midwife??

[Kates1122]

what exactly is a midwife?

 

[MissChris]

A midwife is a NP (nurse practitioner) who has trained specifically to provide prenatal care, labor and low risk delivery of the baby and postpartum care. Many women in the US prefer to use midwives because it provides a more personal and hands-on experience during the whole process, as well as being known for favoring less outside intervention (but you can still get pain meds!) and being with you the majority of the time you are in labor until you deliver (as opposed to an OB just coming in to occasionally check on you and then when it's time for the baby to come out.) Most hospitals also have midwives on staff.

I want to be one when I grow up!! (Doula first, then go back to school to become a midwife!)

 

[Kates1122]

hmmm i dunno if we have midwives here, but not sure if i would like the midwife just being in there with me the whole time of labor, hahah when i was in labor with dd i just wanted everyone to leave

 

[MsLesley]

im sure you dont have to have her in there with you if you dont want to...its whatever makes you comfortable.

personally...i would want a midwife this time around. if you are curious about them..you could always call and make an appointment with one to see if it would suit you or not.

 

[hpjagged]

In England, a Midwife is signed to you, but of course you don't have to. I am deciding if I ever get pregnant would I have it on base, (in the military) which is American or would I want to be off base so I can have a midwife.
Because there is only 1 midwife on the base where we are at, and I guess because I am British and everyone I know has had a midwife. I really like the idea.
Just seems like the right thing to do in England anyways. I like the thought that she will be there for me, when I need her and there to answer all my questions, home visits after the baby is born. Gives me that reassurance.

 

[Crypto1976]

I just assumed everyone had one. They do a lot of the pre labour stuff too.

 

[BumpyCake]

Kate,

You ever watch 'A Baby Story' on TLC? sometimes they show doulas and midwives on there.

 

[DragonMummy]

In the UK a midwife is basically the nurses on the maternity ward - theyre all trained midwives. Also they look after you during pregnancy, give you checkups. listen to baby and take your bloods, plus visit you after birth to check up on post natal care, remove stitches etc. They are then taken over by a health visitor who looks after mum and baby, weighing and measuring, checking baby is thriving and mummy isn't suicidal etc. I'd like to train to be a midwife - the NHS pay you to train.

 

[Kates1122]

yeah i have seen a doula on baby story

 

[soon2 b wifey]

You should rent "The business of being born" great movie. It's about the hospital birthing versus home birthing. Awesome changed me and df minds we are now only going to a midwife when we get preggers

 

[kmac625]

In Canada you need a university degree in Midwifery. It is covered under our national health care and you can use either a midwife or an ob/gyn, but not both. They have their own clinics and also have hospital rights. They will do both home and hospital births too. If you're pregnancy is deemed high risk they will refer you to an ob/gyn if you don't already have one. When I finally do get pregnant I plan on using one (which I'm sure will piss off my gyno lol).

 

[gina8177]

I was excited when I found out midewifery was covered by provincial health care. I plan on having a midwife and doula when the time comes.