So, I find myself in need of a midwife, or a NCB friendly prac that'll let me labor/birth the way I need to. I hate that I even need to say "let me". I'm the one pushing a baby out my vagina, they're working for me, but I digress.
So I'm compiling a list of questions to ask my prospective docs...provided I don't find a midwife willing to travel.
Some of these questions come from here and there are more questions there than are listed here (there'$s even a cool print out).
1) What are your philosophies and beliefs about birth?
Answer I'm looking for: Birth is an awe inspiring force of nature, that I am happy to be a part of. I like to let things unfold as they will. Not the answer I'm likely to get, but if I get it, you'll be able to knock me over with a feather.
2)I am firm proponent of informed consent and refusal. How much choice do you feel I should have in the decision making process?
Answer I'm looking for: We'll work together as a team. I will tell you everything I know about whatever decision needs to be made.
3) I'll roughly outline my wishes for birth (i'm not so big on birth plans, unless you're going to a hospital that actually reads them), and see what's negotiable up front... I'll probably ask about management of third stage as well.
Answer I'm looking for: Doc supports my wishes for an as un-intervened birth as possible, ie, hep lock in place of IV, laboring/birthing in positions that suit me, NO EPISIOTOMY, etc. I don't know how I'm going to get around the insane requirement of constant electronic fetal monitoring.
4)What is your induction rate, and when do you feel induction of labor is necessary?
Answer I'm looking for: A very low induction/augment rate, similar to that suggested by the WHO, induction for medical reasons such as PIH, post-dates of 10 days or more, toxemia (but even then doc should be offering nutritional counseling well before toxemia sets in), etc.
5) What is your preferred method of induction?
Answer I'm looking for: Anything but Cytotec!
6) What is your Caesarean rate? And in what situations do you recommend a C-section?
I'm naturally looking for a very low answer, but honestly don't think I'm going to find anyone with a rate lower than 30-40% here. I'm actually going to interview a couple of nurses from each of the hospitals before I settle on a doctor.
7) How do you feel about vaginal births for breech presentations or twins?
I don't know what answer I'm looking for there, honestly if doc's never attended either, I don't want to be his guinea pig. I'll go to the Farm for that!
8) I am hiring a doula for my birth. Do you work with doulas?
If the answer is no, then he/she is not the doctor for me. I am a doula and a natural childbirth educator. And because there is a distinct possibility of birthing in a hospital, I will most definitely hire a doula.
I know I've got some pie in the sky answers I'm looking for, and I'll probably settle for answers that are less than what I'm looking for if the doc will look the other way when it comes to my stubborness.
There are tons more questions you should ask of your HCP if this is a first baby for you, or you are not a birth junkie, like I am. I suggest looking for a practitioner that meets the definition of Mother-friendly as outlined by the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services. Believe it or not
BabyCenter has a great print-out as does BabyFit.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
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