Wanted to share my midwife experience so far!

Raincity · October 2015

Good afteroon everyone!

I am 6 weeks today. Yesterday, my husband and I went to an open house at a local midwive's office. I found it a very positive, and from most accounts, unusual experience, so I thought I'd share it here. I'm very interested in everyone's thoughts regarding midwife care vs. Ob (or both at the same time, it doesn't have to be one vs. the other.)

The open house was just a basic discussion of care and cost, very grounded and easy. When I went to make an appointment, the Midwive surprised me by saying, "Let's get you in here around week 10-12, when we can hear the heartbeat."

I said- "Oh, you don't want me to come earlier, have my 'levels' checked and everything?" This is my first baby, so it's all new to me. I just know that a lot of my friends got a positive HPT and went straight to the doctors for labs. The midwife responded, "Nope. You know what to do, you know what not to do. Come in if you feel unusual. Otherwise, see you then."

I am a trained birth doula, and so the midwife wasn't just guessing when she said I would know what to do. I LOVED the sense of trust and empowerment she instilled on me early on with that statement. As in- "go, trust your body, we're here if something feels off."

Another positive element- she spoke very highly of our local hospital. 80% of the midwife attended births are in fact at that hospital. She was not promoting her own agenda whatsoever. She even said, "Some people watch The Business of Being Born and think that all hospitals are like that, but ours isn't. We use them a lot and we have a great partnership with them."

Anyway, thought I'd share what i considered to be a very illuminating experience! would love to hear your thoughts/experiences about OB or Midwife.

Btwilhelm · October 2015

I'm using a nurse midwife this time around. I had an ob the last pregnancy and I loved her but I'm trying for a vbac and feel like I'll be the most successful with a midwife.

I met with a midwife at a local birth center before I found out they weren't able to do vbacs. She was amazing and I loved her, she was so positive and supportive. She did offer to be my doula but I can't justify spending that amount of money right now.

CourtJack · October 2015

Loved my experience with my midwife and I plan on having one this time also. I love their philosophy and their holistic approach to pregnancy and birth. They gave me confidence that I could have a VBAC. They made it so I never doubted my decision - not once. They helped me feel empowered and thanks to them I had the most amazing experience of my life (birth of my daughter, at home).

jerseybroadwaybaby · October 2015

This is why I Love love love my midwives!!!

PBear93 · October 2015

I go to a practice with 2 midwives and an OB and I have seen all of them. I have felt equally supported about trying to have a VBAC with all 3 of them. The OB and I have had a serious conversation about it because of the complications I had after my c-section and she talked about how they are rare and to not let them deter me from having a VBAC.

adiaz132003 · October 2015

I'm very excited for our first appt with our midwife tomorrow!! We got a tour of the birth center and it was like walking through someone's home. The birthing tubs are real soaker tubs and not the inflatable ones, real big beds, a kitchen and living room for you and your family to use, outdoor space if you need to walk around! Amazing! It's also across the street from an incredible hospital just in case!

sthomas1222 · October 2015

I love midwifery care be it with a midwife or with an OB who just gets it. I had an awesome MFM the first time & a horrible midwife the second time then transferred to a wonderful midwifery practice for the last 6 weeks.
I won't see my midwife til Dec 1st at around 13 weeks which is the latest I've ever been seen. But I text her when I have a question & she responds quickly. I love it

jerseybroadwaybaby · October 2015

adiaz132003 said:
I'm very excited for our first appt with our midwife tomorrow!! We got a tour of the birth center and it was like walking through someone's home. The birthing tubs are real soaker tubs and not the inflatable ones, real big beds, a kitchen and living room for you and your family to use, outdoor space if you need to walk around! Amazing! It's also across the street from an incredible hospital just in case!

My first water birth was in a brand new tub! It was AMAZING!!!! My son was actually the first baby born in it. The second time it was being fixed so I had to use an inflatable and it was so much harder to get a grip on anything to push! The tub had all these fancy handles everywhere!!

FutureMrsCAF · October 2015

I'm hoping for a VBAC and just met my midwife today. I am so excited to be on this journey with her, and I deeply regret not going to her for my first, as my c-section maybe would have been avoided. She owns the only freestanding birthing center in Ohio and it is beautiful, but I can't VBAC there. I wish I could, but I know she will advocate for me in the hospital.

