VBAC Mom looking for midwifery and hospital in Rocklan county, Westchester county, Northern...

[rclaz]

Hi,
I'm 17 weeks pregnant with #2. I had a c/s with DD due to a placenta previa. So, I'm a pretty good vbac candidate. No problems at all with first pregnancy or c/s. I'm currently with an OB who births at St. Lukes in NYC. BTW, I live in Nyack, NY. I took a tour of St. Lukes and wasn't at all impressed. I'm not a candidate for the Birthing Center. I have met with The Midwifery of Manhattan, and didn't feel it was a good fit for me. I met with Lonnie Morris out of Fort Lee NJ (births at Palisades), not a good fit. Met with Full Circle Midwifery, and liked them a lot. Have mixed feelings about Phelps where they birth. I'm looking for hospital and midwifery recommendations. I'm a middle of the road gal. I want to be safe, due to VBAC, but I also want to give myself the best chance and every opportunity to have this baby naturally. Any suggestions??
Thanks
Rebecca

[Chavelamomela]

Check out Lucy (Lucille) Milne in White Plains. She delivers in WPHC and works in a practice with 4 OBs (Shaw, Dunne, Khoury, and Bavarro).

This is the practice that Robin Bradley (at full-circle) used to be part of before she joined full-circle.

[rclaz]

Hi, thanks! White Plains sure looks nice. Do you know what Lucy is like? B/c she is with the OBs, does that mean you could be with her OR one of the OBs?

[murphysaangel]

hiya. I forgot to tell you that if you want to see a great chiropractor throughout your pregnancy (it'll help get baby in the best position, let alone help you feel better, boost your immune system and take care of late-pregnancy aches and pains) I work for Dr. Howard Werfel in Suffern who is AWESOME! I got adjusted throughout my last pregnancy and my son has been adjusted since he was born. Let me know and I can get you a super discounted 1st visit with my referral. TOTALLY not on this subject, I know, just wanted to offer it to you since you're in the area and seem like-minded. Plus, it bumps the thread! tc
meghan

[rclaz]

Thanks, Meghan!! I really appreciate it!!

[murphysaangel]

my pleasure!

[_betsy_]

I just birthed at White Plains with Lucy Milne 8 weeks ago today!

Lucy was great for all of prenatal care. She missed the actual birth, but that wasn't her fault, she was there 4 minutes after the nurse called her. No one believed I was going to go as fast as I did - one hour and 8 minutes from water breaking to baby.

White Plains Hospital was great compared to y other birthing experience 29 months ago at Lawrence in Bronxville. I guess they've finished the renovations though and Lawrence is really nice now. but it wasn't just the facility's appearance that was better at WPH. Cosleeping, nursing, no drugs, natural birth atc. weren't treated as an oddity at WPH.

If you're looking for a great chiropractor in the area, I'm married to one!

[rclaz]

Betsy,
White plains looked amazing online. I called Lucy Milne's office and they told me she did not accept vbac patients. Does that sound right to you?
Rebecca

[_betsy_]

Oh, sorry, I didn't know about her VBAC policy. I haven't had a c-section. That stinks!

[minimunklemama]

I had two babes at Phelps(westchester,right?)and I was SO SO happy with my experience.My friend was a candidate for a VBAC and received total support from her providers.(sleepy hollow medical practice obgyn I think).I can't remember.The midwife there is AWESOME.She is called Ingrid.Such a sweetheart.I used them when we lived in Tarrytown also Dr di stefano is very supportive and hands OFF if you want her to be when birthing.
Phelps was a very warm and friendly hospital.I didn't encounter a single nurse that pi$$ed me off and they have tubs etc.I had two drug free,not even a hep lock,minimal check etc there.Awesome experience

[rclaz]

minimunklemama, I am just THRILLED to read your reply!! Phelps is one of the places I've been seriously considering and I really wanted to hear about someone's experience first hand. I visited Full Circle Midwifery in White Plains and really, really liked them a lot. I visited Phelps and I liked it there, I guess I was just a bit nervous b/c it's so small. I'm more used to the "massive" hospitals. You know? It seemed really friendly and low key.

[minimunklemama]

Originally Posted by rclaz

minimunklemama, I am just THRILLED to read your reply!! Phelps is one of the places I've been seriously considering and I really wanted to hear about someone's experience first hand. I visited Full Circle Midwifery in White Plains and really, really liked them a lot. I visited Phelps and I liked it there, I guess I was just a bit nervous b/c it's so small. I'm more used to the "massive" hospitals. You know? It seemed really friendly and low key.

This is why I chose it.My SIL delivered at white plains and got lost in the shuffle.I.e first time mum,no breastfeeding help(until I visited!)never the same nurse and SO loud.
It IS lovely at phelps.I missed it when I had my third at a large teaching hospital in CT.I couldn't wait to get out of there.
good luck

BTW we go to the park down by the water in Nyack all the time when the weather warms up.Lok out for a preggo English girl with three kids,the eldest of which is her mini me.Come and say hi:0)
We are in Nyack a lot.I just LOVE the breakfast buns at runciple spoon.YUM,YUM!!
We will also be at the farmer's market on thursdays when they start up again.

