients during labor and delivery?
Do not expect an obstetrician, GP or CNM (unless youre in a birth center) to be there the whole time. Most OBs arrive closer to the time of delivery. Lay midwives tend to be present for more of the labor to offer guidance and support.
- What is your recommendation if my water breaks after 36 weeks and before the onset of labor?
Do they believe that the baby needs to be born with in a certain time frame, or will they allow you to stay home (observing certain precautions, of course) until labor progresses?
- What is your recommendation is a pregnancy goes beyond 42 weeks?
Do they have a more aggressive approach, and automatically induce labor or schedule a c-section (both of wich pose an undue threat to the safety and helth of both mom and baby) or are they more conservative, allowing more time for labor to start/intensify on it's own?
- What is your position on the augmentation/induction of labor? In what situations would they augment/induce synthetically? Would they opt for more “natural” methods of stimulating labor first?
Whether it’s by synthetic means (cytotec, pitocin) or more natural methods, induction before the baby is actually ready to be born (for convenience purposes) can be dangerous to both mom and baby, increasing the risks of subsequent complications.
- (For VBAC/HBAC situations) How many VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean) have you attended?
Changes are, an OB who has attended sucessful VBACS in the past will be more supportive of a woman's decission to have a vaginal birth after one or more previous c-section. However, I believe that having a VBAC at home (HBAC) significantly increases your chances of sucess, as a VBAC would be treated by your care provider as any birht would, rather than an extrememly high-risk situation that requires unnecessary intervention and management.
- What is your personal c-section/successful VBAC rate?
This is a biggy if you want a shot at having a sucessful VBAC or avoiding an unnecessary c-section! Nearly one in every four women have surgical births, usually unnecessarily. The lower the c-section rate and the higher the successful VBAC rate, the better. This usually indicates less of a tendency to intervene medically prematurely or unnecessarily, and more support for VBACing moms.
- (If choosing midwife-attended homebirth) Will you accompany me if transport becomes necessary?
Having your midwife present during and emergency situation to provider much needed emotional support can make the difference between a disappointing yet as-possitive-as-possible emergency experience, and a traumatic and emotionally damaging one.
| Choosing a Care Provider | Choosing a Birth Environment | Building a Birth Plan |
| Your Labor Support System | Pain Management | VBAC | Common Interventions & Procedures |
| Breastfeeding | Birth Stories | Recommended Reading | Doula Services (Denver)
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