Michigan Babies

New with questions (birth center v. hospital, doulas/midwives/dr's, etc)

I'm only 7 weeks + 3, but I want to get as much done as I can asap!

I go to Lansing OB/GYN, and my first consult seemed pretty short.  Does anyone know their policies on having doulas during birth, how many people are allowed to be with me during birth, how far past my due date they'll allow me to be pregnant? 

I'm upset they will only deliver at Sparrow, because I took a tour of the birth center and loved it.  Sparrow seems so... stuffy.  I don't want the bright lights or crammed spaces.  I want to be able to birth with a ball or walking around.  I keep hearing "this will get the baby out safely" or "epidurals make getting the baby out easier" - thanks, but I'd like to get my OWN baby out, naturally ;)  The nurse I spoke with was less-than-friendly and didn't encourage that.

 Any advice is appreciated.  I think I might need to shop around for a different doctor, or even better, a midwife.  If Godforbid the baby wants to take until 42 weeks, I think I should be able to choose that on my own.

 

Thanks :)

K

Re: New with questions (birth center v. hospital, doulas/midwives/dr's, etc)

  • Hey, I go to Lansing OB/GYN as well and Dr. Levitt and Dr. Hawkins are amazing. They also seemed really supportive when I said I wanted minimal pain control and wanted intermittent monitoring during labor so I would walk around. I am planning to take classes at Greenhouse birthing center but I would personally feel better giving birth in the hospital. 

     

    As far as the number of people and stuff, I am not really sure, although I do know that they dont allow small children any more because of swine flu. I am sure if you want a midwife there with you they would allow that but not totally sure.

     

    good luck! 

  • Thanks. I'm hoping they lift the swine flu thing soon.  I really LOVE the birth center... I would love to give birth there.  We'll see!
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  • i go to Meridian Women's Health, and they deliver at Ingham Regional medical Center.  I was totally surprised on my first visit that they set me up with a nurse/midwife, and she can be my provider through my whole pregnancy and delivery.  I was surprised how easy it would be to have a natural delivery with a midwife instead of a doctor through traditional insurance and a hospital.  
  • Good to know, maybe I will look into that next week!  Thank you! 
  • Hi!

    This my first time posting on the Lansing board - I didn't even know it was here.  :-)  Just wanted to let you know that as of Christmas Eve, Sparrow was allowing healthy visitors of all ages to come to the mother/baby area (due to a decline in local cases of H1N1).  That is subject to change of course, but I'm guessing that it will hold for a while.

    BFP #1: 03/05/09 - natural m/c 03/17/09, 6w 4d. Lilypie Second Birthday tickers Lilypie First Birthday tickers Lilypie Maternity tickers
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