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Delivery Locations & OB vs. Midwife

jsing86jsing86 member
edited February 2014 in Minnesota Babies
Hello all! I'm brand new here, found out I'm expecting my first a couple weeks ago. Currently 7 weeks. I'm getting ready to make my first appointment and feel completely overwhelmed with all the decisions of OB vs. Midwife and all the options of where to deliver. Currently we live on the NW side of town, but my husband and I are planning on moving to the southern suburbs probably before the baby is born (most likely southwest or directly south). So I feel like any eastern hospitals are probably not wise, but anything on the western side or downtown Mpls might be just fine?

I am one of the first in my friend group to be pregnant, and I'm not ready to tell everyone yet, so I don't have anyone I can ask in-depth about their experiences without completely spilling the beans :) As of right now, I do not believe I will be high risk, and at the current moment I feel indifferent (probably just ill-informed) on completely natural vs. pain meds vs. water birth vs. every other birth plan.

Plus, the women's health doctor I've seen forever isn't an OBGYN. She is just the family doctor that I never stopped visiting once I graduated high school. So she isn't an option for me.

Any opinions and thoughts on OB vs. Midwife, or hospital experiences would be much appreciated!!
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Re: Delivery Locations & OB vs. Midwife

  • sparticuss2277sparticuss2277 member
    I have delivered with both an OB (twice) and a midwife (once). I much prefer my experience with the midwife. They are able to take more time during your appointments, and they seem much more focused on you as a person. They are also much less likely to recommend unneeded interventions. I have had two births with epidurals (both inductions) and one natural water birth. I'm glad I have been able to have both experiences. I can't say that one way is necessarily better than the other. They both have their positives and negatives. With a midwife, you can choose natural or medicated birth. You can make that choice with an ob as well, but in my experience an ob is more likely to recommend or pressure you into induction, interventions, and medications. I have delivered at Southdale in Edina, Ridgeview in Waconia, and St. Francis in Shakopee. St. Francis is my favorite by far. Southdale is my least favorite.

    Let me know if you have specific questions and I'd be happy to go into more details with my experiences.
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  • stephmariestephmarie member
    I started my first pregnancy with an OB but switched to North Metro Midwives at 20 weeks. I switched because I wanted to feel more of a connection with my provider and feel like I was welcome to take up their time with all my questions and needs (not saying you couldn't necessarily get this with an OB, I just wasn't getting it with mine). That said, I had a great experience with NMM. I actually ended up accidentally delivering at their office and aside from the trauma/shock of that actually happening, neither myself nor my husband ever felt worried about our safety or care.

    Most recently I had an unmedicated water birth at Methodist with the midwife group there. Once again, those midwives are awesome and I loved my experience with them.

    If you have more specific questions let me know.
    image Samuel (Photo by Gruman Photography)

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