Let’s talk the difference between Gynecologists and Obstetricians!
Many doctors can be great gynecologists who handle medical cases with the greatest expertise. So when you get to know a fantastic gynecologist before starting a family, sometimes it can become difficult to leave that doctor for your birth.
Birth is unlike any other field
Birth is NOT 100% MEDICAL
Birth is also emotional, spiritual, transformational, transcending.
I wouldn’t call an appendectomy transformational, but becoming a parent for the very first time in your life definitely is.
Birth is not a purely medical + scientific hospital event, and not every doctor gets that.
It’s happened to many past clients that while they absolutely loved their gynecologist, once they were pregnant and labor and birthing questions start to surface, my clients realized that their favorite gynecologist who’s been in their family for decades is actually the not a good match for their birth.
While this might be a shock, this is actually not uncommon. The way the doctor reacts to every day medical procedures versus a transformational emotional experience like meeting your baby, can turn them into two completely different people.
Under pressure not everyone is YOUR ideal birth provider.
Many birth providers who are fantastic gynecologists thrive in a controlled setting where everything is by the book. They have this approach to birth too, forgetting that for many women it’s also a spiritual experience - you're transforming from a woman into a mother, you’ll never be the same.
Not all gynecologists will understand and that’s OK. Just because somebody has been your lifelong doctor who you trust with your life, does not mean that you are emotionally ready to have them as part of your birth team. That does not mean you are betraying your loyalty to your gynecologist. It simply means that you are seeking a different experience.
For example if you’ve always loved your gynecologist but are dreaming of a water birth and your doctor doesn’t do those, it’s completely OK to let them know that you’ve decided to go in a different direction for your birth because you want a different experience.
Be sure to follow me Monday November 9th - I’m going to be writing about why midwives are excellent gynecologists even if you’re not planning to have a baby any time soon, and even if your family is complete and you only need a strictly gynecological provider for all future visits.
