Midwives vs. OBGYN & Other Questions

ITGurl0626

Hi Everyone,

I'm relatively new and got my BFP a little over a week ago, this will be DH's & I first child.  I currently have an OBGYN that I have been going to for about 3 years.  However, I'd like to know about you moms out there and experiences you have had with midwives and/or your OBGYN.  What are the pros and cons?

Also, I live in Pikesville...what hospital would you recommend to give birth in?  I know I am still early on, but I just want to make an informed decision and hear from real life experiences.

TIA! 

 

photo_nut

I can't recommend a hospital because I am driving over an hour to get a vbac with a midwife.

Basically an OB is a trained surgeon, so if you need a surgeon, they are great. But most women don't. I am sure there are good OB who don't c-section or give interventions, but there are many who do, so it's best to ask what the rate of induction and c-section is. You can have a midwife type experience with an OB, and you can have an more medical approach with a midwife, it depends on the caregiver.

 I went with an OB for my first, but I am doing a vbac and going with a midwife because I want a natural birth with little intervention. I want to birth standing or squatting (I actually need to due to a back issue) and midwife will allow that

My last birth was induced, epidural, back labor that ended in a c-section. My induction was unnecessary and it led to my c-section. A midwife can help turn OP babies and they usually stay with you the whole time (or at least more time than an OB) while you are birthing, depending on how long it is. An OB is just there to catch the baby while you are pushing, mostly the nurses help. Midwifes will let you labor in birth in usually any position, OBs prefer laying on the back pushing. Some women do well with that, some don't.

Midwifes can birth in a hospital if the hospital has a program or they can birth at home (although home birth midwifes are not legal, some are covered by insurance, some are not) Midwives are more holistically minded. If they are under an OB, they can prescribe meds if you need it.

Here is some more information about what a  midwife does:

https://cfmidwifery.org/midwifery/faq.aspx#1

mrsfirefly

I went with a midwife practice, Kathleen Slone & associates.  They practice out of Mercy.  Had a fabulous experience.  Midwives are more patient centered.  They present you with options and explain things so you can make informed decisions.  They are very big on birth plans.  You'll meet with a midwife less frequently than an OB.  This particular practice only does hospital deliveries and doesn't encourage or discourage pain free deliveries.  I had an epidural.  My delivery ultimately ended in a c-section with a surgeon, but my midwife stayed with me throughout the c-section, explaining the process and making sure that everything with the baby still went according to my birth plan.  For my next baby, I'll probably just go with the doctor who will do my c-section, but I am glad I went with a midwife for my first.

daisyterp

I had DD w/ an OB and ended up getting induced with pit and the typical cascade of interventions - I was induced @ 41 weeks and 4 days due to "scheduling" issues at the hospital.  I wanted to wait until I was 42 weeks to induce, but wasn't given that option.  Basically my whole labor & delivery experience was pretty scary and I felt very out of control.  When I went back for my 6 wk pp I saw a gyn who I had never seen before and she was completely unfamiliar with me and sort of rude- that capped it for me and I knew I was going to do things differently when it was time for baby #2. 

I had DS w/ a midwifery practice and delivered at a birth center that was on hospital property.  The MW group also does hospital deliveries- if in the hospital you can get an epidural same as mrs.firefly's experience. 

My 2 birth experiences (as well as pre-natal and post-natal care, recovery, etc.) could not be more different.  If you have any questions feel free to PM me. 

lesleytaylor

I live in Harford County and see the midwives at Susquehanna OBGYN and Nurse Midwifery.  Until I got pregnant I had always used an OB but after having a bad experience with an obgyn at a different office I really began to do my research on childbirth, etc.  After getting many peoples opinions on who they use I decided to go with my current practice.   The difference between the midwives and OB's that I have seen in the past is like night and day.  Don't get me wrong, I have had some great OB's but just the level of attention and care I get with my midwives is wonderful.  They are so possitive about every aspect of my pregnancy rather than my OB experience which was more discussing all of the bad things that may or may not happen.  I feel like a normal, healthy pregnant woman when talking with my midwives (which I am..... I am in no way high risk and have had a normal, easy pregnancy) rather than looking at my pregnancy as a medical condition that needs to be fixed. Unless there was a medical reason to switch I will probably continue to see midwives from here on out.  good luck

kesrya

My mother was an OBGYN nurse my entire life until she retired a few years ago.  So I have been seeing various area OBs for many years -- always had a great experience and have even recommended them to my friends.

However for our first birth, we wanted to do a natural, homebirth so I switched to a midwife once I discovered I was pregnant.  It has really been wonderful, and now that I know midwives also do well woman GYN appointments, I will probably stay with her even after I have this baby.

This biggest difference that I'm experiencing is the low-stress, detailed care.  Again, I never had any problem with the OBGYNs I saw previously, but my midwife spends so much time with me at each appointment.  I never feel rushed; I have time and confidence to ask a ton of questions.  When I was very ill a few weeks ago with a lung infection she called me at home and spent 20 minutes on the phone giving me herbal recommendations in addition to prescription medications.  She's been delivering babies in hospital settings, birthing centers, and home births for the last 25 - 30 years, so I feel like she really knows the full spectrum of traditional medicinal care as well as the holistic, natural health world.  This gives me full confidence that I am in the best possible hands.

While we chose a homebirth, she has privleges at Mercy Hospital, which is in the North area Baltimore (not far from Pikesville).  Her office, where all the pre-natal appointments take place, is in catonsville - which is just south of Pikesville about 5 - 10 minutes on the beltway.  There are more midwives in the area too.

* Edited to add: Obviously, since this is my first, I can't speak to their birthing unit -- but I have been in Northwest Hospital, which is in the Pikesville area, several times for other reasons and have had nothing but horrible experiences there.  One of the times, my OBGYN sent me there because of heavy bleeding that was not during my normal cycle time, and they treated me like I was a nutjob even though he had insisted that I be seen in the emergency room.  The other times were for totally unrelated injuries or illnesses, and i always have had a bad time -- so I would not recommend this hospital to anyone for any reason.  St. Agnes, in Catonsville, i have had mixed opinions of ... bad care with a bruised spleen; but phenomenal care with a shattered ankle bone.