Midwife vs OB-please share your opinions!! Long :)
Hi! I wanted to get some opinions on a midwife vs OB. I will give you my situation. I have been going to my OB for years and years. I did like them a lot until my second daughter was born. It is a big group with like 6 doctors and 1 midwife. The midwife delivered my first daughter naturally-9lb baby who came out sunny side up and shoulders did get stuck, but the midwife only delivered her because she was the one on call that night. Fast forward to my second daughter. Doctor on call was the one doctor I wasn't too crazy about. Daughter had meconium, and as soon as I got the epidural her heart rate dropped and doc said to section me especially given the meconium. I honestly feel she wanted to just get home for dinner. Anyway, that doctor is not there anymore actually. The OB office is actually very Pro VBAC. However, after getting myself addicted to "The Business of Being Born" and then more research on VBAC, I am thinking a midwife practice may be the way to go. I guess my only hesitation is the fact that the midwife groups here do not deliver at the hospital I want to deliver at, where I had my other two girls. I am thinking that may be silly though. Change is just a bit hard I guess. I am so worried that my OB will be all about VBAC until the last minute that I have heard happen often. So just wanted to get opinions from you girls. What do you use? Has your research led you in any one way? Any info will be greatly appreciated!! Thanks ladies and sorry so long. Its a big decision...
Re: Midwife vs OB-please share your opinions!! Long :)
Below is my opinion and in no way am I telling you what to do! :-)
I had midwife care for BOTH pregnancies. With my first, my plan was to deliver in a free standing birth center with midwives. Halfway through labor I had some complications that resulted in a transfer to the hospital and a subsequent c/s. The midwives assured me that I was a great VBAC candidate.
When I was pregnant with my second, my options were to deliver with an OB at the hospital where my first was born (they did not allow the midwives to do VBACs there) OR change to a different midwife and change hospitals. The short version of the story is that I went with the new midwife (a CNM) at a different hospital.
I did interview one of the doctors at the hospital. He was known as the most VBAC friendly there. He was GREAT and we had a good conversation. At the end of our meeting, he said that he'd be happy to have me as a patient but that I should consider a midwife also because he could tell that I was the type of person who would not be happy with OB care (fast appointments with little personal contact/conversations). Also, he could tell I was very serious about a VBAC and some of the doctors on rotation would not be very receptive to it if they were the ones on call.
I do not regret my decision at all. My midwife was AWESOME, the new hospital was extremely VBAC friendly and everyone worked together for a healthy delivery. I was nervous about the new hospital (it is considered less desirable compared to the original one in this area- but great for maternity).
Do you research and go with what you feel is right. Change is scary, but sometimes it needs to happen. Good luck!
I don't think you should necessarily discriminate OB vs. MWs - you should find a provider regardless of their title that you feel is supportive of what YOU want. I'm at a practice now that has a combo of OBs and MWs. There are 2 OB's that are very supportive of VBACs and one I'd be happy to never meet again. There are 2 great MWs, and one "med-wife" who, as much as we get along during appointments, I don't think I'd want her there while I labor, as she seems to be more quick to jump the gun on interventions and such.
So, when you choose providers, go with whatever makes you feel more comforatble. You are going to run into providers both OBs and MWs who run the gammut as far as what they are comfortable with regarding VBACs and interventions, etc.
What's the practice's VBAC rate? Will they tell you? Do you have an active ICAN chapter? My ICAN chapter is really good when it comes to letting women know what specific practices and providers are like during VBAC labors.
I went to an all-midwife practice that's known for being incredibly supportive of VBAC, but I went to MWs fro my first pregnancy and birth, also, so I'm a bit biased towards them!
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
I've never had an OB other than the one that gave me an emergency c/s, but even then I knew her for all of 30 seconds before I was in the OR and she gave me back to my MW as soon as she sewed me up. If the only thing that is detering you is the hospital, I would definitely chose a MW over a giving birth at a specific hospital (given that the other is equally equipped).
bfp#4 3/19/2014 edd 12/1/2014 please let this be the one!
beta @ 5w0d = 12,026! u/s 4/22/14 @ 8w1d it's twins!
Sarah - 12/23/2008
Alex - 9/30/2011
"I say embrace the total geek in yourself and just enjoy it. Life is too short to be cool." - Shirley Manson, Garbage