Choosing a Pregnancy Provider

When you are bringing a baby into the world, it is so important to find a birth workers (doctor, midwife, doula, etc) that align with the wishes that you have for your birth. They are the ones that are going to help you accomplish those goals so they should not only be on board with everything you want for your birth, but you should also feel comfortable saying "no" to them if they ask you to do something that you are not comfortable with.

You can choose a pregnancy provider even before you are pregnant! Most midwives and OBs will offer a consultation appointment just to get to know them and see if they are a good fit for you.

Some questions to ask your provider to see if they are a good fit:

How many ultrasounds do you routinely offer during pregnancy?

At what gestation do you schedule a mom’s first prenatal appointment?

How long do you spend with each mom at her prenatal appointment?

Do you offer any alternatives to Glucola for the gestational diabetes screening?

If I want to track my blood sugar for a week using a glucose monitor instead of doing a drink

test, would you support that?

How frequently do you perform cervical exams, and would I be able to decline them if

desired?

How do you feel about doulas being present for births?

How do you feel about birth photographers being present for births?

What’s your induction rate?

What’s your c-section rate?

What’s your NICU stay rate?

What’s your transfer rate (for home birth midwives)?

Under what circumstances would you transfer (for home birth midwives)?

In case of a c-section, who would I be allowed to have in the room?

In case of a c-section, can I do immediate skin-to-skin?

Do you provide any nutrition recommendations for moms?

Are you familiar with Spinning Babies?

Would you be okay with me choosing to wait for the Fetal Ejection Reflex during birth?

What kind of support do you offer for moms who decline the epidural?

If I get an epidural, would you support me in birthing not on my back?

Do you provide tips for how to prevent tearing during birth?

How soon do you cut the umbilical cord after birth?

Are you familiar with a 2-step delivery?

Will I be able to have at least one undisturbed hour of skin-to-skin with my baby

immediately following birth?

Do you know how to assist with the birth of a breech baby?

If any of their answers concern you, do not feel bad about looking for another provider! Even if you find this out much later (up to 40 weeks!), you can always switch to a new provider. You don't owe them anything - you're the boss, mama! It's YOUR birth, YOUR baby, and YOUR experience. You deserve a provider who supports exactly what you want from your pregnancy and birth.

I have compiled a (FREE!) list of pregnancy providers and birth workers from EVERY STATE IN THE USA from my followers that they have LOVED (not vetted by me - but all loved by my followers) for you to use to hopefully find someone who aligns with your vision of birth! Just sign up to receive that free resource here and I will send it over for you :)

AND, if you want to learn literally everything I know about pregnancy and birth from a holistic perspective, be sure to grab a copy of The OrganiMama's Guide to Pregnancy.