You hired your provider - you can fire them. They work for you.

Just like when you hire a plumber or go for a hair appointment, your provider is being paid for a service they are performing. If your plumber left your house flooded or your hairdresser butchered your hair, you’d find someone else. So how is your OB or midwife any different?

Your provider may be your consultant on pregnancy and birth-related matters, but you have the ultimate authority to decide what’s right for you. What your providers express to you is simply their opinion.

If your provider is a good one, they will work alongside you, not act as if they are above you. They will tell you what is standard practice, what the alternatives are, and that you have the option to decline tests and procedures if you wish. And then, when you make a choice, they will respect it. No guilt. No scare tactics.

So do your research - know what you want out of your providers, and what’s right for you at your appointments. If the first team you choose doesn’t fit - fire them and find a new one. You don’t have to settle for sub-par care.