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Interviewing Your Potential Care Provider
Whether you choose an OBGYN or a midwife or someone in-between it is important to find someone you trust and feel comfortable with. Remember this person is going to be present on the most important day of your life. Someone who makes you feel stupid, rushes appointments, pushes unnecessary testing or gives you that "little girl" complex (like a father scolding their child constantly) is probably not a wise choice.
Here are some interview questions I've come up with:
1). Where do you deliver?
2). What are your induction rates? episiotomy rates? cesarean rates? (If they won't give you a clear answer run the other way)
3). What do you offer for pain relief during labor? (remember we're after natural birth so if the first word out of their mouth is 'epidural' you may want to reconsider this provider)
4). If you're going for a VBAC (vag birth after cesarean) make sure you ask about hospital policies.
5). What types of prenatal testing do you do; which are considered mandatory and which optional (ALL tests are optional but they may feel you the line about "hospital policy" but you have the right to refuse)?
6). Make sure they are certified and currently licensed
7). Any specs about birth that are important to you, such as if they offer water birth or do breech vaginal deliveries
8). Will you or a partner be present at the birth? If this is a larger practice will I meet everyone in the practice before delivery?
9). If you induce women at what point in pregnancy do you deem it necessary to induce (before 41 weeks, in my opinion, is irresponsible for a low-risk woman with no complications so decide what is unnecessary to you before asking this question)?
10). If they're an OB ask if they work with doulas. If they are a midwife ask who their backup physician/hospital are in the event of an emergency.
Why is it so important to find a doctor or midwife with the same birth philosophies as you? Because their birth philosophies can greatly affect the outcome of your birth. A doctor with a high cesarean rate or high scheduled induction rate is going to push you to schedule your birth rather than allowing your body to do what it needs to do. When you are in a vulnerable state it is very easy to say, "YES" to the drugs they will offer continuously and all the other interventions you were initially against. Likewise a more laid-back OB or midwife is probably not going to even worry about checking for dilation until you are due or past your due date, for example.
I have switched my care providers every single pregnancy until I found the midwife group I currently go to. It's okay to say, "No thanks!" and go some place else.
Do you have any other questions to add to the list? What are your thoughts?
Here are some interview questions I've come up with:
1). Where do you deliver?
2). What are your induction rates? episiotomy rates? cesarean rates? (If they won't give you a clear answer run the other way)
3). What do you offer for pain relief during labor? (remember we're after natural birth so if the first word out of their mouth is 'epidural' you may want to reconsider this provider)
4). If you're going for a VBAC (vag birth after cesarean) make sure you ask about hospital policies.
5). What types of prenatal testing do you do; which are considered mandatory and which optional (ALL tests are optional but they may feel you the line about "hospital policy" but you have the right to refuse)?
6). Make sure they are certified and currently licensed
7). Any specs about birth that are important to you, such as if they offer water birth or do breech vaginal deliveries
8). Will you or a partner be present at the birth? If this is a larger practice will I meet everyone in the practice before delivery?
9). If you induce women at what point in pregnancy do you deem it necessary to induce (before 41 weeks, in my opinion, is irresponsible for a low-risk woman with no complications so decide what is unnecessary to you before asking this question)?
10). If they're an OB ask if they work with doulas. If they are a midwife ask who their backup physician/hospital are in the event of an emergency.
Why is it so important to find a doctor or midwife with the same birth philosophies as you? Because their birth philosophies can greatly affect the outcome of your birth. A doctor with a high cesarean rate or high scheduled induction rate is going to push you to schedule your birth rather than allowing your body to do what it needs to do. When you are in a vulnerable state it is very easy to say, "YES" to the drugs they will offer continuously and all the other interventions you were initially against. Likewise a more laid-back OB or midwife is probably not going to even worry about checking for dilation until you are due or past your due date, for example.
I have switched my care providers every single pregnancy until I found the midwife group I currently go to. It's okay to say, "No thanks!" and go some place else.
Do you have any other questions to add to the list? What are your thoughts?
I wish I would of known all this before I had my daughter. I hate that the Ob that I had pushed me to brake my water at 3 cm and to stick me in the bed when i got there and start an iv drip and start continuous fetal monitoring. When he broke my water my labor slowed and almost stopped. I was put on poticin and rather than wait on me to progress after he said it would be 6 hrs he came in an hour later said she wouldnt fit and made me have a c-section. I will never go there again and I will make sure no one else does. He also wouldnt listen to me or talk to me b/c I was a younger mother.
Joy,
Very very good information. Your so right, your doctor/midwife should never make you feel like a child or push unnessesary testing/labwork. I see a Midwife with this little one. She is great, but its not like I can call her up personally if i have a question. :( I wish the office I go to would be more personal, but around here its a little hard to find someone who puts the time and effort into knowing their patients.
With DD I saw a midwife up until I got protein in urine, and they immidiately sent me an Ob/gyn. I ended up seeing him from six months to delivery. He actually sent me over to get induced, and throughout my labor popped in twice to see how I was doing. Not once did he "come" into my room, Just opened the door and said hello. A MIDWIFE ended up delivering my baby girl. I dont understand how some people say they want an "ob" to deliver their baby..... DO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE SAY IN THAT? Thats what confuses me the most.
ANYWAYS fast-forward to today. Im 29 wk pregnant with a little boy, and I plan to let labor come on its own, unless any complications arise of course. I am seeing a midwife, not because I "think" she'll deliver my baby, but because she also seems very personal at my appointments and I always have a pleasant time speaking to her. She is very straightforward with all the questions I ask her, where my OB (with DD) would only say "well we'll see....."
