You’re probably making this choice fairly early on in pregnancy, before you may even be ready to think in detail about birth. But if you think you would like to try for a natural or vaginal birth, it is important to inform yourself (and your partner) about your options beforehand and select a doctor and hospital where you feel your wishes will be respected.
- Do some initial research. Ask your friends and look online. Our forums have different threads where women share experiences and opinions of their doctors. You can also find doctor and hospital reviews in general on www.mythaidoctors.com. However, the information you find online is only a starting point – it’s important to take a look in person and make your own judgment on the doctor/hospital.
- Interview different doctors. Finding a doctor you trust will make all the difference to your pregnancy and birth experience. Don’t be shy about meeting with a few different doctors until you find the one that’s right for you. In the private hospitals in Bangkok, “shopping around” for doctors is acceptable and even expected. Even more than the hospital, it is the doctor him/herself who will have the greatest influence on your birth outcome.
- Get to know the hospital facilities Take the time to tour the hospital’s birth and maternity facilities and ask about their routine procedures during labor, caesarean sections and postpartum.
Whether you birth naturally or with the assistance of drugs or by cesarean section, we encourage you to secure a supportive environment for yourself throughout your journey. This starts with the doctor and hospital, but can also include a childbirth educator, doula, lactation counsellor, parents’ groups, and other professional or informal resources. Finding people whom you trust to support you in your desires for your birth will be very personal to each woman and couple – only you can decide who is the best fit.