Please share your experiences with midwives!

[kkkalle]

Hello everyone,
I am currently a nursing student and am writing an english paper on midwifery. I would love to hear your experiences with any type of midwife, or if you have not been seen by a midwife- your thoughts about the profession. I live in the US, but would be interested in hearing about midwives in other countries as well. Hopefully this is the correct forum, since this is my first time posting.
Thank you for your help!

 

[krulci]

I used an OB with my first pregnancy and thought I had pretty good care - wait times weren't often long, my doctor was always courteous, etc. I tore extensively when I delivered (with a different OB, same clinic) but was told that it was my fault and that I was lucky because this would make sex more enjoyable, now. Almost two years later, I returned with a second pregnancy that ultimately ended in a late miscarriage. After weeks of testing and my OB reassuring me that things would be fine (despite a nagging feeling), I lost the baby. Her response: "Oh darn... That's too bad. Do you want a d&c now or later?" Not to mention, in the appt prior to losing the baby, she was visibly frustrated that I didn't want an epidural at my next birth. "You haven't learned your lesson yet??"

I quickly switched to a midwife and have been overwhelmed at the sincerity and love I feel. I lost another baby while in my midwife's care (vanishing twin, so the physical repurcutions weren't nearly as bad). She pushed back appts to see me immediately, and when I arrived, thinking I was coming in on a medical need only, she simply held me and said how sorry she was.

Every time I jokingly comment that I'll try to be a little less noisy in the birth room, this time (a point of irritation for the last OB), she always jumps in to say that she loves a noisy, whatever-goes kind of birth because they're authentic to the mother. I can't express enough how much I love my midwife!! She has certainly changed my perspective on patient care and rights. (All this coming from a med student's wife, lol)

If you have more questions, let me know. I'm happy to help.

 

[kkkalle]

thank you so much for your response! It's really great to hear from someone who had a baby with an ob and a midwife. I am sorry about your experience with your last OB, but Your midwife sounds amazing!I am glad that you found her

 

[madseasons]

WARNING: I had the one of the worst experiances with a mid-wife. I'll take my OB over them anyday!

My story is not a good one, but I believe it was a particular mid-wife that I just happened to have that day on call, who has been a mid-wife for YEARS and is highly into the “NATURAL” way……...even as my son was dying inside me……..I digress though.

I was induced and hooked up to Pitocin since I have been contracting for TWO weeks and my blood pressure went through the roof, I was allowed to get my epidural at around 4-5 cms. I wasn’t in extreme pain, but I am the type to say if I have a headache I am taking Tylenol, so I am going to take pain relief if it’s there. I am not the type to have to “feel it all” to have a baby. God bless those who do!!!!!

So I am progressing SLOWLY……. I know something is not right. My DS’s head is NOT coming down and I did everything for TWO weeks since I started contracting (yes, contracting PAINFULLY, for two weeks with no progression).

Fast forward to just about pushing, I had a small piece of cervix left at this point and the DUMB ASS midwife had turned not only my Pitocin OFF, but my Epidural OFF so my contractions were all over the place and coming full force. TOP that off, she kept putting her hand up in my every time she would tell me to push to hold that piece of cervix and it made the pain 100 times worse when she did! I was handling the pain otherwise if her HAND wasn’t up there…….SO needless to say, he was NOT dropping and I was in EXTREME PAIN and she was also flipping me in a million different positions since his heart was STOPPING or dropping with every contraction.

FINALLY my OB came in and said “the OR is prepped, leave her be” because he heard what was going on. I then went down and during my emergency C-section I got the pleasure to hear my OB cuss out the mid-wife about turning my Pitocin and Epidural off and having me push for over an hour seeing no progress with the baby and him being in extreme distress and putting me though that traumatic experience.

Two weeks after having him, I had an infection from the inside OUT, so I am positive if she wouldn’t have kept putting her hand up there, I would never had had it.

This time around, I refused to see her or ANY mid-wife at any prenatal appointments and I have it on my birth plan she is NOT allowed anywhere around my baby or myself unless in an all-out emergency. BUT I’ll be getting a repeat C-section, so I don’t think she will be around, thank God!


Dee

EDIT: My son never dropped because the placenta was on top of my uterus, the cord was around his neck twice and his head was cocked sidways because of the noose type knot the cord had on his neck.......and he was caught on my bone. SO he would have NEVER come out natural. Trust your gut...I knew something was wrong!