Written By: Zaakirah Idrissu

Many expecting couples took great care in choosing both their wedding venue and their marital home. Intuitively the very idea of choosing somewhere insufficient would not be deemed appropriate nor accepted. It is that same level of discernment that should be exhibited when choosing a medical provider and the associated birth location whether that is a hospital or freestanding birth center. Wherever the birth is planned to take place needs to practice evidence based practices and informed decision making for a trauma free experience.

The future parents should tour multiple birth locations and be comfortable having conversations with the medical provider. They should also be aware within the first two visits of why their chosen medical provider specialized in the maternal health field, the philosophy regarding maternal health and birth, as well as how often various interventions are implemented at that birth location. That may look like asking questions such as;
1. What are reasons you would recommend a cesarean?
2. Tell me about a time you did not agree with the birth plan of your client and how you navigated that at the time of delivery.
3. What is the rate of cesarean sections performed at this hospital?
4. What do you provide to support an unmedicated laboring mother that declines an epidural?
5. Is there a lactation consultant on staff and how often does successful initiation of breastfeeding occur in this particular hospital?
6. What does postpartum support look like for those who give birth in this hospital?

The truth is not all hospitals carry the same standards or values. It’s important that whichever birth location is chosen aligns well with both the family and the medical provider. Most importantly the mother should feel a sense of peace when touring the facility prenatally and when talking to the medical team. Any feelings of anxiety from the mother regarding the location or from the tone of the medical provider are red flags which should not be ignored. Parents need to have healthy expectations upon learning more about the birth location. It would not be realistic to expect support fora natural physiological birth experience in a place with a 50% cesarean rate for example.

Remember there are no redoes for the birth of a child. It’s never too late to tour another facility for birth or switch to someone that better understands the mother’s needs. The entire goal is to cultivate a positive experience so that parents can go home trauma free with their baby. All of this is in the hopes that they can step forward as a good parenting team ready to compassionately guide and support this new innocent soul for the years to come.