March 2013 Moms
OB or Midwife?
I'm currently seeing an OBGYN, but after learning about c-section rates, I'm starting to think that a midwife might be a better option if I want to preserve the chances of having a natural (medicated or not) birth experience. Anyone have any input?
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Re: OB or Midwife?
::MyBlog::
I really feel that this is a personal chose. My husband and I decided to have a midwife. Really you have to look at who makes you comfortable and wants what you want. Not someone who will make you do what they want. If you want more information on midwives I recommend the documentary ?The Business of Being Born.? Also ask your OBGYN what their rate of C-sections is and discus your birth plan. I wish you luck and hope that you chose who is best for you.
This is not necessarily a choice between an OB and a MW. General OB rates are going to be different that your OBs individual rate. I go to a collaborative OB/MW practice, and the OBs there have a very low c-section rate. They're open to suggestions from the MWs, the preferences of the patient, and are all just generally supportive practitioners. But they also have the training and experience to know when to draw the line. The MWs also know when it's time to call in the OB.
Don't let generalizations make your choice for you, talk to your OB about how they handle labor and delivery, what their policies are, etc. If they're not in line with what you're comfortable, by all means look into other options, but don't limit yourself to looking at one or the other.
Talk to a midwife. and get all of your questions answered.
In my OB's office they have 8 doctors and 4 midwives. I chose the Midwife route because they spend more time with you in the hospitals and are more-so advocates of letting things naturally progress.
The doctor's tend to be more transactional - come in break your water - push pitocin - Do an epidural - check how dialated you are - push for c-section - complete birth - c ya later (from what I gather from my SIL who has gone the Dr. route with 3 pregnancies and my sister who went thru mid-wife route with 2).
I will say, my SIL went midwife route on pg#1 and Dr on Pg#2,3,4 because things didn't go as she planned with her DS#1 and she just wanted the plan to be laid out in stone for the rest (scheduled C-sections).
I want to try to do things natural with no drugs - so I'd prefer to have a mid-wife who will support and respect my decision. She says if we want drugs - she'll get the drugs, if we want the jacuzzi - she'll run the water.
Good luck with your decision!
Sorry - duplicate post - Edited to avoid.
Are these c-section rates specific to your OBGYN or the hospital you'll be delivering at?
Really, it comes down to personal preference and where and with whom you feel most comfortable. Before you just switch to a MW because you think it will be "better" than an OB do your research about the Midwifery Model of Care which is the philosophy that most MWs ascribe to. Also get information about the hospital you plan to birth in and your OB's birth philosophy. If your hospital has the WHO's Baby Friendly designation. You are more likely to get a natural birth as well as to have rooming-in, skin to skin after birth, and support for breastfeeding at one of these hospitals. Also birthing with MW at hospital will likely be a different experience than birthing with MW in an out of hospital birth.
We've chosen to plan our birth at a free standing birth center staffed by Certified Nurse Midwives--basically we're planning an out of hospital birth. After a lot of research and interviewing different practitioners, we've decided that the Midwife Model of Care with out of hospital birth, is the best choice for us. These choices and the philosophy of the birth center and the midwives align with our other lifestyles values and ideals. We feel confident that planning our birth with MWs at the birth center will be the best was for us to achieve our desired birth outcomes.
I am the biggest cheerleader for midwives. I went to an OB/MW practice with my DD and fully intended to get the epidural throughout my entire pregnancy and when I started laboring. The midwife was on call and she talked me out of the epi and I was SO GLAD SHE DID. She empowered me throughout the entire birth. The OB's in the practice kept telling me that my baby was getting too big and wouldn't fit out the birth canal - the entire time I was pushing she was massaging with mineral oil saying, "There's plenty of room!!!" lol.... My DD was 9 lbs and I pushed for an hour without an epi. It was awesome and I can't wait to do it again.
That said, we have moved since my DD's birth so I found a new midwifery group in my new town. We had some difficulty getting pregnant this time and when I had my u/s and saw a heartbeat, the entire staff was hugging and clapping for me. Midwife groups feel like a big family to me.