Thoughts on midwives/doulas?

chelc1225

Hi everyone, haven't been on here for a while since sandy destroyed my power still not restored, anyway, I have my first prenatal appt with my ob November 21 at around 9 weeks. I was wondering about possibly having a midwife or doula, Ive heard good things. Can I have a midwife or doula in addition to my Obgyn? Also, what exactly does a doula do? I feel like I need as much support as possible for my first baby, I'm a little nervous! Thanks ladies!

RunningGal900

You will need to choose a midwife or an OB as your primary care provider. Many midwives practice out of a larger OB practice so if you ended up being high risk and needed to transfer care providers you wouldn't need to switch practices. A doula is someone who receives special training to be an advocate for women during the birthing process. I think it's especially helpful if you want an uneducated birth. Someone on the board is training to be one, but I can't remember who. I did not have one personally, so I can't give any further insights.

heatherW728

I just hired a doula who will help the laboring. She urged me to switch to a midwife, which I am, because my OB and his practice have very high rates of inductions/c-sections. They also are very unsupportive of natural birth so this was even more reason for me to switch because I don't want to be forced in to an epi or c-section for no reason.

RunningGal900

RunningGal900:

You will need to choose a midwife or an OB as your primary care provider. Many midwives practice out of a larger OB practice so if you ended up being high risk and needed to transfer care providers you wouldn't need to switch practices. A doula is someone who receives special training to be an advocate for women during the birthing process. I think it's especially helpful if you want an uneducated birth. Someone on the board is training to be one, but I can't remember who. I did not have one personally, so I can't give any further insights.

Argh! Unmedicated. Not uneducated. Stupid iPhone autocorrect that I can't go back
And edit. So again, if you want an Unmedicated birth, not an uneducated birth!

LittleMommaBlueHen

As a doula, I will try tackle your questions.  Midwives are medical care providers who specialize in low-risk child birth.  Doulas are not medical providers.  We are labor support. Part of the doulas job is to advocate (and help you self-advocate) for you during labor and birth.  I help my clients during labor by aiding them in changing positions, using massage, and helping them use a wide range of labor coping techniques.  I also know a lot about different interventions so I can help by giving her and her partner the information they need to make the decision that is right for them and their baby.

ac5008

A midwife can give you prenatal care and deliver your baby. Often times an OB office uses midwives as their "first line", and you would only see the OB if your pregnancy needed special intervention from an OB. Sometimes an OB office will just have a midwife on staff. I've found it depends on the office.

 

Midwives can also work alone, aside from an OB. I attend a freestanding birth center and there are 4 CNM's who give prenatal care and deliver at the birth center. I would not expect to see an OB unless my pregnancy needed an intervention that was better suited for a specialist. Midwives are wonderful for low risk, "normal" pregnancies. They differ in practices, but often view pregnancy and birth as a very natural process that should be free of excessive medical interventions, at least as much as possible. My RE from my last pregnancy was a wonderful man, but I chose to switch to a midwife instead of his sister OB office at 20 weeks because I gravitated toward their philosophy on birth and pregnancy treatment. My birth was beautiful.  

A doula can be a wonderful  support, usually for labor but often timers for your pregnancy as well. They are very knowledgeable about labor and delivery, and can be strong advocates for you when you aren't up to it (like when you're 7 centimeters and the OB is trying to discuss birth plan - it's hard to think straight so a doula can be a wonderful back up person). They often become as close as friends, and if you hire one early on they can walk you through a lot of pregnancy related issues. They are also great to help you have a natural birth if that's what you're Aiming for. 

 

There are a lot of variables to every circumstance, but that's some general info that I've found ! 

