Your plan is a natural birth. You’ve chosen the type of location where you want to give birth. You’ve chosen the type of doctor or midwife that you’d like to support you at your birth. Now it’s time to choose the specific healthcare provider that you want to invite to your birth. Which means you need a list of interview questions to ask your OB GYN or midwife. And we’ve got you covered!
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Many pregnant moms choose their doctor or midwife based on the recommendations of friends or other doctors. Others simply look online and go to the first practice that’s nearby or accepting patients. However, your choice of doctor or midwife will have a significant impact on your birth. Not only will you see them throughout your pregnancy, but they influence the medical interventions you do or do not receive during labor. So don’t make this decision casually, on a whim. Instead, your choice of doctor or midwife should be an intentional, deliberate decision.
Your goal in asking questions is to see if this particular OB GYN or midwife is a good fit for your birth philosophy. And when your plan is a natural birth, you also want to know if he or she the type of caregiver that is likely to support a natural birth.
I recommend interviewing at least three doctors and midwives before you make your decision. Many practices will allow you to request a “consultation” with your chosen healthcare provider before you schedule a prenatal visit. Be sure to ask if a consultation is billed to insurance or is complimentary. And ask how much time you can expect to have with the doctor or midwife in your visit.
Come prepared with your list of questions. Of course you don’t need to ask every single question offered in the lists below, nor will you likely have time to ask every question. Assume you have about 10 minutes in a consultation with a doctor. So only pick the questions that are most important to you and save the others for your prenatal visits.
Even before your interview, you can glean some valuable information about the practice from the office staff. Some great questions include:
Before we get into specific questions to ask your OB GYN or midwife candidates, I want to encourage you to consider the caregiver’s general personality and bedside manner when you meet. When you’re talking to them, do you feel comfortable? Do they put you at ease or make you feel self-conscious? Are you feeling rushed or do they patiently listen and answer your questions? Do you feel respected and supported?
Remember that pregnancy is a very personal journey and your OB GYN or midwife is an invited guest. Be sure that you feel comfortable with their personality, professionalism, and communication style.
Read more: Home vs Birth Center vs Hospital: Where to Give Birth
What if you’re already further along in your pregnancy, but don’t feel comfortable with your current caregiver? First, share your concerns with your OB GYN or midwife and see if they’re willing to make some changes. If it becomes clear that the relationship hasn’t or won’t improve, it may be wise to consider changing to a new healthcare provider or practice.
While you can switch to a new OB GYN or midwife at any time in your pregnancy, be sure to find a new caregiver before you drop the old one. If you’re late in your pregnancy or have significant medical conditions, it may be more difficult to find a new practice that will accept you as a patient.
Once you’ve done your interviews and found a new OB GYN or midwife that you trust, let your old practice know that you’re making the change. Then, take the necessary steps to get your medical records sent over to the new practice.
We relocated to Atlanta for a few years while my husband was in grad school. As a childbirth educator, I was familiar with the best providers for natural birth in the Atlanta area. When I got pregnant with baby #4, I made an appointment with a midwife that I highly respected. She was the only midwife in a busy practice that included 4 other doctors.
Unfortunately, within a few weeks, I experienced an ectopic pregnancy that resulted in miscarriage. A few months later, I had another miscarriage. The doctors had a highly medicalized approach that I valued during that time. Monitoring the miscarriages required a bit of extra care and some specialized medications, and I was grateful to be in competent hands.
Several months later, I was pregnant again, fortunately this time without a miscarriage. I decided to rotate prenatal visits with my chosen midwife and the other doctors in the practice. While I knew that the midwife supported natural birth, I did not get the same vibe from the doctors. They were open and honest about their preference for epidurals and didn’t see the value in opting out of pain medication. Knowing that I would give birth with whichever caregiver was on call, I felt that sticking with this practice could put my plans for a natural birth at risk.
I decided to find a new practice and talked with my midwife about my intent to change practices, and why. She was kind and supportive of my choice, and acknowledged the medicalized philosophy of her co-workers. Within a few days, I switched to a new practice where all the providers were more aligned with birth philosophy. I felt well-supported and was able to have a successful natural birth.
The OB or midwife that you choose, along with the other providers in the practice, will have a significant influence on your birth experience. Take the time to consider your options and interview potential caregivers. By making this an intentional decision, you’ll improve your chance of having a safe and satisfying natural birth.
Kopa Birth’s online birthing classes allow you to prepare for a natural hospital birth from the comfort of your own home, 24/7. Enroll today in our free online childbirth class and start preparing for your natural birth!
Your plan is a natural birth. You’ve chosen the type of location where you want to give birth. You’ve chosen the type of doctor or midwife that you’d like to
