Midwife vs traditional OBGYN

[lemondrop]

I'm looking to move OBGYN practices because my current doctor has several views (well, basically all of his views) that my H and I fundamentally disagree with. My options are a different, traditional OBGYN who is not associated with AAPLOG, or a midwife. I have no birthing plan besides I'd prefer to do it naturally in some form of hospital or birthing center. 

I believe my insurance will cover either, so that shouldn't be an issue. I don't currently have any complications, although that could easily change. My plan is to switch after I am out of the first trimester, so mid-October or so. I'm weighing pros and cons. 

Has anyone used a midwife? How did you decide which to go with?

[orangehibiscus]

I don’t have any advice because there aren’t any midwives in my town. My only option is a traditional OB. I would probably pick a Midwife if I had the option though. Good luck deciding!

[Tlex]

I had a midwife for a short while with D1’s pregnancy. Unfortunately, I became high risk and was not able to stay under the midwifery practices care. It does not take much to exclude you from midwifery care so consider any preexisting conditions you might have or conditions you might be prone to when weighing your decision.
One downside of having the midwife was she missed my early SPD and I was very injured and had my family doctor not been a former OB herself and able to diagnose what had happened to me, I might have been further injured with lifelong consequences. Midwifes are awesome when everything is awesome. Doctors are awesome when everything is not awesome.

Pros to a midwife for me included them coming to my house for after birth care and baby appointments. That would have been really valuable to me. I had no reason to think I’d be high risk until I was, and I liked that midwifery treated pregnancy as a very natural and uncomplicated process. Alas, for me, it was not to be so!

There’s nothing wrong with interviewing both and seeing who makes you more comfortable.

[lemondrop]

Thanks for your response Tlex - I am a little concerned about the “midwives are great when everything is great, doctors are great when everything isn’t” scenario. I have zero reason to believe I might not have an easy, routine pregnancy, but I also know quite a few women who have had gestational diabetes, or pre-e, or any number of issues. I don’t know that I want to switch a third time if something does come up and I need a traditional OBGYN anyway. But, a midwife coming to my house sounds amazing since I don’t really have any family nearby and I’m the Queen of Convenience lol.

[Tlex]

Sept 28, 2018 15:56:00 GMT -6 lemondrop said:

Thanks for your response Tlex - I am a little concerned about the “midwives are great when everything is great, doctors are great when everything isn’t” scenario. I have zero reason to believe I might not have an easy, routine pregnancy, but I also know quite a few women who have had gestational diabetes, or pre-e, or any number of issues. I don’t know that I want to switch a third time if something does come up and I need a traditional OBGYN anyway. But, a midwife coming to my house sounds amazing since I don’t really have any family nearby and I’m the Queen of Convenience lol.

It’s just one of those tricky things about pregnancy/babies/parenthood where sometimes you have to decide a path to try and just accept there is no one way.
We all wish we could just KNOW what would be best for our unique selves but sometimes you only learn through trying!
If the midwife perks sound good but the possibility of having to change care has you pausing, you might consider pricing out doulas in your area to have that additional support. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone regretting theirs! But I’ve never had one myself. They typically provide care for mom after birth as well and some do breastfeeding support too if that interests you.

[cmb]

Hi, lurker here. I had an untraditional OB (he was very hands off and anti-intervention unless necessary) the first time around and a MW the second time around, both high risk pregnancies. My MWs have experience with high risk pregnancies and work directly with a MFM for people who need one. The only thing they weren’t able to do were my level II scans and biophysical scans. I would find out if the MW practice near you has any experience with high risk pregnancies or not/are they able to stay on as your primary prenatal care and go from there.

I was actually happier with my OB from the first time around, but I moved states so he wasn’t an option hence the midwives.

[Yogurt]

I am high anxiety and need lots of reassurance and my fear is that a midwife would be too breezy for me. I want all the ultra sounds too.

[lemondrop]

Sept 28, 2018 16:23:25 GMT -6 Tlex said:

Sept 28, 2018 15:56:00 GMT -6 lemondrop said:

Thanks for your response Tlex - I am a little concerned about the “midwives are great when everything is great, doctors are great when everything isn’t” scenario. I have zero reason to believe I might not have an easy, routine pregnancy, but I also know quite a few women who have had gestational diabetes, or pre-e, or any number of issues. I don’t know that I want to switch a third time if something does come up and I need a traditional OBGYN anyway. But, a midwife coming to my house sounds amazing since I don’t really have any family nearby and I’m the Queen of Convenience lol.

It’s just one of those tricky things about pregnancy/babies/parenthood where sometimes you have to decide a path to try and just accept there is no one way.
We all wish we could just KNOW what would be best for our unique selves but sometimes you only learn through trying!
If the midwife perks sound good but the possibility of having to change care has you pausing, you might consider pricing out doulas in your area to have that additional support. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone regretting theirs! But I’ve never had one myself. They typically provide care for mom after birth as well and some do breastfeeding support too if that interests you.

A doula might be a good compromise. I'll look into it!

[photomama2013]

For my first I used a CNM at a local hospital. It was fine. I had a good experience and had a textbook labor and delivery. For my second and now third I am using an independent birth center. I have had an amazing experience with them and my labor and delivery for my second babe was so so much better than my hospital birth. They can order ultrasounds just the same as at the hospital, they draw labs and send them out right at their facility. They also have a birthing suite at their facility, but they do home births too. We did a homebirth last time and will again this time. I have had nothing but wonderful things to say about it.

[jacks]

I haven’t used a midwife, but I looked around at possibly switching OB practices. My OB is fine, I didn’t have any major reasons to switch, other than just wondering if there was something better out there. The things I looked for (and why I eventually decided to stay):

Availability of nurses for questions (I always got a quick response)
Having U/S available in the OB office (instead of having to go to 2 separate appointments)
Hospital affiliation
How they handle needed blood draws (same building? Separate location?)

I don’t know how you’d know this ahead of time, but I never felt like an idiot when I asked if I could come in for a quick non-stress test or HB check. Which I did often...

[jewelsofthenile]

I have only used OBs because that is whats available nearby. I also have had low risk pregnancies and was able to have the natural births I wanted in a hospital. I think even with a pretty traditional OB you can get your thoughts across to have the birth you hope for. I have seen in my state that there are practices with 2 midwives and 2 OBs, for example. That might be a good type of practice to look for. You can use the midwives and if anything makes you high risk you wouldnt need to change practices.