Any Experience with San Antonio, TX Midwife? Please Share!!!

LeoLeo1

My husband and I would like a natural birth experience for our baby (First time Parents :-)  ) .

I have not schedule an OB apt yet since we found out that we are pregnant.

I tried to google Midwife directory in my area (San Antonio, TX), but I am not sure if that is the right step.

I found a birth center site, which I think I would like, but I was not confident at their certification level. They only had LM and CPM.

It was my impression that you want a CNM (Certified Nurse-Midwife) over a CPM (Certified Professional Midwife), based on the comparison chart I looked up:
https://www.midwife.org/ACNM/files/ccLibraryFiles/Filename/000000001385/CNM%20CM%20CPM%20ComparisonChart%20082511.pdf

I also came up with so checklist for choosing a Midwife.

1. Certifications - CNM - Certified Nurse-Midwife ?

2. Years of Experience?

3. Customer Surveys/Rating?

4. Service Offered?

5. Practice Location?

6. Insurance Policy Accepted ?

7. Interview Experience with Midwife?

I need some advice!!!!

meganroselee

I delivered with Lonestar which I believe is the only hospital base midwife group in SA.  Great practice from Nichole at the front desk to Jan and Lauren (my favorite midwives) the whole experience was awesome.  I felt really well taken care of during my pregnancy.

LeoLeo1

MeganRoseLee Thank you so much for sharing!!!

kami1977

I used an OB/Gyn through Lonestar Ob/Gyn. They're the back up doctors for the Lonestar Midwives. I have a few friends that have used midwives and would have gone with one if insurance hadn't been issue.

The first thing you need to decide is if you want a hospital birth, a birth center or a home birth. If you're looking for a hospital birth the only midwife practice in town is Lonestar midwives. They are located in the medical center and deliver at St. Luke's baptist hospital.

If you want to birth outside of a hospital I believe there are only CPM or LMs in San Antonio. For birth centers there's one in the medical center and I believe one just opened up in Stone Oak. The one in the medical center also does home births. There are several other midwives in the city if you're looking for a home birth.

If you're planning an out of hospital birth I would want to know about their transfer to hospital rate. Also what hospital would you transfer to/ do they have a specific doctor they work with in case of transfer. Most will go with you as a doula. My last labor was incredibly quick so if I was planning a home birth I'd want to know how long they would take to get to your home. I'd also want to know about cost and if they've been successful in getting insurance to cover their services. The main reason I did a hospital birth was we'd could afford a midwife but if I needed to transfer it would've been very expensive.

The natural birth board might have more recommendations for questions to ask a midwife.

If you're interested in Bradley method the San Antonio Bradley teachers have a Facebook page. I have a great doula recomendation if your looking for one. Finally, you might get some good recommendations from San Antonio natural parenting or the local La Leche League. Both have Facebook pages also.

Good luck with your search and birth.

LeoLeo1

Wow! Kami1977-  Very informative! thanks.

Everyone keeps saying Lonestar. I hear grt review about Lonestar, i want to try them.

I checked my insurance to cover Midwifery and i only see Midwives from University Health System.

I haven't seen any reveiw on University Health System.

LeoLeo1

Never mind guys, i figured it out.
I have to change the zip code to 78229 (Lonestar) and it came up with covered Midwifery.  For some reason it only search based on a 15mile radius.
Okay it's time to book an appt. 

LeoLeo1

Okay I just called to schdl an appt. I did not know that you don't get assigned to a Midwife. Your visit it is rotated based on who is on schdl. I am kinda bombed-out by that news.  Plus, the word is Jan Olsen will retire soon, like this year. She was my # preference.