Searching for a Midwife HELP!

[LockandKey]

My DH and I recently started NTNP for #2, and let's just say that my first birth went horrible!!! Absolutely dreadful! I felt as if I had no control over the situation, it was a nightmare come true with lasting effects that followed us even after the birth was done and over with. I would love to drastically change that the next time around. Since falling pregnant could happen any time now for us from this point on, I got to thinking what kind of birth I would like and what I can do about it. Since I had assisted vaginal hospital birth the 1st time, I would love to have a midwife this time in a birthing center, preferred water birth, and potential hypo birth. I did a quick search on the internet, but was having trouble finding anything nearby us. I am completely new to trying to find a good midwife and birth center near me.

I was wondering what you ladies did in order to find your perfect midwife? What process did you go through? Anything you recommend? Anything else you want to tell me? I am pretty new to this with almost no information, so anything helpful you can think of, please share.

I really don't want to go into this completely blind. This will more than likely be the last time I give birth, so I was really hoping to get the birth experience I wanted this time. Please help!

 

[gryphongrl]

It's very possible you won't be able to find a local birthing center (I'm in Colorado, pretty au naturale state, and there is only one here and it is further than I felt comfortable driving). But, you could look into home birth. There are a lot of midwives in West Virginia (google Midwives Alliance of West Virginia and they can put you in touch with a few).
A home birth is just like a birthing center really except the midwife comes to you. The medical training of the attendant is often the same. Either way if there is an issue the midwife will transfer you to a hospital, so the care is similar. Midwives in home births DO clean up the mess and your house won't look like a bloodbath .

Warning, I couldn't find a midwife willing to meet with me for consideration until I was actually pregnant, as they fill up their time really fast (for example, mine only takes 3-4 due dates per month).