QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR CARE PROVIDER by Rachel Yellin

Questions to Ask your Care Provider

• ​What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​philosophy​ ​on​ ​unmedicated​ ​births?

• ​What​ ​do​ ​you​ ​think​ ​of​ ​women​ ​who​ ​want​ ​to​ ​give​ ​birth​ ​without​ ​any​ ​intervention?

• ​What​ ​can​ ​you​ ​do/recommend​ ​to​ ​help​ ​me​ ​have​ ​as​ ​low​ ​intervention​ ​a​ ​birth​ ​a​ ​possible?

• ​Do​ ​you​ ​practice​ ​in​ ​a​ ​group?​ ​Will​ ​I​ ​have​ ​a​ ​choice​ ​of​ ​practitioner?​ ​How​ ​many​ ​others​ ​do​ ​you share​ ​“call”​ ​with?​ ​What​ ​are​ ​the​ ​birth​ ​philosophies​ ​of​ ​the​ ​others​ ​on​ ​your​ ​team?

• ​What​ ​percentage​ ​of​ ​your​ ​own​ ​patients​ ​births​ ​do​ ​you​ ​attend?

• ​Will​ ​you​ ​be​ ​away​ ​for​ ​any​ ​period​ ​of​ ​time​ ​around​ ​my​ ​due​ ​date?

• ​What​ ​are​ ​your​ ​routine​ ​procedures/interventions?

• ​What​ ​percentage​ ​of​ ​your​ ​patients​ ​have​ ​unmedicated​ ​births?​ ​Epidural​ ​births?​ ​Cesarean​ ​births?​ ​Induced births?​ ​vacuum/forceps​ ​births?​ ​Episiotomy?

• ​Are​ ​you​ ​willing​ ​to​ ​have​ ​a​ ​conversation​ ​with​ ​me​ ​about​ ​what​ ​I​ ​will​ ​need​ ​to​ ​support​ ​me​ ​in having​ ​a​ ​hypnosis-based​ ​birth?

• ​Under​ ​what​ ​conditions​ ​do​ ​you​ ​recommend​ ​having​ ​an​ ​amniocentesis​ ​or​ ​ultrasound?

• ​Do​ ​you​ ​tend​ ​to​ ​lean​ ​more​ ​towards​ ​“management​ ​of​ ​labor”​ ​or​ ​“mother​ ​directed​ ​birth”.

• ​How​ ​much​ ​of​ ​my​ ​labor​ ​will​ ​you​ ​attend?

• ​What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​view​ ​on​ ​doulas?

• ​In​ ​the​ ​event​ ​that​ ​I​ ​need​ ​to​ ​give​ ​birth​ ​in​ ​an​ ​operating​ ​room,​ ​what​ ​will​ ​you​ ​do​ ​to​ ​support​ ​me​ ​in having​ ​my​ ​partner​ ​and​ ​doula​ ​in​ ​the​ ​operating​ ​and​ ​recovery​ ​room​ ​with​ ​me.

• ​I​ ​may​ ​request​ ​that​ ​non-urgent​ ​medical​ ​providers​ ​be​ ​restricted.​ ​Do​ ​you​ ​support​ ​that?

• ​What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​policy​ ​about​ ​fetal​ ​monitoring?​ ​

• Under​ ​what​ ​circumstances​ ​is​ ​a​ ​fetal​ ​scalp electrode​ ​used?​ ​

• What​ ​is​ ​your​ ​policy​ ​on​ ​my​ ​eating​ ​and​ ​drinking​ ​during​ ​labor?

• Under​ ​what​ ​circumstances​ ​will​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​induce​ ​or​ ​augment​ ​my​ ​labor?

• ​What​ ​percentage​ ​of​ ​your​ ​patients​ ​receive​ ​pitocin​ ​to​ ​stimulate​ ​labor?

• ​What​ ​are​ ​your​ ​thoughts​ ​on​ ​artificial​ ​rupture​ ​of​ ​membranes?

• ​If​ ​labor​ ​begins​ ​with​ ​spontaneous​ ​rupture​ ​of​ ​membranes,​ ​how​ ​long​ ​do​ ​you​ ​routinely​ ​wait before​ ​starting​ ​pitocin?​ ​What​ ​is​ ​the​ ​time​ ​limit​ ​in​ ​which​ ​you​ ​think​ ​my​ ​baby​ ​needs​ ​to​ ​be​ ​born?

• ​When​ ​do​ ​you​ ​routinely​ ​suggest​ ​induction​ ​for​ ​reasons​ ​related​ ​to​ ​due​ ​dates?

• ​I​ ​will​ ​want​ ​to​ ​give​ ​birth​ ​in​ ​my​ ​position​ ​of​ ​choice.​ ​Will​ ​you​ ​support​ ​that?

• ​I​ ​will​ ​want​ ​to​ ​decline​ ​vaginal​ ​exams​ ​unless​ ​if​ ​I​ ​have​ ​a​ ​medical​ ​decision​ ​to​ ​make​ ​based​ ​on that​ ​information.​ ​Will​ ​you​ ​support​ ​that?

• ​Will​ ​you​ ​support​ ​me​ ​in​ ​my​ ​decision​ ​about​ ​when​ ​to​ ​clamp​ ​the​ ​cord​ ​and​ ​when​ ​to​ ​cut​ ​the​ ​cord?

• ​Will​ ​you​ ​support​ ​me​ ​in​ ​my​ ​desire​ ​to​ ​breastfeed​ ​my​ ​baby​ ​before​ ​any​ ​stitching​ ​is​ ​done.

• ​How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​feel​ ​about​ ​me​ ​declining​ ​some​ ​of​ ​the​ ​newborn​ ​procedures?

• ​Will​ ​you​ ​support​ ​me​ ​in​ ​delaying​ ​procedures?

• ​What’s​ ​your​ ​opinion​ ​about​ ​circumcision?

• ​How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​handle​ ​complications​ ​in​ ​labor​ ​such​ ​as​ ​“failure​ ​to​ ​progress.”

• ​How​ ​do​ ​you​ ​handle​ ​breech​ ​birth?​ ​IF​ ​my​ ​baby​ ​were​ ​to​ ​be​ ​in​ ​a​ ​frank-breech​ ​position,​ ​would you​ ​support​ ​me​ ​in​ ​waiting​ ​until​ ​my​ ​labor​ ​starts​ ​and​ ​then​ ​having​ ​a​ ​cesarean?

• ​Do​ ​you​ ​do​ ​VBACs?

• ​If​ ​my​ ​baby​ ​needs​ ​to​ ​be​ ​born​ ​by​ ​cesarean,​ ​what​ ​is​ ​the​ ​policy​ ​about​ ​baby​ ​leaving​ ​the​ ​OR​ ​or staying​ ​with​ ​me​ ​and​ ​my​ ​partner​ ​in​ ​the​ ​OR?