Are mid-wives always pro-natural birth?

jinnymb · October 2012

After the Doula made a comment about my hospital, I of course couldn't help but look into it. They do advertise that 80% of their patients get anthesia. I know I am confident enough to handle it anyway and I plan on questioning all my OB's about their support of med-free birth going forward however...

A new hospital just opened actually closer to our house. It advertises natrual birth environments, being pro VBAC, has NICU, and it's a green infrastructure, etc....

So DH and I would like to look into it, but my OB's don't deliver there.

So if we do decide to switch I want to switch to a practice of course that really supports med-free this time.

Do mid-wives always have that mindset or should I just question them like an OB?

Temp76535187505890 · October 2012

To make a sweeping generalization, yes they tend to lean more toward the more natural side of things but I think it more depends on the individual midwife just like it does with OBs.

poison489 · October 2012

Not at all. I delivered my first born at a Kaiser hospital that staffed midwives. I had more trouble with the midwife that was present during my labor than the OB that ended up delivering me. She fought us on every alternative to intervention that we suggested and even asked "why did you even come to the hospital then?" like it was mandatory to do whatever she said because we had to deliver in the hospital.

tortuga47 · October 2012

poison489:
Not at all. I delivered my first born at a Kaiser hospital that staffed midwives. I had more trouble with the midwife that was present during my labor than the OB that ended up delivering me. She fought us on every alternative to intervention that we suggested and even asked "why did you even come to the hospital then?" like it was mandatory to do whatever she said because we had to deliver in the hospital.

I wouldn't assume. As this poster said...

I haven't given birth yet, but on our hospital tour (we too have Kaiser and almost everyone is a midwife there) they said about 90% of their patients get epi's and they seemed to encourage it. I'm hoping I get a supportive midwife to my natural birth plan when I go into labor.

sschwege · October 2012

I think most are, but not all. Plus you are going to find a wide spectrum of what it means to be pro-natural birth. So yes, I would figure out what's important to you and present your questions based on your priorities.

What you have to keep in mind too is how much autonomy they have from the OBs. It's been my experience that some of my MWs policies are more influenced from the OB side and at least once, I've sort of gotten a 'formal answer' and then sort of a 'wink and a nod' to the same question.

jinnymb · October 2012

The Bryn Mawr Center was a little too far, especially considering appointments etc..

I'm talking about the new Einstein in Montgomery County that just opened up. I'm trying to figure out who actually delivers there, since they opened a couple of days ago.

Sawyerplus1 · October 2012

I think, in general or in theory, yes they are pro-natural birth. But if there's anything I've learned from my research about midwives working in the States its that midwives working with OBs and/or in hospitals are often just as bound by "policy" and "routine procedure" as OBs are, and in most cases are subject to an OBs authority. It seems a shame, but it probably depends strongly on the midwife and location of birth.

KateLouise · October 2012

It really does differ. I'm in NZ, but I've come across midwives who will ONLY work with mothers who plan a home birth, and others who are very open to medical intervention.

I think generally they view birth as a natural, normal part of life that generally doesn't NEED medicalisation, but how relaxed they are with interventions would vary from midwife to midwife.

sbevmc09 · October 2012

Sawyerplus1:
I think, in general or in theory, yes they are pro-natural birth. But if there's anything I've learned from my research about midwives working in the States its that midwives working with OBs and/or in hospitals are often just as bound by "policy" and "routine procedure" as OBs are, and in most cases are subject to an OBs authority. It seems a shame, but it probably depends strongly on the midwife and location of birth.

This exactly.

Just because someone is a CNM doesn't mean they subscribe to the traditional midwifery model of care. Nowadays many of them subscribe to the same medical model of care that doctors do, especially if they're working within an OB practice. Of course this isn't ALL of them, but you have to be careful.

