When it comes to having your first baby, choosing your provider can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to produce anxiety. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind when you begin looking for the provider best for you.
1. Pregnancy and birth are normal human experiences.
Keep in mind that pregnancy is not a sickness, and even though you may be seeking a health care provider, this does not mean you are sick! Some families enter into pregnancy knowing there are conditions that may make pregnancy more complicated, but for the vast majority, pregnancy will be completely normal and uncomplicated.
2. Where you birth matters.
A lot of people focus on who they choose as their provider and don’t ever consider where they are planning to give birth. There are three general places where birth happens: at home, at a birth center or in a hospital. Wherever you are planning to deliver, know the expectations, benefits, risks, policies and common procedures involved with that particular birth setting. It may be beneficial to pick your birth setting before looking for a provider, because certain types of providers only practice in certain settings.
3. Medical doctors are not the only option for your prenatal care and delivery.
In Kansas City, births are attended by one of two trained professionals: a doctor or a midwife. Medical doctors (obstetrician/gynecologists known as OBGYNs) are wonderful and plentiful in the Kansas City metro, but they are not the only type of professional that can provide your prenatal care and attend your delivery. Plenty of educated, trained, competent midwives in the area can provide expert care to you and your family too. Though there are different types of midwives, a midwife is available for every birth setting. Most midwives in Kansas City have collaborating hospitals or collaborating physicians with whom they work and to whom they can refer you if a higher level of care is needed. Here are a few basic distinctions between doctors and midwives:
Doctor (MD, DO)
- Usually only manage and attend birth in hospitals.
- Are specialists, experts in pregnancy and birth complications.
- Actively manage pregnancy and birth with interventions.
Midwife (CNM, CM)
- Can attend births in hospitals, birth centers or home.
- Are primary care providers, experts of normal.
- Allow for the natural process of pregnancy and birth to occur and only intervene if medically necessary.
4. Continuous “bedside” support has the best benefit for birth.
Right after choosing your birth facility and your provider comes choosing someone who will provide you with continuous bedside support during your labor. This can be a partner, family member or close friend. It is usually best if the supporter has had some type of childbirth training. A trained doula who is familiar with your chosen birth setting and with your provider is usually the best option for families having their first baby. Research has consistently shown there are better outcomes for mamas and babies when doulas are a part of their care team. There are several amazing doula organizations in the Kansas City area, and they are definitely worth considering.
5. If you don’t like the provider you have chosen, you can always transfer care.
Your level of comfort with your doctor or midwife is of high priority. If you find that after a few prenatal visits, you actually do not feel safe, connected, heard or that your concerns are not being addressed, find a new provider. The majority of providers are going to have your care well documented, and those documents can easily be transferred to a new provider. If you want to keep your birth setting or hospital the same, you just need to remember to find a new provider that attends births at your chosen setting.
For more information, or if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to your local labor and delivery nurse at NurseMarieKC@gmail.com.
Additional information and sourcing:
- “My Birth Matters,” CMQCC.org/my-birth-matters
- “Evidence Based Birth,” EvidenceBasedBirth.com
- “Doulas of North America – DONA,” DONA.org
Marie Rodriguez, BSN, RN, University of Kansas School of Nursing, Doctorate of Nursing Practice – Nurse Midwifery Student