Professionals for Women's Health

Legallyshe · September 2011

Hello all, I'm pretty new to The Bump, as this is my first pregnancy. I decided to go with a midwife from Professionals for Women's Health for prenatal care and delivery. I have my first prenatal appointment in about 2 weeks at 7 weeks and 5 days. Has anyone else gone to this office for their first prenatal appt? If so, can you tell me what to expect? The receptionist told me that I would see a nurse (not a midwife) and not to expect my ultrasound until the next appointment, but other than that I'm clueless. TIA!

JnDbaby4us · September 2011

I started going to PWH about 9 years ago. They were great for yearly exams and in between visits. When I got pregnant last year, I changed my mind about them. I felt like I was on an assembly line. No time to ask questions or I was told just to wait until we got further into my pregnancy, my bad experiences were related to two different doctors, not a midwife. I left right before the end of my first trimester. My advice would be, if you start to get uncomfortable and don't like the doctor go to a different one. There is no reason you can't change your mind. I know the doctors don't promise you who will do your delivery, but I don't know about the midwives.

Athena0809 · September 2011

I've never been to PWH but I can give you a general idea of what to expect on pre-natal visits. I've worked for over 4 years in OB care and recently had a baby. The first visit, (this is true for just about any practice) is with a nurse, to go over your medical Hx, is part educational--she'll give you hand outs on what to eat, etc--and do you pre-natal labs. The second visit is with your provider and typically you have a pap done. You may have an sono done for dating early on (around 10 weeks or so) and another one between 18-20 weeks for anatomy and find out the sex if you want. You may get to hear the heart tones any time after 10 weeks (don't panic if you don't, the majority hears them around 12weeks). Most appts are non-invasive, vitals, weight check, heart tones, questions. It's not until after 20 weeks (when your uterus reaches your belly button) that they'll measure for what's called fundal hight--your provider will measure from the top of the pubic bone to the top of your uterus--centimeters equal weeks (plus, minus 2). No matter what provider, what practice, you are in charge of your health care, always ask questions and be your own advocate! Hope that helped! And congrats!

Legallyshe · September 2011

Thank you both for the info! I'm starting to get a little more relaxed now.

makingitatrio · September 2011

I just had my first appt. with a mid-wife there and thought they were great. She answered all my questions and I am more than thrilled with my choice to see them.

I had about 20 minutes in an office talking and asking questions and got more than the info I as hoping for, and then I had a quick few tests. I was at 12 weeks when I first saw them as I was switching from another clinic.

Hope this helps.

Cookie Monster Mama · September 2011

I've been going to PWH for 10 years. I love them. When I got pregnant in 2009, I stayed. I had an awesome midwife deliver our baby b/c I was low risk. At PWH, the only time a Dr delivers you is if you need a c/s or forceps or something like that. I found both the dr's and midwives to be kind and considerate. Ask all the questions you want. Youwill not get an u/s until the second visit. The first visit is simply to get your history and confirm the pg. I love the practice.

Legallyshe · September 2011

Thank you for the additional info, I'm now excited to meet the staff. My appointment is in exactly one week, I can't wait to get this ball rolling!

futuremrsmcnichols · September 2011

I will never go back to that practice again! I went there with my first pregnancy. My first appointment was just me meeting with a midwife in an office and getting info, prescriptions, etc. I also had a pap test done that day because it was getting close to that time. They had me come back like 2 days later and see a doctor who did an ultrasound---annoying to have to come back!! The doctor that I saw with my 2nd pregnancy did all of the above (meeting, pap, and u/s) all in the first visit. The practice is set up so that you see whoever is in the office that day. They rotate between 3 different practices, so whoever is in that day is who you see. If there is someone who you really want to see, you might have to drive to another practice to see them. I was measuring small around 32 weeks and the midwife had me all worried that something was wrong, and then I had to schedule another appointment to get an ultrasound 3 days later! You don't scare a pregnant person saying measuring small, talk about low fluid levels and growth restriction, and then send them home... I had the same issue with measuring small last time, and my new OB did an ultrasound right away that day, and when she didn't like what she saw, she sent me straight to L&D to be evaluated by a high-risk doctor, no waiting around like before.

Towards the last few weeks of my pregnancy, I got conflicting plans of care from doctors vs. midwives. At 39 weeks, I saw a doctor who said we would 'discuss our options next week if I was still pregnant'. Met with a midwife the next week when I was still pregnant and she acted like she didn't know what the doctor was talking about and said 'Our standard of care is that we don't discuss options until 41 weeks'. That day, I had a heated argument with this midwife and by the time I left, I told her that I would let them deliver this baby but would never be back again! Luckily I went into labor later that night and had a wonderful delivery experience with another midwife, but still kept my word that I will never go back there!

futuremrsmcnichols · September 2011

I also have to add that they never offered me a first trimester screen, also called a NT scan. My new OB offered this during our first appointment and we scheduled one to be done at OSU. They also overlooked the fact that I have a cousin that has triplets with CF. They never offered any kind of genetic testing to see if I was a carrier. Well, my new OB offered this and I found out that I am a carrier of the mutation! We got DH tested, and he is not a carrier, but still I'm kind of mad they dismissed all this at PWH!!