JellyTwoPointO

I'm starting out with an OB, but if I end up having a low risk pregnancy, I'm going to transfer to a midwife because my ultimate desire is to have a home water birth.  No matter how that pans out though, I'm DEFINITELY going to have a doulas.  Doulas are wonderful supports -- both educationally, emotionally, they help you prepare, and they're with you through the labor process.  I like doulas in all situations but in a hospital I think they're especially important because unfortunately, most hospitals these days seem to have an agenda and can try to push you against your wishes even if it's not medically necessary. (Like pushing for pitocin just to get you in and out of the room faster for money making purposes) When you're in labor and not thinking clearly, it's great to have someone like a doula there who knows your wishes and can help advocate for you and help make sure your rights and wishes are followed.

whatwhatinthebutt

chelc1225:

Hi everyone, haven't been on here for a while since sandy destroyed my power still not restored, anyway, I have my first prenatal appt with my ob November 21 at around 9 weeks. I was wondering about possibly having a midwife or doula, Ive heard good things. Can I have a midwife or doula in addition to my Obgyn? Also, what exactly does a doula do? I feel like I need as much support as possible for my first baby, I'm a little nervous! Thanks ladies!

 

I know you can have a doula in addition, but not sure about midwife as they're pretty equal to an OB. (two captains in one ship type thing)

We took hypnobirthing last time and was thinking of having a doula, but part of the classes 'trained' DH on the doula type stuff and I preferred it myself. Definitely explore all your options.

meltoine

I'm in midwifery school. PPs have pretty much covered the answers to your questions, but if there is anything else you'd like to know, by all means ask away. 

chelc1225

Wow, thank you all so much for your great information! I'm sure I will ha e many more questions as the weeks go by. It's nice to know you are all so well informed :

queenbone

In hindsight I wish I had gone with a midwife rather than my OB. I really feel like I could have avoided a c/s if I had been given more time to labor. Now I'm doomed to have c/s.

My clinic had a midwife among their practice, I think may do and I think that would be preferable so you could also see OBs in the rotation.

Doulas are coaches who are there during the labor and delivery who act as an advocate for you. I didn't have a 'real' one, but my bff who is a NICU nurse was there for my whole labor with DS1.  (DS2 ended up being a repeat c/s because I never went into labor on my own before my due date. Didn't need a doula for a surgery.)

LittleMommaBlueHen

VASC:

I've asked DH about hiring a doula, but he seems to think it will be too expensive.  I told him he'd better read that "Birthing Partner" book that was recommended a few threads down, since it sounds like he wants to do it himself.

A lot of doulas work on a sliding scale.  So it may still be worth looking into even if he is weary of the expense.

RunningGal900

VASC:

NCC74656:

VASC:

I've asked DH about hiring a doula, but he seems to think it will be too expensive.  I told him he'd better read that "Birthing Partner" book that was recommended a few threads down, since it sounds like he wants to do it himself.

See if the place you plan to deliver has a doula program. The hospital I delivered at last time did and it was $400. Well worth the money and WAY cheaper than a private one.

$400 would be much more affordable!  I will ask my practice, although a quick glance on the hospital website didn't indicate anything about a service like that.

On a sidenote, is there a website somewhere with reviews of doctors' offices?  I've been with my OB since 2008 for gyn care, but never for OB care.  While I love her for gyn care, I really have no idea about her opinions on inductions/c-sections or whether or not her practice has a "high rate" of them.  I'll certainly ask when I see her, but if there was a third party website with reviews from people who have previously delivered with them, it would be helpful.

There are a few sites, but when I was researching my OB I found more stuff about her on-time rate (for office visits) and whatnot. I can't remember what the sites were, but if you Google you can probably find something. I got the best sense from just asking her what she thinks. 

Pink724

I'm definitely hiring a doula, and plan to do the Hypnobabies course before birth.  I am big on an unmedicated birth.

I am going to an OB (my DH is very insistent I see one, rather than a midwife.  I give him this) who is a huge proponent of vaginal delivery and delivers in a birthing center. 

thismplsgirl

I'm seeing an independent midwife that delivers at a very reputable hospital instead of an OB like last time.