10 Red Flags It’s Time to Find a New OBGYN

Did you know that you can fire your OB or midwife at any time if you aren’t happy with the level of care being provided to you?

Yes, you can. This post is part of your birth empowerment, mama.

Your journey throughout pregnancy and birth is a delicate one that requires the highest level of care, dedication, and attention. The person you choose as your healthcare provider influences your life, your baby’s birth, and your birth experience.

If your chosen healthcare provider is not meeting your needs or if you’re uncomfortable with them attending your birth, you have every right to fire them.

In fact, it’s well within your right to fire your OB mid-contraction, just like this mom did!

Finding the perfect healthcare provider for your prenatal care needs can be tricky. But once you’ve found the one, it’s almost like you’ve found a pot of gold. One you never want to let go of. They’re out there —this is what we want!

Throughout this post, you’ll find the experiences of brave moms who fired their OBs mid-pregnancy and ten warning signs indicating that you should fire your OB.

1. They Don’t Provide You With Evidence-Based Care

Evidence-based care (EBF) or Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) requires that decisions about health care are based on the best available, current, valid, and relevant evidence. These decisions should be made by those receiving care, informed by the tacit and explicit knowledge of those providing care, within the context of available resources.

For you to make an informed decision and be provided with the best possible care, the practice of evidence-based care requires these three things to be in effect:

– Your healthcare provider’s expertise and experience
– Your desires, values, and expectations
– Evidence from research

You have the right and are entitled to receive evidence-based care during pregnancy, birth, and beyond. Any questions or concerns you may have regarding certain prescriptions or procedures should be acknowledged by your healthcare provider and explained in a way that makes you confident in your decision. All of this should happen so that you can provide informed consent (IC) or refusal.

There are many examples of this, big and small. It may be something as simple as giving you outdated advice. Or a devastating example of non-EBC and non-IC would be Kelly’s story. TRIGGER WARNING: This woman was given an episiotomy against her will.

The doctor completely disregarded the three pillars of evidence-based practice, and she was denied the right to practice informed consent.

It’s your body, your baby, your birth, and ultimately your choice (except for true life-threatening emergencies).

Don’t let anyone rob you of your right to receive evidence-based care and to practice informed consent/refusal.

“I switched at 15 weeks. At my first appointment, the doctor commented on how small I was and then immediately noted how their ORs are right across from the delivery rooms. I also had hyperemesis gravidarum. I was treated like I was stupid when questioning the safety of the medication she wanted to prescribe. I fired her and switched to an amazing midwife!” -HF

2. Your doctor doesn’t support your birth plan

Imagine having a birth plan and being excited, optimistic, and prepared for birth, only to have eyes rolled at you because you want an unmedicated birth.

A birth plan empowers you to have YOUR best birth.

Sure, things may not go exactly as planned. They likely won’t.

But aside from honoring your wishes, the purpose of a birth plan is to provide your birth team with a blueprint of your ideal birth.

You must be supported in the decisions you make for yourself and for your baby because it gives you a sense of support you need.

If your doctor or midwife doesn’t support your birth plan during your pregnancy, you can bet your bottom dollar that they won’t be supportive during your delivery. This is a red flag. Would you be able to handle that during labor?

“She mentioned a c-section and possibly inducing me at my 16-week appointment. I didn’t even know what I was having yet. Then she laughed when I said I wanted a natural birth.” – Allie

3. They Have a High C-Section Rate

For a long time now, the WHO has considered the ideal rate for cesarean sections to be between 10-15%. If you’re planning on having a natural birth, especially in a hospital setting, you’ll want to know what your doctor’s c-section rate is.

If your provider’s rate is higher than you’re comfortable with, you may want to find someone new. Anything in the 30s is way too high — that means one out of every three women who walks into their office ends up having a c-section.

“I fired my OB at 10 weeks cause he was talking about me getting an induction before he left for vacation near my due date.” -Melissa

4. Your Care Provider Rushes Your Appointments

Rushed appointments may not leave you with enough time to discuss your concerns, or even to get to know your doctor or midwife. Getting through the standard prenatal care assessments (blood pressure, weight check…) may take most of your appointment time, and you may be left feeling empty, frustrated, and neglected by your healthcare provider.

