Top 10 Red Flags From Your Provider
Do you know how to tell if your provider is going to be a supportive part of your birth team? I see moms run into this issues a lot. You know how much I talk about the importance of a supportive provider BUT how do you know if you're provider is the right one?! One of the things I hope this episode does for you, is make some of your own assumptions about your provider's supportiveness, or lack thereof, clear and give you ideas about what questions you should ask to figure out if you're on the same page. I'm covering things like how you choose to birth (medicated or unmedicated - yes providers may have unsupportive opinions about this), cesarean birth rates, inductions, vaccines, birth plans, doulas and more.
Trigger warning! Some of the topics we cover in this episode are sensitive to some mamas. Everything here is meant to inform, give you excellent examples, and be a starting point to having those tough conversations with your provider. If you have questions about your personal pregnancy and birth experience and would like some more support, email me at "[email protected]" or shoot me a dm on Instagram @myessentialbirth.
Show Notes:
1:33 - Our reviewer of the week shares how she feel empowered and prepared to have an unmedicated birth.
2:34 - Let's break down the importance of interviewing your provider. Providers are not created equally so what questions do you need to ask them to figure out which one is really right for you?
4:22 - So you want an unmedicated birth and don't want an epidural? Watch out for these red flag responses!
6:15 - Do you know your provider's rate of cesarean births? A great question to ask: "What is your rate of cesarean births for moms like me?"
7:19 - Red flag responses from your provider about their cesarean birth rate. I share why these responses are concerning to me as a professional doula and mom.
10:00 - Do you really need an induction if you're healthy and low risk? Look for these red flag responses!
13:47 - Your provider tells you that they'll let you try for a VBAC! Is this a red flag or a green light?
14:24 - VBAC can raise lots of questions for mom, let's talk about more red flags to watch out for when getting answers for your VBAC.
16:43 - Should your provider change your due date if your anatomy scan shows your baby is measuring big?
19:46 - What if you don't want to get Tdap or COVID-19 vaccine while you're pregnant? How can you gauge if your provider is truly supportive of that?
22:24 - You hand your provider your birth plan, what should they do with it?
25:20 - Is your provider supportive of your doula or other support people in the birth space? Hint, they should be AND how to tell if they're not.
27:41 - You ask for limited (or zero) vaginal exams during labor, how your provider responds will tell you everything!
30:30 - What are good responses to your request for limited vaginal exams?
31:07 - Can you wait to cut the cord until it stops pulsating? Watch for these red flags responses.
32:33 - Green flag responses to delayed cord cutting that will let you know you've picked a good provider.
32:56 - Some more questions to ask when looking for red flags.
33:33 - Remember this red flag from MY birth story? Yikes!
33:53 - You KNOW when your provider is right or wrong for you. Trust your intuition, you know what supportive looks and feels like!
36:49 - My best tips for making sure you're choosing a good provider!
Links Mentioned:
Episode 106: Interview with High-Risk Doctor: Nate Fox
Resources:
My Essential Birth
