Midwife Anyone?

1stPuppyLove · August 2013

I am sure this comes up a lot, but thought I would throw it out there.

I watched the documentary The Business of Being Born last night. Wow. It was really eye opening and I feel pretty strongly now about trying the delivery natural with a midwife. Anyone else considering this? Anyone have midwife recommendations in the Chicago area?

ELF4321 · August 2013

I don't have any recommendations in your area, but I switched from an OB to a CNM late in 3rd tri because I became increasingly convinced I would not have the experience I wanted. In the end, I actually did need pitocin to keep my labor from stalling completely after being stalled out for 5 hours at 7cm dilation (after 20 hours of labor at that point). I trusted the recommendation coming from the CNM more than I would have from my former OB. In the end, pitocin is the reason I was able to make it through 28 hours of labor without a c/s and was able to deliver vaginally (talk about irony!).

I guess my point is, find someone you trust, whether it's an OB or CNM, and don't be so rigid in your birthplan that you won't consider interventions that might actually help you get the experience you want in the end! Just educate yourself about the available interventions and their potential risks AND potential benefits. That way you can make an informed decision if labor doesn't go according to plan.

kelley72 · August 2013

I have used midwives previously and plan to with this pregnancy. I had great experiences with midwives, I had to use an obs. with my 3rd delivery bc my baby was breach. I did end up delivering him vaginally- I've had 4 vaginals births, 3 medicated with epidural (I was too scared- the folly of youth!), and one with no medication. I am planning an epidural free birth ... Happy journey to you

cozyroom2 · August 2013

Hi! I have a midwife this time also and plan to have him at home. Im really looking forward to having the comforts, familiarity, and like mindedness surrounding me and my baby. Good luck with your choice!

ScorpioMum · August 2013

The office that I go to has 8 OB's and 4 CNM's. Three of my four were delivered by the midwives. The only reason the one wasn't is that there wasn't a midwife on call when she was born so I had to use the OB on call.

Mandyw75 · August 2013

I used a midwife last time and will this time. I had an OB at first and he was male. I liked him but I love how with a midwife there is a team of women that help you along the way. Who knows a woman more than a woman? When they told me to suck it up I did... If a man said that to me I'd probably think he was an insensitive jerk. Lol

ranaverde · August 2013

I switched to a midwife in the second trimester because my OB's partners were clearly fixated on my "advanced maternal age" and I didn't trust them to allow me a low-intervention pregnancy and delivery. (I am okay with additional tests and what-not if there are reasons for them, but merely being older while having a perfectly normal pregnancy so far doesn't seem like sufficient justification.)

I actually am in the Chicago area, and can recommend the certified nurse midwives associated with Illinois Masonic hospital (they're the ones I'm going to). I also really like the hospital - it's friendly to mothers who want to do things like skin-to-skin, eat during labor, and so on. We're also thinking of connecting up with a doula, and they're fine with that (they encourage it, in fact).

samiaf · August 2013

I have a midwife for 6babies. This will be my fourth homebirth.

latusha · August 2013

i saw that movie last week and it makes me want a different delivery as well. i'm visiting a birthing center tonight and looking into midwives.

1stPuppyLove · August 2013

Ranaverde - I actually started at Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation today. They have 7 midwives on staff and deliver at Prentice Hospital. I even have the option of a water birth. Very happy with my first visit and US today and felt very comfortable today with my first consultation. I will have the same midwife through 20 weeks, then they will rotate through the other 6 staff so that I can meet them all. On the day I go into delivery, I will work with whatever midwife is on call that day. Hopefully they are all equally as great as the one today! :P

ksantanna · September 2013

We are considering a midwife and it's nice to read all of the positive posts here! Thanks everyone.

hopeful78 · September 2013

I had a wonderful mix of hospital and midwife care. Here in Colorado, the Univ. of Colorado Hospital has a group of midwives who help you birth with minimal pushing for invasive procedures and allow water birth, but it is in a hospital so if anything happens doctors are on hand.

I wouldn't have chosen them if not for watching "The Business of Being Born," but keep in mind birth is unpredictable. My sister in law is going on her third home birth, 2 with minimal problems, but my planned water birth didn't happen because a monitor revealed my baby's heart rate was dropping after every contraction so they had to induce me. I cried. I did NOT want pitocin, but I trusted this group of midwives and had I not been at a hospital we may not have known and the baby could have lost enough oxygen to have had something go wrong or end up going to the hospital for emergency c-section.

The GREAT part of having a midwife deliver: when I asked her to stay during transition, she stayed, and gave me support. A doctor typically is there just when the baby is coming out and that's it.

Also, I didn't tear and I was not pushed to do a c-section. I did get an epidural after 8 hours of induced labor, and I'm glad I did. Maybe this time if I have a natural labor I can do it, but Pitocin contractions are no joke! I'm just glad I had the options I did, but I had more support for my preferences than I would have with my previous OB/GYN.

Good luck and choose wisely with recommendations!

Athena0303 · September 2013

I am going with the midwife practice in Oak Park - they deliver at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park. I started out with Rush Hospital, but I felt that it was too medical for me. Just going to the hospital for every appointment stressed me out. I had my first appointment with the midwives today and they are really friendly. If you end up low-risk, you can give birth in the ABC room where they have water birth as an option. I also like that if I freak out or anything happens I have quick easy access to the hospital and can use medication if I want/need it. They will help you have a natural birth if you want it, but they also seem open to other things if you decide it isn't for you.

I think Elmhurst Hospital also has water birth and midwives, and while their midwife practice has great reviews, I worried a little about Elmhurst Hospital (saw A LOT of negative reviews about it online).

I'm also taking a hypnobirthing class at the office in Oak Park, and I'm liking it a lot.

Supergirl2013 · September 2013

This is the 2nd time I will be using a midwife for my OB prenatal appts only, but once I give birth I will have a regular doctor. No clue as to why Einstein Hosp is like that but it was the same way for my 9yr old daughter and everything worked out and I'm very comfortable with all of them.

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