How to Build Your Ideal Birth Team

If you are pregnant, you might be wondering who you want to have by your side when you give birth. Your birth team is the group of people who will support you throughout your pregnancy, during labor and delivery, and after your baby is born. Having a birth team that aligns with your values and preferences can make a big difference in your birth experience and outcome.

But how do you choose your birth team? What factors should you consider? Who are the essential members of your birth team, and who are the optional ones? In this blog post, I will share some tips and insights on how to build your ideal birth team, based on my own research and personal experience.

Why Your Birth Team

Matters

Your birth team matters because they can influence your physical, emotional, and mental well-being during one of the most important and challenging events of your life. Your birth team can also affect how you feel about your birth, whether you have a positive or negative memory of it, and how you bond with your baby.

According to a study by the Cochrane Collaboration, having continuous support during labor and birth can have several benefits, such as:

• Shorter labor

• Less use of pain medication

• Lower risk of cesarean section

• Higher satisfaction with the birth

• Better Apgar scores for the baby

• More successful breastfeeding

On the other hand, having a birth team that is not supportive, respectful, or compatible with your wishes can have negative consequences, such as:

• Increased stress and anxiety

• Loss of control and autonomy

• Feeling pressured or coerced

• Trauma or postpartum depression

• Difficulty bonding with the baby

• Lower self-esteem and confidence

Therefore, it is crucial to choose your birth team carefully and wisely, and to communicate your expectations and preferences clearly with them.

Who Should Be on

Your Birth Team

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as every person and every birth is unique. However, there are some common roles that you might want to consider for your birth team, depending on your needs and preferences.

Your Medical

Care Provider

Your medical care provider is the person who will monitor your health and your baby’s health during pregnancy, and who will deliver your baby. This could be an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN), a certified nurse-midwife (CNM), or a certified professional midwife (CPM).

Your medical care provider is the most important member of your birth team, as they have the expertise and authority to make medical decisions and interventions. Therefore, you want to choose someone who is experienced, qualified, trustworthy, and respectful of your choices.

Some questions to ask your potential medical care provider are:

• What is your birth philosophy and approach?

• How do you handle low-risk and high-risk pregnancies and births?

• What are your rates of interventions, such as induction, epidural, episiotomy, and cesarean section?

• How do you support natural birth, if that is your preference?

• What are your policies and protocols for labor and birth, such as monitoring, movement, eating and drinking, etc.?

• How do you handle complications and emergencies?

• Where do you attend births, and what are the facilities and options available there?

• How often will you see me during prenatal visits, labor, and postpartum?

• Who will be your backup or partner in case you are not available?

• How do you communicate and collaborate with other members of the birth team, such as doulas, nurses, etc.?

Your Birth Doula

A birth doula is a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to you and your partner during pregnancy, labor, and birth. A birth doula does not provide medical care or advice, but rather acts as your advocate, coach, and companion.

A birth doula can help you by:

• Providing education and resources on pregnancy, birth, and postpartum

• Helping you create and communicate your birth plan

• Offering comfort measures, such as massage, breathing, positioning, etc.

• Encouraging and empowering you and your partner

• Facilitating communication and collaboration with your medical care provider and other staff

• Providing emotional support and reassurance

• Helping you cope with pain and challenges

• Supporting your transition to parenthood and breastfeeding

Numerous studies have shown that having a birth doula can improve your birth outcomes and satisfaction, as well as reduce the need for interventions and complications.

Some questions to ask your potential birth doula are:

• What is your training and certification?

• How long have you been a doula and how many births have you attended?

• What is your fee and what does it include?

• How do you support different types of births, such as natural, medicated, or cesarean?

• How do you work with my partner and other members of the birth team?

• How do you handle multiple clients and availability?

• When and how will you join me during labor and birth?

• How will you support me after the birth?

Your Partner or

Other Support Person

Your partner or other support person is someone who knows you well, loves you, and supports you unconditionally. This could be your spouse, partner, parent, sibling, friend, or anyone else you trust and feel comfortable with.

