Boston Babies
Court&Ted
member
Midwife vs. OB
Court&Ted
member
I'm recently pregnant and haven't actually been to the Dr. yet. I'm planning on going to South Shore Womens Health in Weymouth. They have both midwives and MD at the practice but I'm trying to decide which way I'd like to go. I had been thinking of getting a birthing doula, but from what I've read I may not need to if I go with a midwife. Does anyone have any experience, or which did you decide to go with?
~Courtney~
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Re: Midwife vs. OB
I can only answer from my own experience, as I've had an OB deliver dd#1, midwife deliver dd#2.
Both are from the same practice. They have both midwives and OB's practicing. For dd#1, I chose an OB. I had no idea what a midwife was or the difference between the two. While I was pregnant, I had some appt's with the midwife (when OB was out delivering or had vacation, etc). She was so sweet, understanding and caring.
For dd#1's birth, it was a very difficult delivery. I can't say for sure whether it was the delivery itself or the OB/bedside manner combined with a tough delivery. My labor was very fast (4 hrs from beginning-delivery), however, dd had a lot of decels and they needed to get her out. The OB came in, literally, 5 minutes before I gave birth. He gave me an episiotomy, used the vacuum and forceps. Afterward, dd went to the NICU for 4 days due to a "tough delivery and breathing problems". She was full-term and I had no issues up to that point. OB barely talked to me after about what happened. Most of the info I found out through the NICU nurses and pedi. At my 6 week PP appt with the OB, he asked if I was breastfeeding (I didn't). He said "Oh, then I guess you'll have to work the weight off the hard way". That struck me as very inappropriate. Because of the episiotomy, I couldn't walk right for 3 weeks. It was a painful, awful recovery.
For dd#2, I did a lot more research. I chose to go with a midwife. I know they say that the 2nd birth is easier, but her delivery vs dd#1 was like night/day. My midwife gave me her pager # just in case I went into labor when she wasn't on. She came in to deliver me when she wasn't even on call. She stayed with me from the moment I was admitted to the hospital until 1/2 hr after the baby was born. I didn't have an episiotomy, she used perenial massage and let me labor naturally. I felt almost 100% leaving the hospital. I could walk, felt great and had minimal pain. She was also a huge advocate of BF'ing and hooked me up with a lactation consultant. I EBF dd#2 for 13 months (until I found out I was pregnant again).
I'm currently 28 weeks pregnant with our third daughter
I fully intend on using my midwife again to deliver as long as there are no complications. So far, so good!
GL in your choice. I have/had a wonderful experience with my midwfie. She rocks!
Thank you so much for sharing that! I think I'm leaning more toward a midwife. I'm very early on, and my first appt. isn't until the middle of Sept. and I think I'll see both an OB first, and then meet with a midwife afterwards at that appointment. But from what I've read, it seems midwives are able to spend a lot more time with you.
I am a huge believer in midwives! I was ready to go with an OB but she was not accepting new patients so the receptionist suggested one of the midwives and boy was I glad she did. In my opinion, the midwives bedside manner is night and day compared to an OB. They really really listen to your questions and answer them thoroughly and slowly. My appointments were never rushed compared to the OBs. I was in a practice with OBs too so I was still seeing them but the birth was going to be with a midwife.
With my first daughter my midwife was there with me for over 12 hours. I could not have done it without her support. When I got close to having to have a c-section due to failure to progress, she was constantly consulting with an OB on the phone so don't worry if things don't go as planned! I did have an episiotomy but it was absolutely necessary and we had discussed this scenario before the birth so I was not too upset.
With my second, the midwife was very relaxed and let the baby come down on its own after I reached 10 cm. This saved me from having to push for very long and no episiotomy. I think I only had to push through like 4 sets of contractions--it was amazing.
The one thing I will say is that if you would like pain medication, make it very clear as sometimes they would like you to go as long as you can without. I agree with this philisophy but if you need it, you need it and only you will know. Looking back, I think I should have gotten an epidural with the first at 5 or 7 not 9. With the second I got to the hospital at 7 and got an epidural right away despite the midwife's suggestion that I could go the whole way without any medication. Hope this helps.
I go to SSWH and I saw both midwives and OBs. There are some personalities of MWs that I don't like and there are also some OBs that I don't like. How much time each will spend with you totally depends on their personality as a person not so much as a MW or OB, for that practice.
If you have any other questions please feel free to PM me.
Hey. I'm new to the board, so I'm not sure what PM means..sorry!!
I would like to find out which OBs and MWs you do recommend at that practice though.
Thanks!