In the first official episode of Birth Kweens, we’re talking about picking your birth team. This episode kicks off our five-part series that’s all about preparing for your birth. In this episode we talked about:
- Why picking the right birth team is so important.
- The four main reasons you should NOT just pick any random doctor/midwife to be your care provider.
- Where to start and exactly what to consider when looking for a care provider who will be a good fit for you and your family.
- The differences between a hospital birth team and a home birth team
- How to pick a home birth midwife and why their hospital transfer rate isn’t the most important thing to focus on.
- Where to go to get reliable reviews on your birth team
- Special considerations and resources for VBACs (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean)
- Who (and who not) to invite to your birth
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Consumer Health Alliance
- Hospital Ratings on Consumer Reports – search by zip code and check out each hospital’s stats on avoiding c-sections!
- Cesarean Rates by State
- Your Biggest C-Section Risk May Be Your Hospital – great article from Consumer Reports!
- Questions to Ask Potential Care Providers – helpful tool from the authors of the amazing book Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn (buy the book here!)
- Midwife Interview Questions
- ICAN – International Cesarean Awareness Network
- VBAC Facts
- How to start the process of finding a VBAC-friendly provider
- 10 Steps to Finding a VBAC-supportive provider
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The Birth Kweens get down to the nitty gritty of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and women’s health. For more from us, visit birthkweens.com. Follow us on Instagram @BirthKweens and email us at birthkweens@gmail.com with your questions, suggestions, and feedback.