QUESTIONS TO ASK HOSPITAL-BASED NURSE-MIDWIVES

1. What is your philosophy about birth?
2. Where did you receive your education and training?
3. For how many years have you been a nurse? A nurse-midwife?
4. How many nurse-midwives are in this practice? Which one of you will deliver my baby?
5. Where will prenatal visits occur?
6. Does hospital have one room available for labor delivery and recovery? How many? What happens if someone is occupying it?
7. Is it always staffed?
8. What’s the nurse/patient ratio? (ACOG guidelines are 1 to 2 in labor and 1 to 1 in pushing).
9. What’s the hospital’s c-section rate? (should be no higher than 15%).
10. How comfortable are you with patients bringing their own Labor Support Professional/Doula?
11. If I have a cesarean how many people can be present?
12. Can I keep the baby with me after surgery?
13. Do you do Vaginal Birth After Cesarean? What is the rate of mothers who deliver vaginally after a previous cesearean?
14. What is your epidural rate?
15. How many women use IV medications for pain relief?
16. Can I use the shower or bath for pain relief?
17. Do you offer waterbirth option?
18. Can I walk, squat, labor on toilet, push in any position I like?
19. What happens if I go past my due date?
20. How many of your patients are induced or augmented in labor?
21. Do you have lactation consultants at this hopsital? Are there breastfeeding classes/instructors in maternity ward?
22. Do you have rooming in with infant?
23. What percentage of mothers who are breastfeeding upon dismissal?
24. Can baby stay with me at all times? Is it okay to sleep with the baby in same bed? Can my partner spend the night too?
25. Can my older children be present at the birth? When can they visit me?
26. The Electronic Fetal Monitor policy: what is minimum amount I must be monitored? In what circumstances is constant monitoring required? Is remote monitoring required or is intermittent acceptable? Do you have telemetry in this facility? If MD or CNM approves, can doppler be used instead of EFM?
27. How often do you use internal monitor? What circumstances require it?
28. Does this hospital do fetal scalp ph sampling to confirm fetal distress before doing a c-section?
29. What is your policy on the IV? Can a Heparin Lock be substituted for the IV? What about if I am a VBAC? Can ice chips and/or water or juice be taken? Can I eat in early labor?
30. Can we take our placenta home? (To bury in our yard and plant a tree for the baby).

For answers to your childbirth related questions, contact us at 626-388-2191 or email: support@socalbirth.com.