Hired Doula and Fired Doctor!!! lol

Paul and I hired our Doula last night. We absolutely love her!!!! Paul is really happy we decided to hire her as well. I am so happy we decided to go with a Doula. This is going to be an amazing experience and I'm going to love experiencing it. She gave me a list of natural birth books I can read. I'm going to the library tomorrow to check some of them out.

The Doula gave me a list of questions to ask my doctor (Since we are planning to go all natural with NO interventions) to make sure she was on the same page as we are... and the doctor's NOT!!! Man is she not... I was so disappointed when i walked out of the doctors office Thursday. I'll post the questions the doula gave me (stars are questions I did ask) for ladies who want to ask their doctors. And I'll post my doctors answers...


If I write a birth plan, will it be honored? *
What is your cesarean rate? The hospitals cesarean rate? **
Does he/she require an IV? *
Does he/she require continuous fetal monitoring? *
Does he/she do rountine episiotomy? What is your episiotomy rate? **
What is his/her policy on using pitocin? What is your rate? **
What is his/her practice on stripping the membranes? *
How often and under what circumstances is forceps/vacuum delivery done?
Am I allowed to eat and drink in labor? *
Am I allowed to labor in the shower and/or tub? Have a water delivery? *
Is my partner and Doula allowed with me at all times? Including epidural placement and c-section? **
Is my parnter allowed to catch the baby? Cut the cord?
Does he/she perform Breech vaginal deliveries?
How does he/she handle long labor?
Does he/she support natural child birth? *
Is he/she open to mom's choices of position when it is time to push? *
Is it possible to wait awhile after birth before routine procedures are performed? *
can we wait for the cord to stop pulsating before we cut it?
Will I be able to breastfeed immediately? *
What is his/her view on circumcision?

Now here's my doctors answers to the questions I did ask her.

1.) If I write a birth plan will it be honored? She kinda hesitated at first and said "As much as possible".

2.) What is your C-Section rate? 25%

3.) Is an IV required? YES... she didn't even hesitate on this. I don't agree with this at all. When I asked why she said because if something goes wrong they don't want to be fumbling around to put in an IV...

4.) Do you require continuous fetal monitoring? As long as my water hasn't broken I won't need fetal monitoring and am free to walk around. But once my water breaks it is required.

5.) Episiotomy rate - 50% - 60% of first time moms (WHAAAAT?)

6.) Pitocin - As soon as I mentioned the word her eyes lit up and she was like "Yea I don't hesitate to use it if you're not progressing"... I got the feeling that she was pretty much saying "I'm ready to go home so give her some pitocin and get that kid out"... Wasn't happy.. I think she said about 85% to 90% of the time she uses pitocin!!!! No thank you!

6.) Stripping membranes - If I want it.

7.) I am not allowed to eat or drink anything other then water during labor.

8.) If the nurse says it's okay (and my water hasn't broken) I can labor in the tub or shower. But once my water breaks I can't.

9.) Doula and husband is allowed at all times except for C Sections. I would have to choose.

10.) Supporting natural child birth - As much as possible.

11.) Open to mothers choice of postions while pushing- Yes, unless one position isn't working after a while then she will move me to another position.

12.) Holding off on routine procedures for skin to skin contact and immediate breast feeding - She kinda danced around this one and ended up saying it was up to the pediatrician and if there weren't any complications. I don't think she was understand what I was asking though cause she made a comment on the nurses cleaning the baby. I tried to elaborate and she danced around and went back to pediatrician and nurses decision.

13.) Breastfeeding immediately - She danced around it, but in the end her answer was after the nurses do what they need to do then the nurse will hand me the baby.

I was not happy with ANY of her answers. Which is a shame because I really liked her personally. Plus she pretty much refused to another ultrasound until 32 weeks. And she said her partner has the same views and opinions as she does. So Paul called the insurance company to find out if mid wives are covered. AND THEY ARE!!! So we are going to start our search for a natural birth mid wife on Monday...

Wow this was such a downer!! Back to square one with finding a doctor. But that's fine, I have plenty of time!!

xoxoxo

Amanda!!