If you aren’t able to get a feel for your doctor or midwife, or even get your concerns and questions addressed, it may be time to find a new provider.

“I switched providers around 20 weeks. It was the best decision I ever made! The OB had delivered my first and although it was a fairly good experience, there was a lot I did not know then that I knew with the second. There were things about her that just did not sit well with me after the first baby. With the second baby, I wanted to go natural and I did not feel she would be supportive or make it easy for me. I started reading all the books I could find and hired a doula for support. I had my second baby at home. It was the most amazing, surreal experience of my life.” -Rachel

5. There’s No Chemistry or Connection

Do you really want someone on your birth team with whom you have no chemistry?

You’re inviting this person to join you on one of the most important journeys of your life. Pregnancy and childbirth are going to be one of the most memorable experiences you go through. It’s important that you have a healthcare provider that you connect well with.

Someone who is involved and invested in your journey, someone who looks at you as more than a patient but as a human being. If there is no connection or chemistry between the two of you, you might want to consider switching care providers.

“I switched care providers at 30 weeks from a traditional American OBGYN to German midwife-based care and I’m so glad I did. The OBGYNs bullied a friend of mine into the vitamin K shot. The Dr. said, “I won’t deliver your baby if you don’t do it.” I knew I had to make a change. I got to have an unmedicated water birth with my midwives and didn’t get any grief about declining anything.” -Alexis

6. They Have Bad Reviews

Another great way to get to know how a doctor or midwife is viewed in your community is through their reviews. Look out for the lengthier in-depth reviews. You may be able to pick up some cues, for example: “Can never be reached on the phone….rushed appointments, condescending…”. Your experience may differ from what you read online, but being aware of those issues early on is important.

“My doctor kept me waiting almost an hour at every appointment. The staff never returned phone calls. It was a really bad experience.” – Denise

7. Your Doc is Intervention-Happy

Most healthy women are able to labor on their own without the need of intervention. With alarmingly high c-section and maternal death rates”>maternal death rates in developed countries like the U.S., it’s important to find a care provider who views (and treats) birth as the natural physiological event that it is.

Even some seemingly harmless birth practices can negatively impact your childbirth experience. If your provider has no problem intervening during labor when it is not clearly necessary, fire them.

“I switched providers at 10 weeks because he was talking induction before he left for vacation near my due date.” – Melissa

8. Your Pregnancy and Birth Philosophies Don’t Align

Whatever your philosophies surrounding pregnancy and birth, it’s important that you find someone whose ideas align with yours. Being in sync with your care provider will make for an easier and much more enjoyable experience.

Do you think that childbirth is beautiful and natural? Find out if your doc agrees. How do you feel about going past 40 weeks? Find out if the doc or midwife is on the same page as you.

“I switched providers at 38 weeks when my doctor’s colleague mocked my birth plan. I went with a midwife instead and had a homebirth at 41 weeks.” -Chelsea

9. They Dismiss Your Concerns

Any healthcare provider who dismisses your concerns, big or small, should be reconsidered. Your concerns and questions matter and nearly every decision you make regarding your pregnancy is going to be influenced in some way by the expertise and information given by your provider.

It’s important to find someone who can address those concerns respectfully and professionally.

“I had a medical condition that impacted my personal and work life, and I brought my concerns up with my doctor. He told me that there have been billions of pregnant women before me and that I can work without any problems. I fired him and chose a different doctor and the remaining 4 months of my pregnancy were peaceful.” – Keshana

10. They Have Too Large a Practice

This may not always be a deal-breaker, but sometimes, a large practice can leave you needing or wanting more. The doctor or midwife may not have the time to provide you with the personalized care you need. 

You may also end up seeing several different doctors throughout your pregnancy, and not know exactly who will be with you on the day you give birth. Intimate and personalized care is one of the benefits of having a midwife!

“He explained how he’s a busy man with five kids and a wife and probably wouldn’t be there to deliver my daughter if I gave birth in the wee hours of the morning or the middle of the night. He kept suggesting that I meet other OBs. I took his advice and left.” -Tiearra

Switching Providers

You have every right to switch providers if you feel it’s best for you during your pregnancy (or really, at any time). If you do need to find another OB, make sure you find another care provider before you leave the one you are currently with. Have your records transferred over to your new care provider and be satisfied that you made the right decision for you and your pregnancy.

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