Here are my thoughts about paying an OB to be there for delivery, just my biased thoughts: While you are lying on a hospital bed with your legs up in the stir-ups, screaming in pain, pushing as hard as you could, and also sacred your wits out, you are at your most vulnerable state. You need as much reassurance and continuity of care as you can get. There are only two person can be there with you that at that time: your partner and your doctor. You would definitely want a doctor who knows you and your baby well, someone you have trust in, someone who you have a doctor-patient relationship with for the last 10 months. For me, I don't wanna have my legs open just for any doctor who happen to be there. I wanted my OWN doctor. Tell you the truth, I’d rather pay Paul as much as he deserves to stay with me at the times I needed him the most, if he’d take my money. In fact, I made him cancel his vacation when my due date was approaching :P