Theres a big difference in both, Im sure there is good and bad everywhere. Just like there are good and bad pediatricians. I feel comfortable with my midwife and I like where Im at right now. =o)
Very very good information. Your so right, your doctor/midwife should never make you feel like a child or push unnessesary testing/labwork. I see a Midwife with this little one. She is great, but its not like I can call her up personally if i have a question. :( I wish the office I go to would be more personal, but around here its a little hard to find someone who puts the time and effort into knowing their patients.
With DD I saw a midwife up until I got protein in urine, and they immidiately sent me an Ob/gyn. I ended up seeing him from six months to delivery. He actually sent me over to get induced, and throughout my labor popped in twice to see how I was doing. Not once did he "come" into my room, Just opened the door and said hello. A MIDWIFE ended up delivering my baby girl. I dont understand how some people say they want an "ob" to deliver their baby..... DO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE SAY IN THAT? Thats what confuses me the most.
ANYWAYS fast-forward to today. Im 29 wk pregnant with a little boy, and I plan to let labor come on its own, unless any complications arise of course. I am seeing a midwife, not because I "think" she'll deliver my baby, but because she also seems very personal at my appointments and I always have a pleasant time speaking to her. She is very straightforward with all the questions I ask her, where my OB (with DD) would only say "well we'll see....."
Theres a big difference in both, Im sure there is good and bad everywhere. Just like there are good and bad pediatricians. I feel comfortable with my midwife and I like where Im at right now. =o)
These are great guide lines for interviewing an OB or midwife. With my first, I was seeing a midwife and I connected with her immediately. I met with her twice at her office where she had a birthing center and was also where her husband practiced as a family physician and it was also where they lived! Very professional, yet so comfortable. Unfortunately she was involved in an accident and she had to retire. I was so disappointed but she had a back-up midwife who took her place and is now my midwife for the 3rd time. :) I still see the first midwife from time to time when I go for check-ups (like checking for infections or ultrasounds) She is just an OB but doesn't deliver anymore.
Everything happens for a reason and I couldn't be happier with my midwife now. She understands me, never pressures me to do anything, and believes birth happens naturally. She now has a birthing room off of her house and I delivered my second son there since hubby isn't ready for our own home birth experience just yet.
It's very important to trust and feel comfortable with your care provider. With this pregnancy, I thought I wanted to go elsewhere for care, well I learned very quickly who was I most comfortable with and I switched back. I felt bad at first for leaving the other place, but I'm glad I stepped out to see and now I realize I have a great midwife and no one understands my concerns quite like she does.
She is a certified midwife who works with an OB in case a patient needs to go to the hospital. I love the idea of being completely out of the normal medical picture, but it's there if I need it. Best of both worlds in my mind.
My midwife only checks for dilation if there was a bloody show or if you are experiencing too many contractions. With my first, she didn't check me until I was 36 weeks, which is when I had my bloody show.
Another great thing is she is always willing to work out a payment plan with us. We don't have insurance and she has a set rate, but in this economy we couldn't afford her rate. I asked her if x amount of dollars was okay, and she completely agreed to it and as long as it's paid before 37 weeks, no worries. I love how she is about birthing babies safely and naturally, answering my questions and truly caring about me, rather than just caring about the amount of money she is going to make. Most OB's care about the money, and don't have your best interest in mind. That is something to remember as well.
I think I went on enough. :) I really hope most of us can achieve our goal of a natural birth and enjoy our experiences. Just remember, it's your baby and your pregnancy, like Joy said, it's okay to say "NO!" if you are not comfortable at any time in your pregnancy.
This will be my 3rd natural delivery, hopefully, and anyone can feel free to ask me questions as well. I may have done this twice before, but I don't quite feel like a pro just yet. ;)
Everything happens for a reason and I couldn't be happier with my midwife now. She understands me, never pressures me to do anything, and believes birth happens naturally. She now has a birthing room off of her house and I delivered my second son there since hubby isn't ready for our own home birth experience just yet.
It's very important to trust and feel comfortable with your care provider. With this pregnancy, I thought I wanted to go elsewhere for care, well I learned very quickly who was I most comfortable with and I switched back. I felt bad at first for leaving the other place, but I'm glad I stepped out to see and now I realize I have a great midwife and no one understands my concerns quite like she does.
She is a certified midwife who works with an OB in case a patient needs to go to the hospital. I love the idea of being completely out of the normal medical picture, but it's there if I need it. Best of both worlds in my mind.
My midwife only checks for dilation if there was a bloody show or if you are experiencing too many contractions. With my first, she didn't check me until I was 36 weeks, which is when I had my bloody show.
Another great thing is she is always willing to work out a payment plan with us. We don't have insurance and she has a set rate, but in this economy we couldn't afford her rate. I asked her if x amount of dollars was okay, and she completely agreed to it and as long as it's paid before 37 weeks, no worries. I love how she is about birthing babies safely and naturally, answering my questions and truly caring about me, rather than just caring about the amount of money she is going to make. Most OB's care about the money, and don't have your best interest in mind. That is something to remember as well.
I think I went on enough. :) I really hope most of us can achieve our goal of a natural birth and enjoy our experiences. Just remember, it's your baby and your pregnancy, like Joy said, it's okay to say "NO!" if you are not comfortable at any time in your pregnancy.
This will be my 3rd natural delivery, hopefully, and anyone can feel free to ask me questions as well. I may have done this twice before, but I don't quite feel like a pro just yet. ;)
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