MynaBird · October 2015

My OB is a solo practitioner with a midwife on staff, and every patient alternates visits between the midwife and the OB. I wasn't sure how excited I was about that at first, but I came to really like that approach. My OB is amazing, but he's also a man, so it was nice to be able to alternate with someone who had firsthand knowledge of what I was going through. Best of both worlds.

Jason&Erin82507 · October 2015

I have had two, natural, unmedicated births with a midwife (in a hospital). I wouldn't have it any other way!

shainaellis · October 2015

I had a midwife with my first pregnancy and I completely adore her! I'm so excited to have her with baby #2 ;;) Pregnant mommas and babies are their passion...it's what they love to do! It felt like such a personal experience and I loved having her throughout my whole pregnancy :x

peaceinnature · October 2015

I loved having midwives for my first pregnancy and birth. The best part in my opinion is the home visits after birth and getting to leave the hospital way sooner than with an OB. We had to stay about 12 hours because of DS's size, but the norm for midwives here is 3 hours after birth. And then they come to your house so you don't have to pack a tiny two day old baby into the car for its check ups! And they help with breastfeeding!

Lyette1206 · October 2015

My midwife was amazing the first time. She's the reason I was able to successfully breastfeed, and I love the home visits after the birth. I ended up having a c-section but she stayed with me the entire time, and she even took out my staples at home when the time was right. I just found out today I got a spot with her again, and I'm thrilled. My first appointment will be at 10 weeks. No checking of levels or anything like that.

SchruteBucks · October 2015

I use a midwife at a freestanding birth center and I love it and much prefer it to an OB. I had CNMs with my first delivery. They were good, but it was in a hospital setting so it still wasn't that really comfy and familiar midwife relationship. My second pregnancy I had an OB and I felt like she had no idea who I was each and every visit. I was just another face she would see 5 minutes every few weeks. With my last birth I found my current midwife and the experience was amazing. She is who I will be using this time once I get around to calling her! My appointments were an hour long. It was like hanging out with girlfriends, just talking. I always felt extremely relaxed and comfortable and she would text me and email me in between appointments to see how I was doing. She never felt like a stranger. She did my post partem visits at my home. Pregnancy and birth are treated like the natural and normal processes that they are instead of a medical crisis that needs to be constantly monitored, measured and managed and I much prefer that personally.

FutureMrsCAF · October 2015

SchruteBucks said:
I use a midwife at a freestanding birth center and I love it and much prefer it to an OB. I had CNMs with my first delivery. They were good, but it was in a hospital setting so it still wasn't that really comfy and familiar midwife relationship. My second pregnancy I had an OB and I felt like she had no idea who I was each and every visit. I was just another face she would see 5 minutes every few weeks. With my last birth I found my current midwife and the experience was amazing. She is who I will be using this time once I get around to calling her! My appointments were an hour long. It was like hanging out with girlfriends, just talking. I always felt extremely relaxed and comfortable and she would text me and email me in between appointments to see how I was doing. She never felt like a stranger. She did my post partem visits at my home. Pregnancy and birth are treated like the natural and normal processes that they are instead of a medical crisis that needs to be constantly monitored, measured and managed and I much prefer that personally.

So true about just another face! There were 3 OBs at the practice where I went with DD and my least favorite one didn't even know I was scheduled for a c-section the next day. Then, she was in the OR when DD was born and thought she was a boy 6 days later at my post-op check. Seriously?? DH and I called it a baby factory.

longhurrdontcurr · October 2015

My ob/gyn office has both midwives and Obs there. I happened to go in a few weeks ago for a yeast infection and got a midwife I hadn't seen before.... She was awesome!!!! I loved her! She said she was looking forward to seeing me once I got my bfp and don't you know I got it that cycle

I'm looking forward to using her the next 7-8 months! She makes me feel SO comfortable and I really trust her.

MynaBird · October 2015

I will say that in my experience, the "baby factory" mentality can affect midwives, too. My first pregnancy, I started out at a large women's health clinic with 5 OBs and many more midwives. The midwives I saw were not at all caring or interested in getting to know me. They gave really broad advice with no context ("don't eat soft cheese"... Really? I have two degrees, so I can understand the concept of pasteurization), and they had no patience for my questions. The OB to whom I transferred was a much better partner in my care. It's not necessarily about OB vs midwife, but about different people and different practices.

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