When seeking to cultivate the ideal birthing environment, I have discovered that there are two major factors that impact overall satisfaction with the experience:
1. Understanding one’s personal preferences as far as being a minimalist or maximalist regarding medical interventions and technology.
2. Finding a provider whose professional practice aligns with your established beliefs and desires.
It’s important to understand where you stand with your idea of medicine.
For example, when I am experiencing a headache, the first things I do are grab an ice pack and some peppermint essential oil. These typically do the trick for me. Someone else might take a Tylenol or Motrin. Some people are more inclined to wait and see if the body can overcome the issue on its own while others would prefer to intervene. Figuring out if you are a minimalist or maximalist helps you decide under what circumstances you would prefer certain treatments/interventions. A minimalist may prefer to allow their water to break naturally while a maximalist may request that their water be broken to augment-speed up labor.
Technology is another consideration.
As most individuals know, the hospital is a place where monitoring is the standard; whereas a birthing center is a lower intervention option with less invasive practices. Determining where on the continuum of low to high tech you fall can help you select a birth location that suites your personal style.
Once these factors are well thought out, they can be used to assess which providers to interview (yes, you read that correctly) as potential obstetrician candidates.
This is one of the most personal choices that one can make so interviewing is essential in making the right decision. Here are a few tips for choosing the right doctor for you: look at reviews very thoroughly, research the providers' health grade online, ask if they belong to a group of physicians, find out their c-section rate as well as the rate of the hospital they are affiliated with , ask under what circumstances they induce labor and at how many weeks would it be considered an option provided that there are no complications. Watch their demeanor and tone as you ask questions and their willingness to thoroughly answer you. When you do select a practice using these suggestions, your mind will be at ease during one of the most vulnerable and high anxiety times in your life.
Choosing a provider that you trust can increase feelings of satisfaction with your overall birthing experience and eliminate unnecessary tensions during labor and delivery. Understanding your birth boundaries is an essential part of provider selection. Remember that you have the autonomy to shape your birth by being in control of who you entrust your care to.
Read more from Shanita here!
Read more from Shanita here!
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