Anyone out there ever use a midwife?

Question

If so how did it go, any complications, what to look for in one

Answer 1

My sister did. She said it was the greatest experience of her life. She had two midwives who were very earthy and organic. If you want, I can ask her to contact you. She did this for both her kids.

Answer 2

There are two types of midwives... CNM's (certified nurse midwives) and Direct Entry Midwives.

CNM's are generally connected to a hospital, in fact, our local hospitals give you the option of being seen through the midwife network or the OB network, and they both share clinics. The difference is, if some complications arise such as a need for a C-section etc, or if a patient were to become high risk, they would be moved to the OB network.

A CNM is also required to work in conjuction with an OB for handling any complications, so they are not able to practice on their own.

If you're looking for a "hybrid" of medical technology and support along with the more personalized care of a midwife, a CNM is an excellent option.

As for my personal opinion, I've spent a lot of time in L&D due to pre-term contractions (not pre-term labor) and I loved the care I received from every midwife on staff (except one, but I suppose there is always an exception to the rule). I have only been seen by an OB when I was on bedrest and a staff OB had to make the final call on how to handle my case when the contractions started coming pre-term regularly, based on the test results from the midwife. In my case, they decided to give the steroid shots as a safe measure.

They tend to be more encouraging and supportive and treat me less like a case study, while at the same time, they offer me the chance at the OB expertise and experience I may need when and if I have a complication.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I had a midwife and loved her so much. She was awesome. She was better than the ob doc i had the first pregnancy and will always want a midwife now that i had her. She knew some great coaching skills. She didn't get in my face and be all pushy. I had no complications and she was with me through the whole labor. My ob doc would always take off and he would never stay with me or answer questions... but my midwife she was there the whole time and answered all my questions and she calmed my husband out alot. lol I would definitely recommend having a midwife.

Answer 4

I would absolutely recomend a midwife! I have had two babies. My first was with a midwife. It was an incredible experience. My second was not. Midwifes are more personable and give you more options. My appointment with the midwife were 30 min to an hour, where as with a doctor you're lucky to get 10 min of his time. She explained every test and the results to me, giving me the option whether or not to take optional tests. I fealt more informed and more in control. My husband was able to come to my appointments with me and to listen to baby's heart beat. My midwife was with me all through the labour and delivery. Doctors will only show up to catch the baby. She suggest different positions to make labour and deliver more comfortable and she cheered me on and helped me to focus. Registered midwifes have medical training specializing in prenatal and delivery. Many midwifes have hospital rights. If you are concerned about complications you could have your midwife deliver your baby in a hospital. That is what I did.

Answer 5

I used a midwife with my youngest and I would recommend it ten times over. They are just more personable. I mean docs are good but my midwife group was wonderful! I did have complications but if you are in a hospital (and I was) you have no worries. I mean, if you go with a traditional ob, you spend most of your time with the nurse anyway. Good luck. Oh and I say just look for someone you "feel" comfortable with - that's what is important whether you choose doc or midwife.

Answer 6

When I was pregnant with my son, I went to a doctor for the first couple of months, and then I switched jobs and insurance, and my doctor's office didn't accept my insurance (how stupid!), but I switched to a different office that did, (and who were much closer!) and they had a midwife. My first appt. there was with the Dr, but my second was with the midwife. I loved her so much that I scheduled all the rest of my appt.s with her instead. I felt like she was so much more available than the doctor was. SHe always made sure I had all of my questions answered, and spent more time with me than the Dr. was able to, and she seemed like she knew me personally, rather than just knew me as a patient.

And besides that, midwife births are associated with lower lercentages of episiotomies, forcepts, and vaccum extraction. I don't know how much lower, but the thinking is that they have less patients, so they are able to spend more time and effort trying to help you deliver as naturally as possible, rather than trying to 'hurry you along' with forcepts, or whatever. That's not true for every Dr. though, obviously.

One thing that I would definately say you'd want to do, though, is do like I did and see a midwife that is part of a group with Dr.s. That way, if it would happen that complications develop, there would already be someone in the office that could take over the case.

That happened to me at the very end of my pregnancy. I was overdue by a week, so we scheduled an induction if I didn't go in the next 4 days. I had no progress at all, so I went to the hospital on a Thursday night to check in, and they were gonna start the induction at the crack of dawn the next morning. They did an ultrasound that night, to make sure everything was still looking good for the induction, and it turned out that my son had flipped over into a frank breech position, and he was already face-up to begin with, so he was as backwards at that point as he could possibly be.

Also, the amniotic fluid was running low, so the Dr (the midwife called him in on it) said he thought is wouldn't work to try to turn him from the outside, so we scheduled a c-section for the next morning instead.

On my next pregnancy, I will definately go back to Donna, the midwife I saw with my son, and hopefully, I'll actually get to use her for the birth this time!

Good luck in finding one that you love, and congratulations on your pregnancy!

Answer 7

Well, I can not get pregnant. Ha!!!! But, I have known women who did use a GOOD EXPERIENCED midwife and they really thought it was wonderful. They not feel they were inhibited by society. AND, a good experienced midwife is smart!!!! IF, she feels there are complications beyond her control she knows what to do!!!! Ask about Water-birth if you find one. Ask around and get references.
Sorry, had to go drink a beer; but, did want to add, a lot of insurance companies will pay for a midwife, if, you have insurance just ask them!!!

Answer 8

Hmm, thats a toughie. Im 20 and that i wanted a youngish midwife because of the fact i discovered the older ones (like of their 50's) to be waaay to previous formed and hippyish. My midwife now could be in her early 40's and has 3 childrens. i could definately choose a midwife who has toddlers herself, basically because of the fact then they understand the discomfort we are dealing with relatively of basically being like 'oh your doing super, no longer long now, it's going to all be over quickly'. additionally identity choose a midwife with atleast 2 or 3 years journey. yet notwithstanding i assume you practice alongside a completely qualified midwife for a on an identical time as. yet identity hate to be between the 1st sufferers of a midwife basically commencing her solo profession, identity be so worried. yet then i assume anybody has to start someplace. there's a midwife on the health facility i bypass to who identity say is approximately 24-26 and has been there on condition that i fell pregnant with my first (previous due 07 i've got been given pregnant first time, had my son july 08, fell pregnant lower back feb 09 and im due 18 november). and he or she nonetheless doesnt furnish female with the help of herself, she has asked to be at my beginning this time and that i stated it grew to become into advantageous. She is totally qualified yet nonetheless in user-friendly terms works alongside the three different midwives and doesnt furnish, she does verify united statesand so on, yet no longer the transport. And thats approximately 3 years. better of success with your new profession, its some thing i had theory-approximately doing too

Answer 9

Love having a midwife more personal and definitely more hands on than a doctor

Answer 10

i did for both my boys. i had a GREAT experience with both. she had soooo much patience. with my first she saved me from a c-section!

talk to her, ask who is the backup doctor, what is the cesarian rate in the practice... is there such a thing as "failure to progress", is episiotimies (my spelling...) routine or recomended, how often are internal exams necessary during labor and in general throughout the pregnancy...

i'm seeing that most things that are more on the intrusive side, tend to be routine by more doctors than midwifes.