The way I see it, the options for who helps you deliver: Obstetrician, Midwife, Doula
You can mix and match almost any of these depending on your needs. There are some things to take into account when making the decision:
1) Your risk level - gestational diabetes, hypertension, other health complications that require medical supervision
2) Your fear level - some people are scared of birth, whether it's from horror stories from others, or women screaming on TV & in movies, or a simple lack of knowledge
3) Your vision of the birth - do you see yourself giving birth somewhere calm, quiet, peaceful - or do you see yourself in a bed with nurses just outside the door with family & friends coming to visit?
4) The level of involvement you want in your birth - do you want to call the shots, or just show up and let someone handle the decisions
5) Your aversion to interventions - how do you feel about labor induction, pain relief, position changes, surgery
The process I took (keeping in mind that every mom & every pregnancy is different):
-Went to an OB through the 20 week ultrasound. Passed all tests, baby was growing normally, and all signs were pointing to a healthy pregnancy
-Asked my OB who would be delivering my baby. The answer was, "One of our 8 doctors - whoever is on call." I further learned that 1/2 of those doctors were, and I quote my OB, "Old men who have a particular though on birth and tend to perform more episiotomies than the rest." WHAT?!?! That was my call to action.
-I looked into Midwifery. A certified nurse midwife is trained in giving birth. They cannot perform a c-section. They tend to take a more natural labor progression than OBs do. An OB is a trained surgeon, so in times of stress they go with what they know (C-section) versus a Midwife who usually has a whole host of 'tricks' up their sleeve to progress labor without surgery.
-I found a WONDERFUL midwife group that was based out of a major hospital. I expected them to be 'granola/hippy-dippy' and judgmental if I wanted pain drugs. NOT THE CASE - they were extremely open to discuss all options and I never once felt judged when I inquired about different options.
-Through some classes we took I found a doula. Doulas are NOT medical professionals. A doula is a 'helper of women' who are there to support the mother and guide her through labor (and help the dad). Her focus is on keeping you comfortable and informed. They stay by your side even when nurses / midwives change shifts.
-Looked into a water birth. Looked enticing, but being in a heated tub while laboring ended up sounding more uncomfortable than comfortable...We did have a GIANT tub in our hospital room though (for laboring).
-We ended up delivering in a hospital with a midwife and a doula by our side. Birth story post coming soon. It didn't go 100% according to plan, but ended up perfectly with our little babe!!
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| View from our room the day after delivery |
Whatever decision you make, be sure it's an informed one. Even if you know you want an OB in a hospital, go on tours. We went to one hospital where I would be moved through FOUR rooms from the time I was admitted to the time I was discharged. One hospital had a NICU for pre-term babies, and one birthing center would have us drive to a hospital in an emergency situation.
The more informed you are, the more comfortable you will be when d-day comes! It will also help you defend your decision to anyone who has conflicting opinions about YOUR BIRTH! Seriously, people have no lack of opinions when it comes to your birth...
What helped make your decision on where/how you were going to give birth?
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