3 Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Medical Provider

One of the earliest and most important decisions you will make during pregnancy is who you will choose as your medical provider. Maybe you picked a provider who you have been seeing for your routine gynecology care or who came recommended by a friend? It is important to understand that not all medical providers are equal and do not follow the same protocols for care during pregnancy and childbirth. Doing your homework to find the best provider for YOU will be one of the most important decisions you make during your pregnancy.

I like to remind expectant parents that you are a customer and you have options. It is never too late to change providers and you deserve to feel comfortable, supported, and safe in your medical care.

Below are the top 3 questions I advise my clients to ask themselves when deciding whom to give the honor of delivering their baby to. 

#1: Do I feel comfortable asking my provider questions? 

During your appointments, do you have enough time to ask your provider all your questions? If there is not enough time (some of the best providers are very busy!) do they have a system in place to answer your questions between visits (e.g., a nurse line, client portal, etc.). The bottom line is – does your provider create a space where your questions/concerns/needs can be heard and addressed?

If the answer is YES – great! Next ask yourself, is your care collaborative and patient-centered or is it hierarchical? Do you feel safe to ask your provider for what you want and/or decline what you do not want?

If asking questions during prenatal visits feels intimidating it is unlikely that the dynamic will change once you are in labor. Honestly answering these questions may be uncomfortable but trust your gut. It is good practice for parenting!

#2: Are my birth preferences in alignment with their practice?

Once you have created your birth preferences (I do not like to call it a “birth plan” because birth is unpredictable) the next step is to share it with your provider. If your goal is to have an un-medicated, physiological birth (birth without medical intervention) then ask your provider how they could support this.

Or maybe you are open to medical interventions, like an epidural, for pain relief, but you prefer to avoid an induction, episiotomy, or cesarean birth. You should feel comfortable asking your provider about their induction policy or their episiotomy/cesarean rates.

If your provider does not support your birth preferences you have the option to switch. I have seen expectant parents change as late as 39 weeks!

#3 Is my birth setting in alignment with my birth preferences?

Choosing where you give birth can also influence your childbirth experience. For example, a hospital may have a policy that your provider does not prefer but will have to be followed. Here are some examples of common non-evidenced based hospital policies:

• “You must progress 1 cm an hour”

• “You may not eat or drink in labor”

• “You must have continuous electronic fetal monitoring”

• “You may not get out of bed”

• “You must lie on your back while pushing”

• “You can only have 1 support person during the COVID-19 pandemic”

If your birth setting does not support your birth preferences you have the option to switch.

If, after reading this, you are thinking about changing providers, know that it is VERY common to switch in middle to late stages of pregnancy and I am here to tell you, YOU GOT THIS! You are capable and worthy of finding care that is patient-centered and collaborative.