Midwives....

MsCat19

I go to a large OB/GYN practice... I love my doctor, but the policy at this office is to rotate who you see during pregnancy, because you don't know who will be on call.  I'm not thrilled with the other members of the practice, including the doctor who delivered my daughter. The hospital I'm delivering at has a midwife practice based out of the hospital - and the credentials are impressive...

Meet the Midwives | Stony Brook University Medical Center

So, the point of this post is to ask - what are the benefits of having a midwife? What are the draw backs?  They have a "Meet the Midwives" session on the first Thursday of every month, so I think I'll be heading down tomorrow... Just looking for some opinions!

BFab11

I'm seeing a MW who is part of a larger OB/GYN practice.  I feel more comfortable with a MW because they are much more natural birth friendly and, I feel, less likely to push interventions.  As long as everything is going well with my pregnancy and no complications arise, there is no need to see an OB/GYN.  OB/GYNs are surgeons and great for emergencies, and I hopefully won't have any need for one this time around.

abell77

Both of my births have been with midwives, and both have been great experiences.  It seems to me that obgyn's are trained to recognize and treat all of the potential problems and complications of pregnancy and delivery.  While it's true that we need trained professionals to deal with these issues when they arise, I think that the emphasis on looking for problems can have a negative effect on the approach that many ob's take.  In my experience, midwives come with the perspective that our bodies are built to do this, and that we should trust in our body's natural ability to grow and birth this child successfully.  With OB's I felt like a patient, with midwives I felt like a person.  Their whole approach, philosophy, and beside manner are completely different.  I highly encourage you to consider using a midwife!

KateLouise

I'm in NZ where it's standard practice to deliver with a midwife unless you get referred to an OB for an issue.

I had to change midwives because my first one retired, but I had a great experience with her and so far am really enjoying my new one. 

Like OBs, midwives come with a huge range of experience, professionalism, bias and point of views.

So I don't think there is necessarily a, "OBs are better than midwives or vice versa" issue but rather you need to ask am I working with a health professional who I trust to know what they are doing, who supports my goals for my birth, who I feel comfortable asking questions of etc etc"

To my mind if you end up working with an OB who has all the skill to treat potential problems but is also very supportive of whatever birth you plan for then that's great.

Equally if you work with a midwife who has all the skill to spot a potential problem and call on an OB, if necessary, and is supportive of your birth plan then that's great. 

MsCat19

Thank you all!  The more I hear, the more I feel like this is going to be the move for me... I really appreciate it!

pinksweetpea2

In general the "model of care" is very different between MW and OBs.   MWs view birth as something our bodies are made to do.  They focus on helping us stay as healthy as possible when pregnant through diet and exercise (and in the process prevent medical issues) and during birth they offer simple (many times non-medical) suggestions to make labor as comfortable and effective as possible. Many view themselves as aids during labor and the mother as the one who is "delivering" the baby.  Many MW also spend a lot of time focusing on the mental and emotional aspects of pregnancy and giving birth.  

OBs are trained surgeons who are taught to look for and identify problems to "fix."  They approach pregnancy as if it is a medical condition.  Overall they place far less emphasis on preventive measures (such as diet) and focus more on testing and treating problems and conditions.  During labor they take a much more authoritarian role as they "deliver" the baby.  

MW in general work with women who are having healthy pregnancies.  OBs work with healthy women and high risk patients. 

These are generalizations of course.  There are many OBs who are more naturally minded and many MW who are more medical (medwives)...and there are many practitioners in the middle.  However, if you look at what they are taught from the very beginning, it is plain to see that they come from very different backgrounds (even if some end up in the same place at the end).

For me, I chose a MW because I feel like the line between healthy pregnancy and high risk is blurred way too much with many OBs (and many hospital based MWs).  It makes me uncomfortable and I don't want to have to fight my care provider to have (what I view) is a normal birth.

GL

MawrtyrB

In general, you get lower intervention rates and more natural friendly practicioners when you choose a midwife. However, it depends on the group. Some midwife groups are operating just like big OB practices. We have one like that in our area that I've avoided.

I did the big OB practice with my first delivery. Never laid eyes on the doctor who delivered me until I was delivering. The whole pregnancy I felt like a cow being herded in and out of their office. However it was convenient for hours/scheduling for a working mom.