Eastern Shore mamas - need midwife/hospital/ped recs!

[petitchou]

Dh, ds (2) and I are moving back to the US in mid-April and I will be staying with my parents in Salisbury until we find a place to live in the DC area. I am due June 12 (in France that is, I think my 'US due date' is June 5...) and as of right now, we are planning on having baby on the Eastern Shore before we move again.

Ds was born here so I don't really know how the whole giving birth thing works in the US. I think I'd prefer a midwife but I've heard that there are none at PRMC. I have a friend who went to Easton for her two children - that seems far but I am willing to travel for a decent hospital and staff! Any recommendations on prenatal care and where to give birth?

I'm also looking for good ped and infant chiropractor recs in the area.

Thanks for your help!

[beachbaby]

You're correct, no midwives at PRMC. I'd stay far, far away from that hospital. I'll PM you some more info.

[womancaredoula]

re: birthing on the eastern shore

Email me over at ICANofBaltimore @ Comcast.net and I'll send you the cesarean rates for all Maryland hospitals. I'll also send you my "Spectrum of Caregiver Choices" that shows the range of caregiver and birthing options available to women birthing in the US and, in particular, how not all midwives are created equally.

One point to note in making your decision is that Easton's hospital has banned VBACs since 2003 which is of course a bad policy.

-Barbara Stratton
ICAN of Baltimore chapter leader
www.icanofbaltimore.org

Originally Posted by petitchou

Dh, ds (2) and I are moving back to the US in mid-April and I will be staying with my parents in Salisbury until we find a place to live in the DC area. I am due June 12 (in France that is, I think my 'US due date' is June 5...) and as of right now, we are planning on having baby on the Eastern Shore before we move again.

Ds was born here so I don't really know how the whole giving birth thing works in the US. I think I'd prefer a midwife but I've heard that there are none at PRMC. I have a friend who went to Easton for her two children - that seems far but I am willing to travel for a decent hospital and staff! Any recommendations on prenatal care and where to give birth?

I'm also looking for good ped and infant chiropractor recs in the area.

Thanks for your help!

[mama2claire]

I delivered my youngest DD at Beebe in Lewes, DE. It wouldn't be terribly inconvenient from Salisbury. There is 1 practice operating in Georgetown/Lewes, DE that offers both MWs (CNMs) and OBs. They do make you rotate through everyone so you can't *only* see the MWs. Still, it was better than nothing for me. I found Beebe to be fine w/my natural birth choices, private rooms, baby roomed in w/me, lactation consultant very available and helpful. Overall decent experience and I'll probably end up there again this summer unless I can 1) convince my DH to go for a HB and 2) find a HB MW within a reasonable distance as I'm not planning to fight beach traffic for 5+ hours just to get prenatal care.