The Rochester Area Birth Network has a list of area providers that we recommend. (www.rabn.org) Please take your time and interview as many different practices as you need in order to make a decision you feel good about.
You should feel free to ask any potential caregiver any questions you may think are relevant to your care, such as:
- What is your training and how many births have you attended?
- How do I contact you between visits if I have any concerns?
- How do I contact you when I am in labor?
- How much time do you normally spend with a laboring woman?
- If a woman is in labor and you are not there, who provides her care?
- Do you have a working relationship with another doctor/midwife if needed? Who and where? What happens in the event that you are unavailable?
- Do you do prenatal checkups? How often? Do you do postpartum checkups?
- Do you offer prenatal classes? Where are they held?
- How will you assist me in preparing for labor?
- What percentage of women receives episiotomies in your practice? How do you prevent the need for episiotomies?
- What percentage of women receives cesarean sections in your practice?
- How long does it take, on average, to prepare for a cesarean section?
- What do you do in emergency situations?
- Do you encourage family-centered maternity care? How do you see this working in practical terms?
- Are medications available?
- How do your services differ from that of other birth attendants?
- Do you offer water births?
- What is your policy on informed decision-making by the parents?
- Do you attend VBAC’s? What is your percentage of successful VBAC’s? How many do you attend in an average year?
Cesarean Rates
Rochester Area Birth Network
The Unnecesarian
Looking for a care provider. Planning for baby 3. Have had 2 c-sections… One without labor or induction. 2nd for failure to progress. Really want a natural birth. Thanks.