Your partner or other support person can help you by:

• Being present and attentive to your needs and feelings

• Holding your hand, hugging you, or kissing you

• Talking to you, listening to you, or being silent with you

• Making you laugh, smile, or cry

• Reminding you of your strength and courage

• Helping you with practical tasks, such as packing, driving, etc.

• Taking care of your other children, pets, or household

• Documenting your birth with photos or videos

Your partner or other support person does not need to have any special skills or training, but they do need to be prepared and informed about what to expect and how to help you during labor and birth. They also need to be flexible and respectful of your wishes and decisions.

Some questions to discuss with your partner or other support person are:

• How do you feel about being part of my birth team?

• What are your hopes and fears about the birth?

• How do you cope with stress and pain?

• How do you express and receive love and support?

• What are your roles and responsibilities during the birth?

• How can we work together as a team?

• How can we communicate effectively and respectfully?

• How can we celebrate and honor our birth experience?

Other Optional Members

of Your Birth Team

Depending on your preferences and circumstances, you might want to include other people on your birth team, such as:

• A postpartum doula, who provides support and care for you and your baby after the birth

• A lactation consultant, who helps you with breastfeeding challenges and questions

• A photographer or videographer, who captures your birth memories in images or videos

• A massage therapist, who provides relaxation and pain relief through touch

• A chiropractor, who adjusts your spine and pelvis for optimal alignment and function

• A therapist, counselor, or coach, who helps you with emotional and mental health issues

• A spiritual guide, leader, or mentor, who supports your faith and beliefs

• A family member or friend, who offers additional support, love, and companionship

The choice of who to include on your birth team is entirely up to you, and you can change your mind at any time. However, you should always consider the impact of each person on your birth space, and make sure they are aligned with your vision and values.

How to Build

Your Ideal Birth Team

Now that you have an idea of who you might want on your birth team, how do you actually find and choose them? Here are some steps you can take to build your ideal birth team:

• Start early. Don’t wait until the last minute to look for your birth team members. Ideally, you should start your search as soon as you find out you are pregnant, or even before. This will give you more time and options to find the best fit for you.

• Do your research. Learn as much as you can about pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, and what kind of support and care you need and want. Read books, articles, blogs, reviews, testimonials, etc. Ask for recommendations from your friends, family, or online communities. Compare different providers, services, and prices.

• Interview potential candidates. Once you have a shortlist of potential birth team members, contact them and schedule an interview. This could be in person, over the phone, or online. Prepare a list of questions to ask them, and listen to their answers carefully. Observe their personality, attitude, and communication style. Trust your intuition and feelings.

• Make your decision. After you have interviewed all your candidates, review your notes and impressions. Evaluate the pros and cons of each option. Consider your budget, availability, and compatibility. Choose the ones that you feel most comfortable and confident with, and that meet your needs and expectations.

• Communicate your expectations and preferences. Once you have chosen your birth team, make sure you communicate clearly and regularly with them. Share your birth plan, goals, fears, and questions with them. Ask for their feedback, suggestions, and advice. Establish boundaries, rules, and agreements. Confirm their availability, contact information, and backup plans.

• Build a relationship. Your birth team is not just a group of professionals, but also a group of people who care about you and your baby. Get to know them personally, and let them get to know you. Spend time with them, chat with them, laugh with them, cry with them. Express your gratitude and appreciation for them and build trust. I hope this blog post has helped you understand how to build your ideal birth team and why it matters. Your birth team can make a huge difference in your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey, so choose wisely and communicate clearly. If you enjoyed this blog post, please share it with your friends, family, or online community. You can also check out my other posts on related topics, such as: - How to Use Visualization to Prepare for Birth - 10 Reasons to Hire a Doula Or click HERE to get my free EBOOK! Thank you for reading and supporting my blog. I would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below or contact me through my website. Happy birthing! 🌸