Questions To Ask Your Care Provider

What is your birth philosophy?
What locations do you practice?
What is your training?
MW - Are you certified? If yes, with whom and why? If no, why not?
MW - Are you licenses in the state of Colorado?
MW - What is your scope of practice?
MW - Do you come to my home or do I come to your office?
At what intervals will you see me during pregnancy?
MW - When would you transfer a patient to the hospital?
Are there are circumstances (physical, emotional, and/or spiritual) would you not take a woman as a patient?
When would you risk out a patient?
When will you consider me “overdue?” _________
What do you do when I am “overdue”? What are my options when I am “overdue”?
When am I premature?___________________________
What do you do if I am premature?
Are there limitations on who can be in the delivery room? What about a doula?
Do I need a childbirth class?
Do I need a breastfeeding class?
Are there restrictions on what kind of class I can take? Why?
What routine tests do you perform during pregnancy? ________________________________
What are your routine intervention rates?_____________

What is the cesarean rate?__________
What is your VBAC rate?___________
What is your induction rate?___________
What methods for induction do you use?_______________
How do you feel about a natural, un-medicated birth?
If I choose to get an epidural, how soon can I get it, and when will it be too late?_____________
When do you perform an episiotomy?
When would vacuum/forceps be used? Which method is preferred?
What do you think of birth plans? Will it be placed in my chart so all the staff can have access to it?
What if I choose to turn down a suggested procedure?
Do you attend all of your own patients, or is there an on-call rotation? If on-call, do all the other providers share a similar birth philosophy?
Do you do water births?
What makes up the majority of experience in practice? Has the provider seen normal labor and birth? How often?
What positions are you comfortable catching in? Hands/Knees? Squatting? Standing? Water? Birthing Stool? How often do you catch other than in the “c” position?
Are there any protocols that are non-negotiable? If you cannot refuse – you are not consenting.
What is your style of practice (laid back, hands on, managing)?
What routine herbs or supplements do you like your patients taking during pregnancy?
At what point in labor do you normally arrive and how long are you with patients during labor?
Do you ever encourage induction by herbal or other natural means? If yes, like what?
What is your perception of the role of a doula?

Questions to Ask the Birth Location…

Does this location have everything available that is most important to me? (tubs, birth balls, wireless monitoring, etc.)
What are the standard protocols or routine procedures? (How often do they monitor?_________________________ How often do they want to check you?_________________ IVs? Food during labor? Water during labor?)
Are they okay with you not wearing the gown and wearing your own clothing?
Is a water birth available?
Are birthing stools or non-reclined pushing and delivery positions encouraged? How often do women deliver their babies in a position other than on their back?________________
What is the no/low intervention rate?__________ These numbers are tracked monthly.
What is the epidural rate?___________
What is the episiotomy rate?___________
What is the cesarean rate?______________
What is the induction rate?____________
What is the VBAC rate?__________
Are mom and baby friendly practices used? (no routine interventions, no separation of baby and mom, breastfeeding is the norm, position changes encouraged, doula accompaniment is accepted, labor induction rates are low, etc.)
What if I choose to decline an intervention, medication, or procedure? Will my decision be respected?
Are there any protocols that are non-negotiable? If you cannot refuse – you are not consenting.
What happens with the baby after delivery? What is done routinely? _______________________________________________What is negotiable? What is not?
What kind of breastfeeding support is there?

Have the questions been answered specifically? Don’t be afraid to push for an answer or find someone else that will answer it.
Does the provider seem open and willing to answer everything, or do they get annoyed?
Do you feel comfortable and respected?
Can you get answers over the phone?
Are you choosing the provider based on insurance or lack thereof? Is there any flexibility?
Are you comfortable with the intervention and cesarean rates?
Will I be able to have the type of birth I truly desire? What’s limiting me?
What location is ultimately safest for my specific needs? (I am high-risk/low-risk.)
Do I have realistic expectations for the location?
Do I have realistic expectations for my care provider?
Am I willing to take responsibility for my birth in this location and with this care provider?
Am I able to say “no” to my care provider?
Am I able to say “no” to the staff at the birth location?
Will I be able to birth the way I really want to?
Do I feel truly comfortable and safe here?
Am I willing to take responsibility for my birth here?
Do the staff seem open to working with a doula?
Do the staff seem open to alternative childbirth methods?
Is there any compelling reason to choose this location over another?
What are you willing to do in order to have the birth you really desire?
How much responsibility are you willing to take for the health care decisions for you and your baby?