The first step in caring for yourself and your baby is to assemble your “green team” of folks that will help guide and care for you through this pregnancy and help you welcome your new little one into the world. Your team will likely include your partner, close family members and friends, and a staff of health care personnel who will all work together to help you meet your needs and the needs of your growing baby.

One of the most important decisions you will make during your pregnancy is finding the health care provider who will guide you through the next nine months. Even if you decide not to have your health care provider present during the actual birth of your baby, you will want to be seen throughout your pregnancy to ensure that you and your baby are as healthy as possible.

Your health care provider will also help answer any questions you have about your pregnancy, the birthing process, and your growing baby, so you want to make sure that you choose someone you can trust.

Depending upon your location and health insurance options, you may be able to choose between an obstetrician and a mid-wife for your prenatal care. Here is a closer look at the differences between these two professions.

Obstetricians

An obstetrician (OB/GYN if he or she practices both obstetrics and gynecology) is a doctor who specializes in treating the medical aspects of pregnancy and childbirth. Most women rely on OB/GYNs to care for them during their pregnancy and deliver their babies. OB/GYNs generally see patients only in their office and will attend the birth of the baby only in a hospital setting, not at home or in any other nonmedical setting.

If this is the type of birth you envision, than an OB/GYN may be just right for you. In addition, if you have any significant health problems that might make your pregnancy “high risk,” such as diabetes, cancer, or high blood pressure, you may feel more confident about seeing an OB/GYN for your prenatal care.

Midwives

A midwife is a certified nurse who is legally registered or licensed to deliver babies. Midwives are generally much more flexible about where they can practice. Most will deliver a baby anywhere: at your home, in a hospital, or in a birthing center. Midwives also tend to be more flexible about the setting and birthing choices of pregnant moms.

During your labor and delivery, an OB/GYN will more than likely be delivering other babies at the same time, all while also seeing regularly scheduled office visits. He will likely check in on you once or twice during your labor and be paged to your room when you are ready to push for delivery.

A midwife, on the other hand, will stay with you throughout the labor and delivery process. She can recommend pain management techniques, update you on the status of your progress, and prepare you for what's to come. If you deliver your baby in a hospital, she can also advocate for you and your green birth plan and act as a go between with hospital staff.

Doulas

A doula is a professional birthing assistant whose primary responsibilities are to provide physical, emotional, and informational support to expecting moms and their partners throughout the labor and delivery process. She would not take the place of a medical provider such as an OB/GYN or a midwife. Rather she would work alongside your primary provider to help you care for yourself and your baby throughout your pregnancy and during your delivery.

If you decide to hire a doula, she will likely meet with you throughout your pregnancy to discuss your birth plan and answer any questions you may have about your baby's delivery. She can suggest alternative pain management techniques, help you make an informed decision about where to deliver your baby, and provide emotional support throughout your pregnancy and your labor.

Similar to a midwife, a doula can act as a liaison between you and the hospital staff to ensure that your birth plan preferences are honored. Your doula may even be responsible for making sure that certain eco-friendly items like organic cotton sheets and nontoxic lotions are brought to the delivery room. After delivery, your doula can help answer questions about your postpartum recovery, newborn care, breastfeeding, and coping with a new baby.

Questions to Ask During Your Pregnancy

Whether you choose an OB/GYN or a midwife to care for you during your pregnancy, you will want to make sure that you are on the same page regarding your prenatal care and the delivery of your baby. Your health care provider will be your guide to caring for the medical and emotional needs of you and your baby throughout your pregnancy and even after your baby's birth.

Talk to him about your concern for the environment and your desire to have a green pregnancy and delivery. Use these questions as a guide to determine whether or not he will support you in this endeavor.

• Do you support my decision to make my pregnancy and delivery as environmentally conscious as possible?

• Can you suggest ways that I can make my delivery and pregnancy greener?

• What types of pain management do you recommend for delivery?

• How many of your patients deliver via C-Section as compared to vaginally?

• What is your criteria for performing (or recommending) a C-Section?

• What can I bring with me (or have at home) to ensure that my delivery room is as green as possible?

If your health care provider is an OB/GYN, he may have limited control over the eco-friendly practices at the hospital where you deliver. But he may be able to help support your choices and offer suggestions to ensure that your needs, and the needs of your baby, are met in a way that is as gentle and environmentally friendly as possible.