Also there is a LOVELY woman called Maren who lives in Nyack and is a doula.She has her flyers pinned in the health store on the corner and in a few other places in town.
if you don't have a doula and want one,track her down.

[rclaz]

Hey there, minimunklemama!

Thanks, again Phelps seems like the closest thing to a birthing center I can get with VBAC. I visited Good Sam today, and they seemed pretty cool too. They are big on lactation support. All baby testing is done in the room with you, no separation. She said they think it's important to start breastfeeding right away. All the pp recovery rooms are private. Some can be doubled up if it's swamped. She said it usually wasn't, although it was today. There are no tubs, but the bathrooms have benches in the shower. Not that I can use them anyhow, being vbac. All docs and midwives have told me I cant thus far, due to the fetal monitoring with vbac. It was definitely more "hospitaly," but they made an effort to make it friendly looking. I got a kick out of walking by the nurseries and looking at all the little pudges in there. Some sleeping peacefully, some screaming their heads off. I forgot how itty bitty they are. It was really cute. Anyhow, the bottom line was that I was happy with all the answers she gave me.

Would love to meet you and the little ones it the park. We moved to Nyack about a year ago, and truly we've not found much of a community yet. So, if you ever want to meet up deliberately send me a pm, otherwise I'll look for the english family I'm with you on the runcible spoon. I can't resist their muffins! I commute to down town NYC (blah) for work, but my husband often takes our daughter Ava. She's the 2.5 year old with light blonde hair, blue eyes, tutu and usually a crown. She's typically spouting off her opinions on EVERYTHING, bless her little heart LOL

Marin is my doula!! I think she is just wonderful. I feel so comforted and at ease with her.

[vbacx6]

Dr. Abdelhak in Nanuet NY is a high risk OB that is a big advocate  of mothers VBACing. He has successfully delivered many mothers after previous csection and even after 2 sections deliver vaginally. he is a fantastic caring doctor!! All your bloodwork and ultrasounds are done in his office. Give him a call @ 845-624-1540. We even call him captain VBAC and he also delivers in HUMC a great hospital with a level 4 NICU. You really will love him

[AlexisT]

Dr. Abdelhak is an excellent doctor for high risk patients looking for a boutique experience (IIRC he does not participate with any insurance). I know several people who used him. But Hackensack is NOT a good hospital for VBAC. 

[stelly]

I just had a great VBAC at Morristown with Judy Hagan (Homebirth midwife).  But that might be too far for you.  I know Marla Scott at St.Clares in Denville is allowed to take certain types of VBAC clients (if her backup doctors concur with her).

Sounds like Phelps gets great recommendations though.  Good luck with whatever you choose - I felt SO good after my VBAC last month, I can't recommend it enough!

[SusanMy]

Chiming in with a big thumbs up for Full Circle, Phelps, and Dr. DeStefano. I had my VBAC (older DS was born 7.5 weeks early via c-section due to severe preeclampsia). DS #2 was born via VBAC at Phelps on Dec. 18, 2010. My blood pressure had been steadily climbing during the last few weeks of the pregnancy, and I was concerned about being whisked into the OR once labor hit, despite assurances from the Full Circle midwives. Well, I my water broke just as I was recovering from a horrible stomach virus. We waited until very active labor (supported by a couple of phone calls with midwife Michelle during that time), and headed to Phelps about 7 hours after my water broke. My blood pressure and heart rate were high (heart rate so high it was difficult to distinguish it from baby's!). I made it very clear to everyone around me that I wanted no interventions, and managed not to have anything except IV fluids (necessary, as the stomach virus meant I'd had very little in the way of fluids or food since the night before). Dr. DeStefano patiently monitored baby and me and she, Michelle, and a lovely nurse (and DH, of course) encouraged me through Daniel's arrival. I never had a chance to labor in the tub or to avail myself of any other conveniences because I mostly labored at home. Still, we couldn't have been happier with the outcome--a healthy baby born naturally within 40 minutes of arrival at the hospital. The stars really aligned for us, but I also give so much credit to Michelle and Dr. DeStefano, who stuck with my and helped me realize my VBAC wish!

[lucia0620]

Does anyone here have any information or recommendations on Midwives in the Westchester, NY area?  I'm particularly interested in knowing more about Patricia Mahoney and Catherine Keith. Thanks, Lucia

[Chamsia]

I had my babies at home.  But I know at least a half dozen moms who had great vbac experiences at Hudson Valley Hospital in Cortland Manor.  Shouldn't be too far for you geographically.  There are lots of midwives who deliver there.  If you need more info I can ask around and find out which docs/mws are favored for vbac.  They are an official "mother/baby friendly hospital" (or some such thing) = they push breastfeeding, insist that your babe stay in your room, have tubs in the birthing rooms, and more I imagine.  I was with a friend at her birth there (not a vbac) and the staff were great with her.

Best wishes!

[Ally Nathaniel]

If your willing to travel for about 25-30 minutes; I highly recommend Cris Giambaivo http://www.tcwh.mymedfusion.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/site.physicians/action/dtl/phys/99854417.cfm.

She's just a-m-a-z-i-n-g.

Ally