Widwife or obstetric or stiching up?

[NoodleSnack]

I'm considering whether I should get a private obstetric. I'm in NZ and the system is similiar to the UK's I think. If I use a private obstetric, I will pay for the service, but the government will pay for midwife's.

My concern about not having an obstetric is that midwives might not be as good in the afterbirth care in terms of stitching things up etc? What has been your own experience with a midwife or an obstetric? Would you say one is better than the other?

To be honest, I'm more scared of the pain after the birth than the actual birth itself.

 

[Charliexo]

Hi, thought i would share my experience with you. When i gave birth to my now 31/2 year beautiful son Daniel it was traumatic and teriffying espeically as i was only 18 years old. I manged to give birth naturally to my baby boy weighing 9lb 4onz. I needed internal and external stitches and was stiched by a consultant who, after my 21 hour labour was very rude to me and didn't exactly have the gentle touch. But, following the birth of my 2nd beatiful son, Lucas i only had a graze but the midwives who delt with me from start to finsh (only 3 hours) were amazing. Midwives, i feel are trained to deal more delicatly with labouring women and new mums . Hope everything goes okay and you make the right decision for you. All the best x x x

 

[NoodleSnack]

Hi, thought i would share my experience with you. When i gave birth to my now 31/2 year beautiful son Daniel it was traumatic and teriffying espeically as i was only 18 years old. I manged to give birth naturally to my baby boy weighing 9lb 4onz. I needed internal and external stitches and was stiched by a consultant who, after my 21 hour labour was very rude to me and didn't exactly have the gentle touch. But, following the birth of my 2nd beatiful son, Lucas i only had a graze but the midwives who delt with me from start to finsh (only 3 hours) were amazing. Midwives, i feel are trained to deal more delicatly with labouring women and new mums . Hope everything goes okay and you make the right decision for you. All the best x x x

Thanks, that's good to know. I'll be looking for a midwife soon, as I'll need one even if I do get an obstetric, I hope I will find one I feel good about. There's so many things to think about that I know about, never mind the "unknown unknowns".

 

[Mindy_mini]

IMHO you'd be wasting your money. Well fromy exPerience in the uk anyway.

In the uk, normal deliveries are handled by mw's and in theory, any taring shouldn't be too bad (always the exceptions I know) but if your baby needs to come put quickly via forceps/ventous etc the ob will be involved and will stitch you up anyway.

A mw probably gets more practice with general suturing on a daily basis than an ob does if that makes sense

 

[dan-o]

I had an internal tear only (pushed him out a bit too quick!) got stitched by the MW.

I had G&A during my labour, then a little local for the stitches, didn't feel a thing!

My labial graze was much worse than the tear, that stung when I peed for a couple of weeks! Ow!

 

[amerikiwi]

If your main concern between the two is regarding the stitching, I'd def recommend midwife. For grazing and 1st degree tears, they probably stitch on a daily basis. With my daughter I required lots of stitching (deep 2nd degree) and the midwife brought in the doctor to stitch me up. The overall care of the midwife was absolutely fantastic. I went with midwives for my second as well and didn't require stitching the second time around.

PS: I had my daughter in Wellington. What part of NZ are you in?

 

[NoodleSnack]

If your main concern between the two is regarding the stitching, I'd def recommend midwife. For grazing and 1st degree tears, they probably stitch on a daily basis. With my daughter I required lots of stitching (deep 2nd degree) and the midwife brought in the doctor to stitch me up. The overall care of the midwife was absolutely fantastic. I went with midwives for my second as well and didn't require stitching the second time around.

PS: I had my daughter in Wellington. What part of NZ are you in?

I'm from Auckland. I feel like there are so many things I still haven't a clue about and don't know how to decide on a midwife, what kind of questions I should ask to make that decisions or just go with how we get on personally. It's my first, and it seems that the first is the most difficult one for most women, that's why I'm considering an obstetrician.

 

[goddess25]

MIdwives can only stitch for 1st degree tears here, and occasional 2nd degree anything other than that has to be an OB.

With my son I had 3rd borderline 4th degree tearing internal/external/ muscle and through the rectum. An OB stitched me up and did a great job, it took awhile and she even undone about 30 and redid it as once she did a bit more she said it would have pulled a bit more so she was very good.

Remember that you might not need any stitching anyway, a lot of women don't. I would go for a MW though for your overall pregnancy and birth.