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February 2025 Babies
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OB versus Midwife?

kaityrose15kaityrose15 member
in February 2025 Babies
Hi mamas! Congrats on your little blessings!
I hope I’m not alone in this, but as a first time mom, I’m really struggling to understand the difference between an OB and a midwife. 
I have currently been going to an OB for my first 2 appointments, and I am planning to do a hospital birth. Do any of you have recommendations on what the differences are, and which you decided to go with? Thank you!! 
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Re: OB versus Midwife?

  • noortlenoortle member
    I had a home birth with a Certified Professional Midwife, but I did dual care during my pregnancy with a team of Certified Nurse Midwives at my local OBGYN. My experience was that I never had to meet the official doctor or OB, because they were mainly concerned with the actual moment of delivery at a hospital, while the midwife team was present for each checkup and focused on getting to know me / talk through my birth plan because they would be there through the whole process, helping me through labor and post delivery as well. However, my homebirth CPM was by far my favorite. When I saw the hospital midwives they would check baby’s heartrate for 5 minutes, answer any questions I had, and that was it. But when I went for checkups with my homebirth midwife she allotted a whole hour to checking me and baby, feeling my stomach, getting a urine sample, talking through diet and exercise, giving book recommendations, and she gave an entire class to all her clients + their husbands on what the birth process would look like, any complications that might come up, etc. 
    TL:DR - The OB is more concerned with checking you up medically and addressing any medical issues. Midwives are more concerned with preparing you for the entire pregnancy/labor/delivery/postpartum process and will be with you for longer, not just during the delivery
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  • Knottie1472847102Knottie1472847102 member
    So I had an OB for Baby #1 and midwife for Baby 2. Very different experienced and births (different children!). My OB was all about just checking stats and such. We live in NYC where I feel like they want to check everything and more, including what felt like constant ultrasounds for a healthy pregnancy. I had a terrible hospital experience, which I'm going to chalk up to that hospital in particular.
    For Baby 2, I also had a hospital birth, but much better experience at a different hospital. My midwife was nurturing, and caring, not just as a CNM, but also like as a pregnancy coach and inspiring motivation. Her practice was affiliated w a hospital and I had a great experience this time (including VBAC!).
    For Baby 3, that midwife no longer practices, so I'm at a 3rd hospital w a new midwife. This practice seems more OB-focused but I'll take it over that first hospital I was at w an OB whose name I still forget. I've only seen this midwife twice but I'm sure it'll be a good experience for me! 
    If you can't get a midwife, I highly suggest finding a really great and experienced doula who will help you and advocate for you!
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