Who is your care provider?

The pregnancy and birth first time round is a funny beast. Exciting, a new adventure of learning and anticipation that something huge is about to happen. For me it was "oh we are 4 weeks" or 15 weeks which is no big deal as the majority is yet to come and you still have plenty of time. By 21 weeks it really hits home that you are having a baby. The gravity, inevitability, the responsibility is absolute. I don't know how many time we said, "can you believe that we, are having a baby?' Your child and your wifes belly gets bigger, normal tasks become harder to accomplish as does a good nights sleep.

There are several options available to and you they all have their pros and cons. Each couple are different with their wants, needs and wishes from their provider. There are no wrong answers are there?

First is the family doctor. They are a trusted, well known individuals with a huge scope of practice, a jack of all trades whose knowledge is vast. Deliveries would be something that they do on a somewhat regular basis and would be well versed. GPs however are not specialised in Labour and Delivery as this is not their primary focus. If you want someone you can trust, go for the GP.

OBGYNs, specialist in their fields, well educated, highly trained and paid for that matter and someone you can count on when things turn from good to bad. However when it comes to the birth they generally sneak into the room at the last minute to ensure that all is well and will be gone soon after, as long as everything goes well of course. They can be hard to track down in your moment of need or resting comfortably in their quarters. 

Both times we went with a midwife. With insider knowledge my wife knew exactly which practice and group within the practice she wanted, having worked with the majority of them. It made my experience better knowing that she was comfortable and I had complete trust in them. The appointments become more frequent as the weeks and months pass until the birth. Obviously there are choices to be made as to which practice you will go with but I would recommend the a midwife. They meet you in your home after the labor begins and will be with you until after your child is born. Home visits post delivery is also apart of their service. 

Then there are Doulas. Doulas are labour support and are there to help you through with your "birth plan". It’s all well and good of having a birth plan and a Doula but when the shit hits the fan and things become life and death, literally, both are useless. Most people think of doulas as hippies that gained their certification over a weekend course, burning incense in a darkened room whilst chanting and beating a drum. For the majority of the time, you are correct! Whilst I can see their role in the process and some medical professionals are doulas, the hospital will provide a university & on the job trained, educated labour and delivery nurse that delivers on average between 1-3 babies per shift. Instead, go for someone who knows you, knows what you want and someone that you feel comfortable with. A friend or trusted relative that has been there and done that is a much more logical choice.

Ultimately the choice is yours,  and as long your choice does not make for a harrowing experience and mother and baby are fine then, alls well that ends well.