Here are some sample questions for each unique period of care.
2) Labor and Delivery: Please explain in detail what I can expect when I arrive at the hospital in labor (or the midwife arrives at my home for a home birth?) Do you recommend IV fluids? Do you use an electronic fetal monitor? Do you recommend vaginal exams? Are there any other things I should expect to be offered? How will ____________ improve the safety of my birth?
3) Immediate postpartum care: As soon as my baby is born, what exactly are the routines for my care and for my baby’s care? Will my baby and I be separated, if so why and for how long? What, if any, are the expected routines to be done to my baby? What about my care, will there be any medications offered, tests performed or procedures that are routinely included in your care after a normal vaginal birth?
Warmly and openly engage your provider at each and every visit about what you can expect. Don’t be shy to write down the answers you hear. It is then that you can go home and do your homework. Research your care provider’s routines; are they evidence based to improve your outcomes? And importantly, check in with your intuition to see if this provider is in fact who want to trust with your care. If the answer is yes, congratulations but keep the conversation going at future appointments. If the answer is no, it’s time for to look for some other options for your care. If you truly can’t access any other options you can at least now better understand the dynamic between you and your provider and use that knowledge as you try to navigate through your remaining care choices.
About Emily
Emily Marynczak has been a Bradley Method Childbirth Educator and a doula in the Capital District since 1996. She is the mother of two wonderful young men who each had very different birth experiences. It is Emily's passion to help guide women and their families through the overwhelming amount of change and choice that comprises pregnancy. Emily believes every woman should have access to information required to make informed choices in healthcare. You can find Emily's class schedule and contact details HERE.
