Take a moment to ponder this question…
How did you choose your care provider?
Here are the most common answers. (OK, one of them isn’t that common. Can you guess which one?)
- A friend recommended him to me.
- He was covered by my insurance.
- His office is close by.
- I found him in the yellow pages.
- I interviewed three different care providers and chose the one who was the best fit for my birthing desires.
It is well worth your time to really research your care provider, because the one you choose can have a HUGE impact on your birth.
Care providers can make or break a birth experience.
Asking questions long before the birth can help you determine what they routinely do during a birth and if those interventions are what you want or not. Part of this requires learning about what your choices are during birth, so you actually know what it is you want!
I had a doula client who said that when she shared her birth plan with her OB he balked and said, “Sounds like you want a midwife.” I saw this as an honest answer and talked with the mom about her choices. He was basically saying, “I can’t give you what you want. Go somewhere else.” But the mom changed her birth plan instead of changing care providers. Mind you, she didn’t have to go to a midwife, I knew quite a few OBs who would have easily honored what she wanted. Flexible care providers are out there, you just have to be willing to find them!
