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Caregiver

Who you choose to attend your birth is a very important decision. In order to make the best decision, make several interview appointments with different care providers. Most doctors and midwives do this for free, but some charge a fee of some kind, so be sure to get that clarified. If you are able to obtain references, check them! You will usually be able to get a good idea of that care provider's style by speaking with a few of their former clients. A few interview questions you may want to consider are:

1. What are your feelings about natural birth?
   
2. What are some ways you may support a woman seeking to give birth natually?
   
3. How often do you induce and what are some reasons you might do so?
   
4. What might indicate a need for continuous fetal monitoring?
   
5. What is your cesarean rate?
   
6. What indicates to you that a cesarean may become necessary?
   
7. For what reasons might you cut an episiotomy?
   
8. What are your experiences with varied positions during the pushing stage?
   
9. What are your feelings about going past the 'due date'?
   
10. How much time do you generally spend with mothers during labor?
    
11. How do you feel about doulas at labors/births?
    

Most of the above questions are for doctors. Some, though, will apply to both doctors and midwives. Here are a few others that you may want to consider asking if you are interviewing a homebirth midwife:

1. How long have you been attending homebirths?
   
2. How often do you transport and for what reasons?
   
3. How do you encourage other members of the birth team to be involved?
   
4. May I have the names and numbers of a few ladies you have served for references?
   

Birthplace

Choosing where to give birth and who should attend usually go hand in hand. In most places, doctors do not attend homebirths, though there are rare exceptions. Likewise, most midwives who attend homebirths aren't allowed to deliver babies in the hospital. If you have decided on a homebirth there isn't anything more to consider about your place of birth. However, if you still need to decide about whether to birth in a hospital or birth center - or just which hospital or birth center - here are a few questions taken from the Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative that may help you make that decision:

1. Who can be with me during labor and birth?
2. What happens during a normal labor and birth in your setting?
3. How do you allow for differences in culture and beliefs?
4. Can I walk and move around during labor? What position do you suggest for birth?
5. How do you make sure everything goes smoothly when my nurse, doctor, midwife, or agency need to work with each other?
6. What things do you normally do to a woman in labor?
7. How do you help mothers stay as comfortable as they can be? Besides drugs, how do you help mothers relieve the pain of labor?
8. What if my baby is born early or has special problems?
9. Do you circumcise baby boys?
10. How do you help mothers who want to breastfeed?