If it's a CPM or a CNM working more independently they're more likely to subscribe to the traditional midwifery model of care and handle more natural births, but I would absolutely question them just like an OB to be sure what their philosophies are and what you're getting into!

shutupanddance07 · October 2012

Hey, you live right near me! I'm five minutes from Einstein, and I'm delivering at the Birth Center in Bryn Mawr. I wouldn't even consider moving to Einstein. It is really nice inside though, we took a tour. We drive twenty minutes for appointments, and it's not bad at all. We're really really happy there and I would strongly encourage you to check it out. We just finished our child birth classes, and of the 8 couples in our class, we live the closest. I'm going every two weeks for appointments now, and I don't mind the drive in the least. It's not a 5 minute OB appointment there, it's more like a 20-30 minute conversation. If you really want a good natural birth with a midwife, you really don't have a better option. The Birth Center has an amazing reputation, and I've never heard anyone say anything bad about their experience there.

As far as who delivers there, if they delivered at Montgomery Hospital before, they deliver at Einstein now. They just moved things over.

If you want more info or to talk about it more, feel free to PM me.

wifeofadam · October 2012

No. My medwife with #1 and #2 was very pro-vaginal birth, but not natural birth. She was trying to talk me into epi when I first got to the hospital with #1. She also gave me pitocin without asking and routinely broke your water to speed things along. Very far from natural, but she worked in an office with all OBs and I think was jaded.

pixieprincss · October 2012

A CNM--no. They vary from "medwives" who are entrenched in the medical model of care to those who are mother/nature-driven.

A CPM--very likely yes, both in terms of philosphy but also by nature of their inability to legally administer medication or practice in a hospital (at least in my state)

Mrs E in Oregon · October 2012

There is a difference between private practice midwives and hospital-staff midwives. Private practicing midwives will always lean towards med free. But if you are so fatigued you need an epidural to get some rest and then attempt vaginal delivery, they will most likely opt to that. Rather than to take you to the hospital crowning and too exhausted to push to deliver by c-section.

The goal for a midwife is to support you and your choices but ultimately they hope to reduce the amount of interventions and maximize the safety of child birth.

Just know that in a hospital everyone plays by the same rules, even if you're in the birthing center not labor and delivery. Just because you have a soaking tub in your room and you'd have to go to a different floor if you wanted to get an epidural doesn't mean you get more time to dilate if labor "stalls."

SunnyMuffin · October 2012

I wouldn't say so. My midwife is pro education and letting moms have the right information to make decisions for themselves, most often that is the route of less intervention though. Mine suggested an epi when I was struggling with my induction (she knew that my pain med free plan went out the window when i had to be induced)

I live in canada and all we have are cnms. they do home births and hospital births. We dont have CPM's

shutupanddance07 · October 2012

I also thought I should throw in that there are no tubs in the delivery rooms at Einstein. There are giant showers, and really nice accommodations, but I would assume from the lack of a tub that they aren't very interested in med free births.

jinnymb · October 2012

shutupanddance07:

Hey, you live right near me! I'm five minutes from Einstein, and I'm delivering at the Birth Center in Bryn Mawr. I wouldn't even consider moving to Einstein. It is really nice inside though, we took a tour. We drive twenty minutes for appointments, and it's not bad at all. We're really really happy there and I would strongly encourage you to check it out. We just finished our child birth classes, and of the 8 couples in our class, we live the closest. I'm going every two weeks for appointments now, and I don't mind the drive in the least. It's not a 5 minute OB appointment there, it's more like a 20-30 minute conversation. If you really want a good natural birth with a midwife, you really don't have a better option. The Birth Center has an amazing reputation, and I've never heard anyone say anything bad about their experience there.

As far as who delivers there, if they delivered at Montgomery Hospital before, they deliver at Einstein now. They just moved things over.

If you want more info or to talk about it more, feel free to PM me.

Okay thanks I'll check it out!!

newK13 · October 2012

I'm also looking for obgyn practices that deliver at Einstein in Montgomery County - Please let me know if anyone finds any.

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Are mid-wives always pro-natural birth?

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