Cookie Monster Mama · September 2011

You did have a very poor experience.

That was not my case. I was offered the NT scan and had it done at Riverside.

Legallyshe · September 2011

futuremrsmcnichols:
I will never go back to that practice again! ...

Wow, you did have a horrible experience! So sorry!

I had my first appointment today & I must say it was very disappointing. It was with the nurse & she gave me a little info and I asked a few questions, but I felt rushed & a little hurt by her reaction to something I said. Also, I was told that she would talk to me about nutrition & exercise but instead, she just gave me handouts. Maybe that's normal, I'm not sure.

The worst part, though, was when she talked about delivery. She said that any of the midwives would be at the delivery room, depending on who is on call. I didn't like that, but didn't think it was 100% horrible. Then she said that it may not be a midwife at all, it may be an OB, depending on who is on call. When I explained to her my concerns about being able to follow my birth plan, she said that even if I had a midwife at delivery, she may not be with me the whole time, because she could have another patient giving birth in another hospital, so I should get a doula who can remind me of what I want and advocate for me. I explained that I was trying to avoid a doula because my insurance does not cover that & she simply said "no ones does". I'm not sure if this info is normal in other practices with midwives, but I was really disturbed by it and I may end up switching soon. I just hate the idea that I can't be guaranteed ANY midwife at delivery.

futuremrsmcnichols · September 2011

I had to deliver at OSU and the midwife on call was at RIverside at the time. I had to wait to push until she was able to make it there. I think its pretty standard that regardless of the practice you go to, the doctor/midwife does not make an appearance until its time to push. That was my expeirence anyways.

Cookie Monster Mama · September 2011

No group practice is going to promise you that a certain person will deliver you. If you want that, you need to go to a Dr in a practice by himself. They do exsist.

I called the number when my H and I deemed it was ready. I got to the hospital and I was a 4.5 dialated. I had a wonderful experience at Riverside. My midwife from PWH got there and checked after I had an epidural and had taken a nap as I was not at a 10 (my water hadn't broken yet even). After my epidural and nap, I woke up, she was there, checked me, told my husband to go get something to eat and when you come back we'll have a baby. He got back, I pushed 3 times and our son was born. I loved having a midwife! She helped stretch my periumn (sp) so I didn't tore. She was kind.

You need to decide what you really want. We are TTC #2 now and there is no way in the world I'd go any where but PWH. Should you decide to stay, I will tell you that I knew I only wanted a midwife. MWs there do ALL of the nonivassive births. Since I knew I was having an easy pregnancy, I got to know ALL of them at the various appointments - there are so many towards the end.

Also, please remember that there will be people with bad experience no matter where you go or what you do in life. You have to be comfortable with your decision.

Best of luck to you!

Mw16 · October 2011

It sounds like you are interested in a natural birth. I would recommend looking into seeing the midwives at Women's Contemporary Health Care in Westerville. There are 3 midwives and they deliver at St Ann's. If you don't have an epidural, they help you with your labor the whole time you are at the hospital. It's a more personalized experience. I've had a bunch of friends deliver with them and they all raved!

barebabyphotography · October 2011

I adore Liz Christy, love her she delivered my first daughter. I am not crazy about all others there. I received conflicting information from them a couple of times and it really turned me off. I am still currently going there because I have not had time to switch doctors yet. for example, they had me do the extensive glucose test saying i didn't pass the first one, then a week or so later i got an automated vm that my results with my initial glucose test were great. no one could explain that. Also i had an issue with an abnormal pap that was bad. the midwife came and said its not bad on the scale you are here. i said that is not what i was told, she left to double check the charts - she had read someone elses chart.

so just careless ness is what im saying and it just turned me off

Amy212 · October 2011

I go to PWH. They delivered my daughter. I had a great experience up til her delivery. A midwife delivered her and I got a fourth degree tear. She did not massage my perineum she just told me to push and there was no counting just pushing. I had an epidural but when it came time to push I was feeling everything I felt my 7 lb baby rip me into 2. The midwife was not even allowed to stitch me up. I had to wait until she called the doctor to stitch me up. It took me almost three months to heal down there and I had to have silver nitrate applied twice. i am still with them with my current pregnancy because I love my main doctor but now I am scared to death to deliver this baby!