Choosing Your Obstetrics Provider

One of the first and most important decisions you make as a new mom is who will take care of you during your pregnancy and birth. Building trust with your maternity provider over the next nine months will help you go into birth secure and confident.

You may already have a provider in mind. If you don’t, we invite you to explore what makes each doctor and midwife who delivers at Overlake Medical Center unique. 

Where to Find Your Doctor or Midwife

Many clinics have doctors and midwives who choose to deliver at the Overlake Childbirth Center: 

• Overlake Clinics - Ob/Gyn - Bellegrove  |  Phone: (425) 455-0244
  1200 112th Ave NE, Building C, Suite 115, Bellevue, WA 98004
• Overlake Clinics - Ob/Gyn | Phone: (425) 454-3366
  1231 116th Ave NE, Suite 950, Bellevue, WA 98004 
• Eastside Medical Park Women's Group  |  Phone: (425) 454-5758
  1600 116th Ave NE, Suite 104, Bellevue, WA 98004 
• Kaiser Permanente - Bellevue Medical Center - Women’s Healthcare  |  Phone: (425) 502-4230
  11511 NE 10th St, Floor 3, Bellevue, WA 98004 
• Kaiser Permanente - Capitol Hill Campus - Women's Health Center  |  Phone: (206) 326-3500
  201 16th Ave E, North Building - Floor 2, Seattle, WA 98112 
• Kaiser Permanente - Olympia Medical Center  |  Phone: (360) 923-7000 
  700 Lilly Road NE, Olympia, WA 98506 
• Kaiser Permanente - Puyallup Medical Center  |  Phone: (425) 435-3100
  1007 39th Ave SE, Puyallup, WA 98374
• Unified Center for Women's Health  |  Phone: (425) 899-4455
  12910 Totem Lake Blvd NE, Suite 102, Kirkland, WA 98034 
• The Women's Center, PLLC  |  Phone: (425) 827-0100
  12301 NE 10th Pl, Suite 100, Bellevue, WA 98005 

Different Kinds of Maternity Providers

First, here’s a little information about the differences in the types of maternity providers:

Ob/Gyn: An obstetrician-gynecologist is a medical doctor who has special training in women’s reproductive systems and maternity care. Ob/Gyns can work with higher-risk pregnancies, and they’re trained in birth interventions like C-sections.

Certified nurse midwife (CNM): A CNM is a registered nurse with a master’s degree and additional training and testing in caring for expectant mothers and delivery babies. Midwives primarily work with healthy, low-risk pregnancies. CNMs work with Ob/Gyns to ensure you can get additional care if you need it.

Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Women with complicated pregnancies may be referred by their doctor or midwife to a perinatologist, which is an Ob/Gyn with additional training in high-risk pregnancies. Often, perinatologists partner with your regular Ob/Gyn or midwife during your pregnancy and delivery.

Doula: Doulas are trained birth and postpartum companions. They provide guidance and support to laboring and new moms, but they are not healthcare providers. 

Questions for Your Provider

It’s natural to have questions when you’re choosing who will take care of you and your growing baby. Write down the things you want to know before you meet a potential provider for the first time. Here are some things you may want to find out:

Insurance: For the lowest out-of-pocket cost for your maternity care and birth, make sure your doctor or midwife is an in-network provider with your health insurance carrier.

Schedule: If it’s important for you to have your provider there for your birth, it’s worth checking on any major vacation plans your potential provider has around your due date. But, keep in mind that no doctor is available 24/7, and be prepared to be flexible about who actually delivers your baby. 

Group practice: Is your potential provider part of a group of doctors or midwives? Who will cover for your provider if they are unavailable?

Care and birth philosophy: How does your provider feel about birth interventions, inductions, fetal monitoring, pain management and other facets of pregnancy and birth? How does that match your beliefs?

Friends: Have you had friends who have seen this doctor of midwife? What was their experience? How does that match your wants and needs in a provider?

A Trusting Relationship

Once you’ve chosen your provider, establish an open and trusting relationship with them. You’ll feel more supported and relaxed when you know your doctor or midwife understands and values all your questions, concerns and comments.

Find a Provider