Obstetrician/Gynecologist
(OB/GYN) More than 90% of women choose an OB/GYN
— a physician that specializes in women’s
reproductive and general health — as their
prenatal care practitioner. OB/GYNs oversees
prenatal check-ups, ultrasounds and tests.

They also take care of non-pregnancy-related
female needs, such as pap smears, breast
exams and contraception.

OB/GYNs almost always deliver babies in
hospitals. They are the best choice for women
with high-risk pregnancies — those who are
over 35, are underweight or overweight, are
carrying multiples, have had a problem with a
previous pregnancy, or have a health problem
such as diabetes or high blood pressure. OB/
GYNs are also trained to perform Caesarean
sections (C-sections), which account for
more than 31% of U.S. births, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Keep in mind, though, that OB/GYNs are
more likely than midwives to use surgical
and technological interventions, such as
episiotomy (an incision made in the perinium
to make more room for the baby) and a
vacuum or forceps during delivery. And if
you’re hoping to labor without drugs or an
epidural, an OB/GYN may not be right for you.

Family Physician
A family physician can serve as your primary
care provider, your OB/GYN and the baby’s
pediatrician, thereby meeting all of your family’s
medical needs. But family physicians typically
don’t perform C-sections, so if complications
occur, you’ll need to switch to an OB/GYN.

Midwife A midwife is not a doctor, but a trained health-
care professional who cares for women during
pregnancy, labor and delivery, and post birth.

“Midwives are trained to support the
natural process of birth in a way that is holistic
and family-centered … while providing the
least amount of intervention necessary,” says
Paige Barocca, a midwife with Moonstone
Midwifery in Maryland.

That makes midwives a great choice for
women who want to avoid an epidural or
labor-inducing drugs (though midwives can
prescribe these if the woman changes her mind).

Midwives are also more likely than doctors
to offer breastfeeding and lactation support.

While midwives often perform hospital
births, many also deliver babies at birthing
18 Washington FAMILY JUNE 2021
CREATING A BIRTH PLAN
A birth plan will help you communicate your birth preferences to your
medical team. Here are some of the main things to include:
LOCATION: Where do you want to give birth? Most women give birth at
a hospital, but hospitals differ in the types of birthing rooms they offer
and the protocols they follow. Home births offer women with low-risk
pregnancies much more comfort, but you won’t have the amenities of
a hospital if something goes wrong. Birthing centers feel more relaxed
than hospitals but offer some of the same medical amenities.

PAIN MANAGEMENT: Do you want to try to give birth without an
epidural or pain medications?
INDUCTION: Do you want to be induced if your labor is going slowly, or
would you rather have more time to let things progress naturally?
ATMOSPHERE: Do you want to play music? Would you like a certain
type of lighting? Do you want to use a birthing ball or have the freedom
to move around during labor?
TYPE OF DELIVERY: Would you like to try for a water birth? If you’ve had
a C-section before, do you want to try for a vaginal birth after Caesarean
(VBAC), or would you rather schedule another C-section? If you opt for a
C-section, do you want to see the baby coming out?
A doula can help you come up with any other items to include in your birth
plan. Just remember that these are simply guidelines, not requirements, and
that they may need to change based on how your labor goes and whether any
complications arise. T
centers or, like Barocca, in women’s homes.

Many health insurance plans cover midwife
deliveries at a hospital, but not at a birthing
center or home. However, birthing centers
and midwives are typically less expensive than
hospitals and physicians.

Karissa Harris of Burke, Virginia, used
midwives to deliver her third baby at a
hospital via water birth.

“Even though she was my biggest baby by
almost a pound, her birth did not result in
any tearing like my first two did,” Harris says.

“I attribute that in part to the midwives and
their willingness to let me listen to my body.”
There are three main types
of midwives:
• A certified nurse-midwife (CNM) is a
registered nurse with a graduate degree
in midwifery. CNMs are certified by the
American Midwifery Certification Board
(AMCB) to perform births in all 50 states
and Puerto Rico.

• A certified midwife (CM) has a graduate
degree in midwifery and is certified
by the AMCB.

• A certified professional midwife (CPM) is
educated via a midwifery school,
apprenticeship or other professional courses
before being certified by the North American
Registry of Midwives. CPMs typically
perform home or birthing center births
and cannot prescribe most medications.

Midwives cannot perform C-sections, so you
may be transferred to an OB/GYN if there’s
an emergency.

Doula A doula is a trained pregnancy and labor
companion who provides emotional and
physical support to the mother and her family
and helps to ensure that a woman has the birth
experience she wants. A doula will generally
meet with a family at least once during the