Midwife or OB?

CaliforniaDream87 · December 2012

Anyone using a midwife?

I scheduled my first appointment with a midwife. The cool thing is she works at a hospital so I have the best of both worlds.

Honestly, I've had really bad experience with OB's with my last pregnancy and just recently. I need a "softer less negative" approach since I am PGAL.

So what are you ladies using?

tokenhoser · December 2012

I'm trying to, but spots are limited.

I delivered with a family doctor last time and will do so again if the midwife can't take me. In my mind, OB's are specialists and there's nothing that complicated about a routine pregnancy. My doctor was great last time.

crogers19 · December 2012

With DS the first 18 weeks I saw an OB and he was a complete azz. I switching to a midwife who worked with an ob group out of a large hospital and it was the best decision I could have made. I have my first appt with her coming up.

KimandRoss115 · December 2012

I'm going to a midwife. I did with my last pregnancy too, but switched providers since I had a bad experience with the previous practice.

I'm hoping for a VBAC and when I spoke to the midwife about it at my annual (before I was pg) she seemed very optimistic.

SeaConquest · December 2012

I used midwives with my son and will again this time.

stephmuyshondt · December 2012

I have my appt. on monday with a midwife also... I CANT say my expirience with a doctor was bad. It was actually TRAGIC and i dont want to experience that again. I ended up on a Csection bc my Dr. Had to go couldnt wait for me! So this time it will b totally different!!! home birth trusting my body not letting ANYBODY make desicions over my life my baby.

MandaPanda518 · December 2012

I have Kaiser and they often switch me between OB's and midwifes. I was fine seeing either. With Kaiser, the doctor on duty delivers you, so I didn't get too attached to anyone.

hannahbagels · December 2012

I'm using a midwife for, hopefully, my third home birth. :]
This is cool how many others are using midwives!

folkfemme · December 2012

We are taking the home birth/midwife route again.

paigejessica · December 2012

I'm seeing both right now. I will be switching over to my midwife for all appointments and the delivery after we get the insurance squared away (my insurance is an HMO and it's difficult persuading them to give me an out of network coverage for a midwife and if I even mention I want a home birth they will drop me). Right now I'm going to my ob for all my early appointments and ultrasounds since it'll be completely covered under insurance.

aessary03 · December 2012

I'm going to use an OB ... just because my first pregnancy was extremely high risk. I don't want any more problems .... and I think an OB would be more qualified to handle my situation.

jkzinck · December 2012

I used my family practice doctor. He was great and so was his nurse. The best thing is I will keep taking the kid to him after they are born

amandarins · December 2012

Sorry if this sounds like a newbie question, but what are the differences/benefits between the two options?

rissa06 · December 2012

Using an Ob. I love my practice.

ChelseaL0902 · December 2012

We have a nurse midwife and I absolutely love her. My husband is totally comfortable with her too. We went in for a pre-conception consultation before we started trying and he came with me. I went in for my Pap last month and she was so helpful with answering all my questions.

She called me a few days ago after she saw that I scheduled my first appointment for our Little Bean : )

I'm so excited to go through this experience with her!

SeaConquest · December 2012

amandarins:
Sorry if this sounds like a newbie question, but what are the differences/benefits between the two options?

That is a bit of a hot potato of a question. OBs are going to vary tremendously in their approach to birth, particularly their support for the natural birth process. As surgeons, and dealing with many high-risk patients, they are more likely to view birth as a medical event needing to be managed. OBs are also constrained by very high insurance costs/litigation and hospital procedures. Midwives generally are going to be much more supportive of natural birth than an OB, and will likely allow you to manage your own birth in the way that you would like it, in tandem with their support and experience.

My recommendation would be to learn as much as you can about childbirth and ask yourself how you feel most comfortable birthing. Some people prefer to be in hospitals and feel secure with medical management, trusting their OB's wisdom. Others prefer a more hands-off, intuitive and less medical approach, treating pregnancy not as an illness or medical event, but as simply a natural process that our bodies were made to do.

If you haven't yet seen The Business of Being Born, I would highly recommend it, along with reading books from a variety of perspectives. I really love books by Ina May Gaskin, who is a famous midwife, along with Birthing From Within. I am sure that others can recommend some other books. Best wishes with whatever route you choose.

MommaA117 · December 2012

If I didn't adore by OB so much (or have as many past complications that she is familiar with), I would have loved to switch to a Midwife. I just feel like she got my baby to me safe so I can't leave her because I want that again! I feel like her cervix stitching technique was the reason my girl stayed in and I don't want to mess with that. lol

anvloveskme · December 2012

I used a midwife the first time and loved her. I ended up having an emergency c section and I will have a repeat c section thi time so picked an OB to have my mirena removed and do a preconception appt. I had an abnormal pap at first, ended up doing a colpo and some labs that all came back fine, so I have already sen my OB several times and am very happy with her!

amandarins · December 2012

SeaConquest:
amandarins:
Sorry if this sounds like a newbie question, but what are the differences/benefits between the two options?
That is a bit of a hot potato of a question. OBs are going to vary tremendously in their approach to birth, particularly their support for the natural birth process. As surgeons, and dealing with many high-risk patients, they are more likely to view birth as a medical event needing to be managed. OBs are also constrained by very high insurance costs/litigation and hospital procedures. Midwives generally are going to be much more supportive of natural birth than an OB, and will likely allow you to manage your own birth in the way that you would like it, in tandem with their support and experience.
My recommendation would be to learn as much as you can about childbirth and ask yourself how you feel most comfortable birthing. Some people prefer to be in hospitals and feel secure with medical management, trusting their OB's wisdom. Others prefer a more hands-off, intuitive and less medical approach, treating pregnancy not as an illness or medical event, but as simply a natural process that our bodies were made to do. 
If you haven't yet seen The Business of Being Born, I would highly recommend it, along with reading books from a variety of perspectives. I really love books by Ina May Gaskin, who is a famous midwife, along with Birthing From Within. I am sure that others can recommend some other books. Best wishes with whatever route you choose.

Thank you for all that info:

Elle922 · December 2012

I don't have a choice I'm using an OB bc I'm high risk and I need a c section.

RNsoontobemomof3 · December 2012

The hospital I go to you see an OB only if you are high risk. I'm looking forward to seeing my midwife again!

HollyBee1022 · December 2012

I have a midwife, and I love her. She works in a practice with one other MW and 6 or 8 OB's, so if there's a problem, etc. But for delivery, you basically get whoever in the practice is on call at the hospital that day -- if it's a weekday you can get a MW, a weekend you get an OB. I wish I could get her regardless, but apparently I'll get a chance to meet just about everyone in the practice, so I'll be familiar with each doctor, but we'll see how it goes!

EJPint · December 2012

I'm using an OB. Only one hospital in town has nurse midwives, and while they option is appealing, the hospital they are affiliated with is HUGE! The other hospital in town has a reputation for being a better maternity hospital, and this OB was highly recommended by a family member.

I'm considering hiring a doula, though.

BlueJewelM · December 2012

OB. Indy is not too keen on midwives, the only hospital near me that have CNMs is downtown and I live 45 minutes north. Love my OB and love my hospital.

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