Woman Giving Birth at the Hands of a Male Doctor
Alsalam alaikom we rahmat Allah we barakatoh, respected Scholars,how are the rules for a muslima being treated by a male doctor? I am pregnant and due to deliver in about 2 weeks. For the last weeks of pregnacy I am staying with my parents cause my husband is very busy at work, more than 12hours a day so he might not be at home when labor begins. But my parents are living on an island and the only obstetrician/ gynecologist here is a man. I used to travel far to go to a female doctor, but in the case of delivery it is not possible, as there are just certain times when there leave ferries from the island to the main land and you can't determine the time of birth exactly. Is it in this case permissible to go to a male doctor, for the last check-up before birth, the delivery itself and the first necessary check-ups after birth? I feel very uncomfortable as the male doctor will see my private parts and in birth even more... over here they suggest to wear just a t-shirt for birth, I decided to a wear kneelong, longsleeve shirt instead and my headscarf and pants, but at a certain point I will have to take off my pants and directly after birth they usually put the baby on the naked breast and belly so that it will here the heartbeat and can suckle the breast for the first time.. I wanna give my baby the best and softest start into life inshaallah so I would like to do that. I will have a midwife to be with me in birth, but overhere midwifes are not allowed to operate without the presence of the doctor for any case of emergency. So the male doctor will be present most of the time.. how am I supposed to deal with this situation? And another question: The midwife suggests music that calms down the mum-to-be, as I don't listen music and love to listen quran, I think it would be very relaxing to listen the reciting of quran for me and as well for the baby as it has been listening quran often while still being in the belly, is it permissible to listen alquran alkarim while giving birth?