5 Red Flags That Your Doctor Isn't Supporting Your Birth Plan

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EP 85:

Imagine spending months crafting your perfect birth plan—only to find out when labor starts that your doctor isn’t actually on board. 😳 It happens more often than you think, and it can lead to unnecessary interventions and a birth experience you regret.

In today’s episode, I’m revealing five major red flags that indicate your doctor might not truly support your birth plan. Plus, I’ll share exactly what you can do to make sure you have a provider who respects your wishes.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
🚨 The #1 sign that your doctor doesn’t take your birth plan seriously
🚨 Why some providers push inductions for their convenience (not yours!)
🚨 How to spot a provider who doesn’t respect unmedicated births
🚨 The key questions you NEED to ask to find the right doctor

Links & Resources:
📚 Grab my Bump To Bundle Blueprint – Your complete guide to pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding! [Insert link]
 

Episode Transcript

(00:05):
Hi, I'm Stephanie Poole, founderand CEO of Birth Prep Academy.
I'm on a mission to helppregnant moms prepare for their
first hospital birth.
I'm sharing revealingconversations about what it
really takes to successfullytransition into motherhood.
So join me.
We're here to discover thingslike what to expect in

(00:26):
childbirth, how to prepare foryour birth.
We'll also talk aboutbreastfeeding and so much more.
I'm so grateful to share it allwith you right here on Oh, Baby,
the podcast created for pregnantmoms, preparing for their first
hospital birth.
Let's get started.

(00:46):
So imagine this, you spendmonths crafting your birth plan,
only to realize that when laborstarts, your doctor isn't
actually on board.
Yes, unfortunately, it happensmore often than you know.
And if your provider isn't trulysupportive, you could find
yourself pressured intounnecessary interventions or

(01:10):
decisions that go against whatyou really want.
So stick with me because by theend of this video, I'll show you
Five major red flags that showthat your doctor might not
support your actual birth plan.
And I'll also give you what youcan do right now to avoid having

(01:31):
a birth experience that you mayregret.
Okay, so let's start with thebiggest red flag.
Your doctor rolls their eyes orsimply brushes off your birth
plan.
If they say things like, well,we'll see how things go, or
that's nice, but we'll do what'ssafest.
Then that may be a sign thatthey don't necessarily take your

(01:54):
preferences seriously.
A good, supportive doctor willbe willing to discuss your birth
plan in detail and not justdismiss it like it's a wish
list.
Alright, red flag number two.
They push inductions on you.
If your doctor is alreadytalking about scheduling an

(02:15):
induction for non medicalreasons, things like their
vacation or hospital policies, Iwant you to politely stand up,
gather your things, and run.
Inductions should be based onmedical necessity, not
convenience.
right, red flag number three.

(02:36):
They don't support unmedicatedbirths.
If you hear your doctor sayingthings like, Oh, you'll be
begging for that epidural or noone actually does it without
meds.
You know that, right?
Listen, both of those statementsare major signs that they are
not on board with unmedicatedbirths.

(02:58):
A supportive doctor will discussall options without their
personal biases.
So remember that.
All right, moving into red flagnumber four, They refuse to
discuss alternatives.
Listen, if you bring up thingslike delayed court clamping,
intermittent monitoring, ordifferent pushing positions, and

(03:21):
they just immediately shut itdown, that is a huge red flag.
A good provider is willing tohave open discussions, even if
they have their own medicalpreferences.
Now, red flag, number five, theymake you feel guilty for asking
questions.
If your doctor gets annoyed whenyou ask about risk benefits or

(03:46):
alternatives, that is not okay.
As a matter of fact, let me,we're going to rewind back.
Let me say it again.
If your doctor makes you feelguilty when you ask about risk
benefits or alternatives, Thatis not okay.
You deserve a provider whowelcomes your questions and

(04:07):
makes you feel empowered and notguilty.
So what can you do?
Start interviewing your providerright now.
If you notice these red flags,it's time to start asking more
direct questions.
Like, can you tell me how youtypically support unmedicated
births?
I'd like to know more aboutthat.

(04:29):
You can also say something like,um, I'm interested to know,
like, what is your stance ondelayed court clamping?
Do you have more informationabout that?
You can also ask something like,under what circumstances do you
typically recommend aninduction?
If they hesitate or brush youoff, then that is your answer,

(04:51):
my friend.
It might be time to find a newprovider who actually supports
you.
Now that you know how to spotthese red flags, let's talk
about something even bigger.
Why do some moms walk away frombirth feeling traumatized while
others feel empowered?
In the next video, I'm breakingdown the real difference between

(05:14):
labor horror stories andempowered birth.
And I'm going to show you howyou can make sure that your
birth story is one that you feelgood about.
So if you want to avoid birthtrauma and take control of your
experience, go ahead and clickon the next video now.