37 Questions to Ask Your Provider When You Want a Natural Birth
Planning for a natural and autonomous birth? You'll want to make sure your provider's birth philosophy aligns with your own.
Here are 37 great questions to ask when you're interviewing providers to support your birth. Don't love their answers? Trust your intuition and find a provider who supports your goals!
General Questions
- What is your experience with physiological birth?
- How do you support a natural birth?
- What percentage of your patients are considered high risk?
- What pregnancy conditions are considered high risk?
- What will happen if my pregnancy becomes high risk?
- What is the rate of epidural analgesia under your care?
- What is your cesarean section rate?
- What is your induction rate?
- When do you recommend an induction?
- If my pregnancy goes past 40 weeks, what do you recommend?
- How do you support breech presentation babies?
- Do you support vaginal breech birth?
- I'd like to choose my own drink for the Gestational Diabetes test, do you support that?
- I'd like to do my own GBS swab, do you support that?
- How do you feel about additional support people such as doulas?
Policies on the First Stage of Labor (Active Labor)
- What are your thoughts on continuous fetal monitoring?
- I'd like to have intermittent monitoring, do you support this option?
- I'd like limited/no cervical checks. Do you support this & will I be required to get one to be admitted?
- I'd like to decline an IV. Will I be required to have a saline lock?
- What is your protocol for GBS positive and can I choose to decline antibiotics?
- I'd like to move around in labor, do you support freedom of movement?
- What is your policy on food or drink while in labor?
- How long will you allow me to labor with ruptured membranes?
- What if my labor stalls?
Policies on the Second and Third Stage of Labor (Pushing and Birth of the Placenta)
- How long will you allow me to labor in the second stage (pushing) before suggesting interventions?
- I'd like to push in a position that feels natural for me. Do you support other positions for both pushing and delivery?
- What is your episiotomy rate?
- What is your rate of forceps or vacuum extraction delivery?
- How do you manage the third stage (birth of the placenta)?
Policies on Newborn Care
- What is your policy on skin-to-skin?
- I'd like to decline suctioning of the nose and mouth unless medically necessary. Do you support that?
- I'd like to delay cord clamping until it stops pulsing. Do you have a time limit on this, typically?
- Will you allow my baby to stay skin to skin with me if there is a need for medical care/resuscitation?
- What are your recommendations for Erythromycin (eye ointment), and what are the benefits and risks?
- What are your recommendations for Vitamin K, and what are the benefits and risks? Do you offer the oral dosage or the shot?
- I'd like to delay baby's first bath, is this something you support?
- What is your after care policy for infants if I am GBS positive and decline antibiotics? (or if I don’t receive them in time?)
No matter the outcome, a supportive birth team can make or break your experience. I hope these questions help you find a provider you love!
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