OB vs Midwife, decisions!

crystangel · May 2014

Hello all, I have been stalking your board for some time, and finally decided to jump in. I'm a FTM and 22 weeks along. I originally was one of the "just do what they tell you" in the hospital types, but started researching and it changed my mind so completely. I have started interviewing doulas, and the one that I love so far wants us to change from our OB to a midwife which would also change the hospital we deliver at as well. I have already changed OBs once, and did not want to do it again. Am I just being a baby and should take the leap and go midwife? It makes sense to listen to your doula...obviously. This process is just all so new to me and the prospect of natural childbirth is not one that I thought I would consider before, never thought I could handle it but now I want to try.

Thanks in advance!

barista411 · May 2014

You will not regret switching to a midwife. From my experience they are very kind and caring and the hands on approach was wonderful as a FTM. My MW was by my side almost the entire time doing everything she could think of to make my birth the best experience possible.

sschwege · May 2014

I think the nice thing about having a mw is that you are setting yourself up in the most supportive place. Are there obs out there who will be supportive? Of course, but it speaks volumes about a hospital who has mws and you are more likely to be in an environment that will support a low intervention approach. If that makes sense. It is so important to find providers who view birth as a natural process rather than a medical one.

jenn43 · May 2014

I had an Ob until week 20, when two midwives joined the practice and I changed over to one of them. I LOVED having a midwife, especially since I was focused on a natural birth. The entire experience was different- I feel like with my Ob I would have really had to push for a natural birth (we did talk about it a little bit before I changed to the midwife). Plus my midwife was there for most of my labor. Both my husband and I were very glad to have her!

iris427 · May 2014

I think it's more important to consider the individual practitioner, not just their title. Yes, midwives have a reputation of being more supportive in general, but I've met some awful midwives and some great doctors too. I had my med-free VBAC with an MD, and I'm having this baby with another MD that I absolutely love too.

It's fine for your doula to give recommendations about things, but if she's pushing you to do things the way she wants them done, that's something that you should think about. It's your delivery, not hers. So if you switch, do it because YOU think it's best, not because someone else does. You don't have to listen to your doula about everything.

mhbraymer · May 2014

I've had to hospital births. With number 1 I did end up with an epi but I also didn't do my reasearch for a natural birth. My nurse told me if I just held out for 10 more minutes it would have been to late to get an epi.
With number 2 I read birth stories, did yoga and practiced relaxation techniques. I also labored at home for as long as possible and showed up at the hospital at 10cm.
I'm planning another natural birth at the hospital this time around.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

jmknox · May 2014

I switched to midwives at 28 weeks. I have found them to be very knowledgeable and supportive. They have spent more time talking with me about my health and the whole process than the OB at the large practice I was going to ever will. The truth of the matter is that I would probably have never met the doc that would have delivered our baby had I stayed at that practice. I feel comfortable with them and knowing that at the birth center where they deliver at there will be two of them there at a time along with our Doula. Should any problems arise we can quickly be transferred to hospital right down the street. Do your research and see what feels comfortable to you, pray about it. Good luck! For meI feel it is right. Plus I really want the option to labor in a birthing tub and the only way to do that in my city is with a Birth Center or home birth.

Wyn · May 2014

Go with your gut! Maybe switching now would be easier than fighting for your birth plan later. For me, I want an attended birth (midwives can't do home births in NE) but less restrictive environment (water birth available, overnight no required if not needed, etc)...and to not be swimming against the current (hospitals/docs that are incented to have more interventions). So, I'm delivering at a Birth Center with a doula too.

CandaceC1020 · May 2014

Overall, I did very little research before I made the choice to go with my midwife. I knew that I would choose between two practices and I chose to interview one practice first because they had midwives that could deliver. I am so happy that I met with the midwives - I chose to go with them without meeting any of the doctors in their practice and I didn't even meet with the other office I was considering.

My midwife is very, very supportive, very knowledgeable, and very in touch with her patients. She wants to have a relationship with her moms and as a first time mom, I appreciate this. During our meeting all of my questions were answered and we were not rushed out of the office. I fell in love with our midwife and I'm convinced that I made the right decision.

bluebird0521 · May 2014

If you like your OB and you feel they are supportive of your natural birth plan, I don't think there is a reason to switch. However, if you feel like you could get more support with someone else then definitely go for it.

crystangel · May 2014

Thank you everyone, I guess I need to have a conversation with my OB, haven't had that one yet since we just recently made the decision to go natural. I will probably talk with the midwives too, I think that will really help make the decision.

Aurora_Borealis · May 2014

It's possible your doula is making this suggestion because the practice and affiliated hospital are more supportive of med-free birth. (It's also possible she's making the suggestion to be pushy, but I'd at least investigate).

I would ask her if she has worked with clients at your current chosen hospital and how she feels the experience with her suggested practice & hospital would be better. Also, research on your own the 1st time mother c-section rate of both hospitals. While it's not the be-all and end-all of statistics, it can be an indicator of a hospital's overall approach to labor and delivery.

The experience from facility to facility can vary greatly and can really impact how well your doula is able to support you. As an example, in my city there is one hospital that is very well-known for being extremely supportive of med-free birth. It's a community hospital that's a little run down, but has a great midwife team. It has a c-section rate of under 15%. There is another hospital across town with fancy new birthing suites with flat screen TVs that bills itself as *the* place to have a baby. No midwives and there are some doulas in town who refuse to take clients who plan to deliver there because the staff make it nearly impossible for patients to have a med-free birth. That hospital's section rate is closer to 40%.

JessaPrimate · May 2014

If we had MWs locally, that's who I would have gone to. I found a nb friendly OB and had a med-free birth with DD.

FF a year and a half and I'm expecting twins. I am very glad for the relationship I already had in place with my OB.

luvU2theMoon · May 2014

I switched from ob to a different ob to a midiwfe and i am so happy i did! They were honestly the best and the reason i got my natural delivery. i would not have ben able to do it with an OB. They would have made me get a c-section because my water had broke over 24 hs before baby came. my midwives help me dialate naturally when i stalled and were beyond amazingly helpful and supportive.

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