- Interview medical practitioners: If you start planning early, you'll have more time to consider the right practitioner for you and have time to switch if necessary.
- Tour your chosen birth facility: You can't make a real decision about where to deliver until you've been there. Tour a couple of hospitals or birth centers to evaluate where you'd feel most comfortable. Because where you give birth is often connected to who attends the birth, tour early in your pregnancy in case you need to switch practitioners.
For a home birth, early planning is recommended so you can check your local home-birth laws and find a medical practitioner. Don't make the mistake of thinking all home-birth practitioners share your birth philosophy. You also need to prepare your home, which may include gathering supplies or renting a birthing pool.