Midwives vs. Obstetricians

[purelygemini]

I've never used a midwife before so I'm just curious about the difference. Do you use a midwife and still have a regular ob/gyn? Or is it just one or the other?? I plan on attempting a natural birth at a hospital, so should I use one or the other or both??

 

[Stellae]

I switched to a midwife from an ob/gyn this time, mostly because the doctor I was going through has awful bedside manner and just shoo-shoo'd my questions.

Midwives, from what I'm told, are more attentive but less invasive. Doctors will have you hooked up to more machinery and do more poking and prodding, where midwives will let things progress a bit more naturally and only monitor etc. when it's needed. If complications go beyond what a nurse is allowed to/trained to handle an ob will be called in.

 

[purelygemini]

So do you see the midwife for your monthly checkups the same way you would see a doctor?

 

[Misscalais]

I have seen midwives for all my bubs. 1st 2 kiddies i did shared care with my gp and midwife clinic. So i seen my Dr who scheduled mosts tests and scans etc then the midwives at certain weeks. And with my 3rd i did midwife clinic where i seen them from 12 weeks and see them at set weeks.

 

[KrazzysGirl]

I saw a doctor with my first two kids and a midwife with the third. I felt like I got as thorough care (if not more thorough) with the midwife as I did the doctor. My midwife also sits down and listens to all your questions. The doctors just kind of rush through or dismissed my questions.

I saw the same doctor each time with my first, a different doctor in the practice each time with my second, and the same midwife everytime with my third. If you are a doctor's patient, you don't see the midwife. If you are a midwife's patient, you don't see the doctor, unless the midwife is unavailable.

I am absolutely going back to my midwife with my current pregnancy.

 

[xdxxtx]

I go to a practice that has both OBs and midwives. My first delivery was assisted by a midwife. I got an epidural because I decided when I got my BFP that I was going to. With my second, I had a midwife, and she definitely helped me talk myself out of getting the epidural many times when I was so exhausted from labor that I just wanted to get it done so I could sleep. With my third, one of my OBs was in the room, and she assumed I'd want the epidural - I told her I didn't need it - and we continued on without it. Nobody ever pushed me into getting one or even mentioned it more than once, but my midwife who really helped me get through that looooooong labor without it was absolutely wonderful and necessary.

I think if you have a doula or any other support person - or a close and trusting relationship with whichever practitioner you choose, like I do - that you won't have to worry about anyone trying to force anything on you or trying to change your mind. However, some people do report that their OBs, although wonderful during the pregnancy, tried to push interventions (hence high c-section rates) or drugs to keep them quiet or move things along faster. If you know anyone else who loves their practitioner and has had natural deliveries, it might be worth it to check out their practitioners.

 

[mac1979]

I went with midwife lead unit in a hospital for my first pregnancy as I wanted an all natural birth. I ended up with pre ecclampsia and had to be induced, but my midwife helped me get through it without painkillers and let me move around (as much as the wires would let me) as long as my bp didn't get too high. In just think the will let you "get away with" more than an ob would, at least in my case.

 

[allforthegirl]

You usually have one or the other. If that answers your question. Most places don't have you seeing both, as you don't need to have double your care. A midwife should take care of all of your needs right up until baby is a few weeks old.

I would love to do midwife, but I am high risk, due to age and other complications. OB's can be good too if you get one that will respect your wishes. Making a birth plan can help that, and discussing it with either you choose.

 

[SpringCrane]

I saw an OB throughout my first pregnancy but requested a midwife for delivery. The hospital uses local OBs on rotation, so it wasn't as if my OB would have been there for delivery any way. I labored a long time, so I actually went through three midwives' rotations. The first was pushing pitocin to speed things up... I was shocked! I thought midwives were supposed to be better about pushing intervention. Thankfully her shift ended and the next two were great. The final one that actually delivered my son was amazing.

This time I've requested a midwife for my office visits. I never really bonded with my OB so I thought I'd try something else. But as it's within the same practice, in assuming the office care won't differ too much as they likely have to follow similar protocols.

 

[klsltsp]

I think you can do some shared care. I absolutely love my ob. He sits and listens to all if my crazy questions and takes as long as I need. His appointments are not normally on time but that's because he doesn't rush people. During my last pregnancy he called me at home at 530 pm and we talked for 1 hr!! Him giving me instructions on what to do should my older ds get exposed to the chicken pox.

I think that it boils down to finding a caregiver that listens to you and that may or may not be a midwife or an ob. Good luck!!

 

[purelygemini]

Thank you everyone for the great advice!! My approach is going to be to first figure out what hospital I want to deliver at (there's a lot to choose from in my area) and then go from there. Maybe start with an ob and express my wants and see what they say or ask the hospitals when I go on tour to see if there's any shared care.

The only possible problem is that I'll probably be considered high risk and an ob might not think it wise for me to go with only a midwife...we'll see!

Thanks again ladies!!

 

[Powell130]

So do you see the midwife for your monthly checkups the same way you would see a doctor?

I did! I'm SOOO sad we moved two states away because my MW was friggin' amazing! All of them at the office were great but the one i saw the most and the one that stayed over a shift to deliver me was my fave

 

[purelygemini]

Powell did they deliver for you in a hospital or birthing center?

 

[Powell130]

Hospital! Not sure if birthing center would have been a viable option since I was considered high risk?

 

[purelygemini]

Yeah I'll probably be high risk too, both of my last pregnancies I was put on bed rest for low amniotic fluid so I'm assuming that will be the same case this time. Either way though, I would rather deliver in a hospital. I just want to try my best to do it naturally and I'm worried an OB will push drugs. Guess I should just ask when I go in for my first appt!

 

[Powell130]

Yeah just bring it up!