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Central Florida Babies
BellaBlackLestrange
member
Midwife in Orlando
BellaBlackLestrange
member
I am quite possibly pregnant right now, and even if it is a false alarm I will be trying soon, so regardless I am in need of a midwife for my prenatal care. Any suggestions?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Midwife in Orlando
https://thebirthplace.org/
Jennie and her team were WONDERFUL with my prenatal care and labor/delivery. You can choose to deliver at either a hospital or birth center. Just make sure your appointments are in the afternoon, they aren't as busy as the mornings.
https://www.h2hbirthcenter.com/
I haven't had the baby yet, but I have been very happy with the midwives so far. You can do either a birth center or home birth with them and the hospital is 2 minutes away if a transfer is required. You can meet with them for a free consultation to make sure you are comfortable with them and the center. GL!
We used Heart to Heart as well and had a great experience. We took a Bradley childbirth class with a local instructor which helped as well.
This is a bit lengthy, but I live in Orlando/Winter Park and can give some input on a few places.
First off, I highly recommend midwife Robyn Maddox at Inspiration Family Birth Center.
If for some medical reason you risk out of treatment at a birth center (or simply change your mind) I can not say enough good things about Dr. Thomas Enyart and nurse-midwife Cathy Rudolph at Florida Hospital Altamonte. Check out this web page and video for some quick info: https://www.floridahospitalaltamonte.com/services/florida-hospital-altamontes-birth-center
Ok, on to specifics...
1) I started out my pregnancy by going to The Birth Place in Winter Garden (mentioned by a poster above) before transferring to Inspiration Family Birth Canter in Winter Park. (FYI: Winter Garden was always nearly an hour drive from downtown Orlando, so not too convenient). While the midwife Jennie is extremely sweet and her staff is kind, they are overwhelmed with patients and I feel the quality of care suffers as a result. I have a few friends that loved going there, but my experience was extremely disappointing and frustrating.
Some of the reason why (there were even more problems I won't get into):
- Despite having an appointment, our first visit took 3.5 hours. Over two hours was spent waiting. No warning was given that it would take so long and I was not prepared to go without food or water for so long (got a horrible headache as a result).
- On my second visit they were about to take an unexpected blood sample. I asked why it was needed and was told it was for an optional test that I had actually signed papers saying I did not want for the baby.
- The Birth Place released a video that included my husband and I sitting in the waiting room when we had signed papers saying we did not want ourselves or our baby in any images or video.
- I was diagnosed with a UTI and, because of a penicillin allergy, given a prescription for a harsh antibiotic with pretty severe side affects called Macrobid/Macrodantin. I was never even given the option of treating the UTI naturally, which is what I expected from an all natural drug-free birth center. I called and informed them I wanted to treat the infection naturally, then spoke at length with a midwife at my next appointment to ask the best supplements to take to help clear it up.
- Also had a LOT of trouble with them not remembering anything about my pregnancy or wishes. And despite stating very clearly at EACH visit that I do not want to take any drugs, prescriptions were called into pharmacies for me several times. I finally asked them to put a note in my file stating my stance on natural-only treatments, yet another prescription was called in AGAIN for me and I was always asked about the medications at each visit.
- I saw a different person for 4 out of 5 appointments, only seeing the midwife Jennie Joseph twice, and I was unable to build a midwife-patient relationship which was such a huge factor in choosing a birth center in the first place.
2) I risked out of a birth center/home birth for high blood pressure at just my second appointment at Inspiration Family Birth Center, but in that short time the midwife and staff had already built such a loving and caring atmosphere. It's very small and cozy and every single person is extremely helpful. Even when I had to go somewhere else, the midwife Robyn told me to call her anytime with questions or for help.
The only downside that I have to warn about is if you DO have to see a doctor for a problem like blood pressure, the one she works with is Dr. Eric Edwards in Oviedo and he is the most unpleasant doctor I have ever met.
At my appointment he ignored everything I tried to say, did not even examine me or have results from a recent hospital test, yet prescribed medication and ordered the exact same test yet again. He smirked and laughed at me when I tried to ask questions, he also did not explain anything to me or try help me understand what he was doing and he really came across as just a bully. (Also, my due date was 1/14/11 and he flat out told me I wouldn't be pregnant past Christmas because of my blood pressure. Well, I made it a WEEK past my due date before being induced because of the BP issues)
3) When I realized I did not want to deliver with Dr. Edwards, I asked Robyn at Inspiration Family Birth Center for a recommendation for someone else and heard from her and then several others about Dr. Sweet's office at Florida Hospital Altamonte. I usually detest hospitals, but my experience there was simply amazing. There are several doctors (and two great nurse-midwifes) in the office and I always saw Dr. Enyart. He was kind, hilarious, and extremely understanding of our wish to have a natural birth and helped us with that as much as he could. Also, all the staff at the hospital were so helpful and caring. Because of complications I had to go for NST's twice a week and because the nurses were so nice and it had such a great vibe, I actually looked forward to the appointments!
The labor and delivery floor feels more like a birth center than a hospital and they cater to women that want natural births (while also accommodating those that don't, of course). A list of some of their amenities (like jacuzzi tubs, free meals for you and your partner, and free concierge services, just to name a few) is here: https://www.floridahospitalaltamonte.com/services/services-and-amenities
I ended up having an emergency c-section (very medically necessary) that went as smoothly as could be, Dr. Enyart stitched me up beautifully (I got compliments from all the nurses as well as my friends and family), and my five day stay while recovering at the hospital felt more like a spa than a medical facility. I could go on and on about how much I loved my experience with Dr. Enyart and FL Hospital Altamonte, but this has gotten long enough and I think you get the idea....