midwife or OB?

and why..? We're trying to figure out which to go with- Thanks

Re: midwife or OB?

it depends on your thoughts on pain meds and c-sections and a lot of other things. . There is tons of research online that you can use to help you with your decision.
I personally am using a midwife. Here is one website that helped me in my decison
pushedbirth.com

ETA... I tried to find a copy of an email that my mom sent me. It was a running discussion among nurses and midwifes in the area and the state of OB Care ( my mom is a clinical nurse specialist in OB- she used to work at Good Sam and is now getting her PhD from Columbia.. I guess that was how she was added to the discussion??) But I can't find it. I will look harder when I get home from work today.

ETA: again... Just another way to look at it. Midwifes only specialize in the "normal" When my M/C got complicatd I had to go back to my OB. And I was glad for it. A good midwife will know when it is her time to step out. Mine did.

Message edited 12/11/2007 8:00:21 AM.

Re: midwife or OB?

great Thanks, I will look that website up

Re: midwife or OB?

No prob... I just did a quick search on Yahoo and a LIF thread came up as the first hit..
Link to thread

Re: midwife or OB?

With my last practice we had two midwives and three OB's and I believe who was ever on call would deliver unless you had a preference. I had a great experience with the midwife that was on call, she kind of let me do my thing and knew that I didn't really want the epidural so she was great. Although I believe that anyone in the practice would have been great.

This practice (had to change because we moved back to LI) I'm a little nervous because there are three OB's and no midwife. Since I had such a great experience the first time - I'm nervous about the birth.

For me, looking back, it was best to that I went with a practice that had both so I could meet everyone and get a feel for what made me comfortable.

Re: midwife or OB?

I switched from an OB to a Midwife and am really glad I did. My OB didn't really support my decision to have natural childbirth, but my Midwife did. I had a wonderful natural childbirth (although Midwives also attended medicated births).

All practices are different, but statistically, Midwife patients have a lower C-section rate without sacrificing positive outcomes. The Midwifery model tends to be more patient-focused than traditional OB practices. My Midwife summed it up when DH asked about the differences between her and an OB by saying, "I don't think your sick. I'm here to support the normal birth process."

Many people don't really understand what Midwives do and the training they have. Spend some time researching it -- you might find that it is right for you, too.

Re: midwife or OB?

I also switched from an ob to a midwife. They are more patient centered. At the Ob office I felt like just another patient...no special attention like I was in a factory. the midwife actually spends time with me answering all my questions. I wanted to try for a natural birth as well.
I guess too...my last two siblings (3 & 11)were delivered by midwives and my mom said they were great.

Re: midwife or OB?

I am using an OB. I personally just feel more comfotable knowing if something goes wrong during labor, she can handle it and not have to pass me off to someone else. My OB is awesome and I feel that she is very patient centered. She makes me feel very at ease and that is important to me. I think it is just a personal choice on what you are comfortable with.

Re: midwife or OB?

I'm using a midwife. I like that she really spends time with me, my appointments last at least 30 minutes and I NEVER feel rushed out of the office.

She supports my decisions and views birth as a natural process.

Midwives have lower rates of c-sections, episiotomies, and to me that is very important. If you're looking for a natural childbirth, I'd use a midwife.