It’s a decision we all have to make when we become pregnant. It’s not always easy, but when it feels right, it sure is. This list will help newly expecting parents, whether first or fifth baby, to make the right decision for them, with who they decide for their birth team.

Decide what is important to you and your birth.

This part takes a little bit of consideration, and may change throughout your pregnancy. That’s okay, because it’s never too late to switch providers. Ever. Some things to consider are the difference in care between midwives, and OBs.

Pro tip: Obstetricians are a great choice if you are high risk. Midwives are great for a normal healthy birth. Both offer prenatal appointments during pregnancy, but midwives will sit with you for your appointment to answer any questions you and your partner may have. OBs stack their appointments to see more than one patient at a time, so they spend less time with each patient.

2. Ask everyone you know.

Ask your peers who are currently having children. Don’t just ask for the recommendations though, ask them WHY they chose that provider.

Pro tip: Start forming your birth plan as you go. It may change, and that is fine. Learn as much as you can to make informed decisions BEFORE you’re met with them.

3. Take a child birth class.

This part can be done any time in your pregnancy. This is most helpful to learn about modern practices for labor & birth and how you feel about them. The sooner you know, the sooner you can decide what you want for your experience.

Pro tip: Start forming your birth plan as you go. It may change, and that is fine. Learn as much as you can to make informed decisions BEFORE you’re met with them.

4. Sit down and narrow who most fits your needs.

It is so important to feel empowered, and in charge of decisions regarding your birth. Once you have decided what is most important to your birth plan, you can narrow the providers down. If you decide you’d like an OB, you might start by forming a list of questions to ask regarding use of episiotomies, cesarean rates, & induction rates, etc.

5. Contact a few of your favorites to meet with them.

Call and make plans to meet with them. You want to know you’re in good hands and that you can feel safe with them, and their practices, no matter what.

Pro tip: If they’re unwilling to meet, they might not be the right provider for you.

6. Talk, ask questions, and communicate your desires for this birth.

When meeting with your short-list, ask all of your questions.

Pro tip: Intuition is so important here. YOU ARE ALLOWED to choose someone who gives you the best vibe. It is okay to choose based on energy, personality, experience and overall feeling you get from them. This is your birth. How do they feel about delaying cord clamping until all blood is received by your baby?

7. REMEMBER: Just because you have 1 or 10 appointments with them, you are always allowed to switch.

The goal is a safe, happy, empowering birth experience. No matter what that looks like for someone else, yours is YOURS, and you deserve the care you feel best with.

Pro tip: If you get to 38 weeks, and you just don’t feel right, and ready, look into other providers. This is something I cannot stress enough. Many feel like they are locked into their provider once they start to feel closer to their due date. There is no certain timeline that you have to follow, and you are always allowed to switch care.

8. Consider hiring a doula!

A doula is ABSOLUTELY going to help ALL of the above. A doula is a non-medical, neutral person that is trained to offer emotional and physical support during pregnancy, labor and birth. A great doula is a wealth of knowledge that offers parents an extensive amount of resources. They know the best child birth educators, and might even be one. Doulas will be your guide to walk you through your entire pregnancy, making sure that you are equipped to make the decisions you may be met with. During labor, they will be there for you to offer support you need. A doula can help your partner, to help you, and be hands on when needed.

Pro tip: Having a doula is PROVEN to reduce the length of labors, cesarean rates, and improve overall experience of giving birth. LIKE HELLO! That is amazing!

Carey is a birth photographer & doula serving Phoenix and all major surrounding cities.