Looking for Birth Center/Midwife-Friendly Options in Bucks County Area

[littlecabbage]

Hello all, I'm a first-time mama, just found out I'm pregnant a few weeks ago, now I'm going nutty trying to find a place to give birth! I definitely am looking for the "midwifery model" of care, either at a freestanding birth center (ideal) or a midwife-friendly hospital. This is what I have learned so far:

Valley Birthplace-my first choice, closest birth center, have been calling and leaving messages for 2 weeks, no response, I finally drove down only to see a sign that the office is closed due to water damage. Anyone know when/if they plan to reopen?

Chestnut Hill Maternity-a little far, but seemed the most midwife-friendly, only to find out they closed early last year!

Doylestown Hospital-closest hospital, I know there are local midwives that will deliver there, but personally speaking, my husband and I have not had good experiences with them and we do NOT want to go there! Also, a friend of ours just delivered there 2 weeks ago and was disappointed with the care she and her daughter recieved.


An hour travel is probably our limit (we live in Solebury), somewhat restricted by our health care (BCBS) so NJ is probably out. Any suggestions/recommendations are warmly welcomed!!!

[treehugginmama]

When did you drive by Valley Birthplace? I thought they were suppose to be opened back up by now.

There is also The Birth Center I think it's in Brn Mawr.

Kathy Hindle. She doesn't have a birth center but attends births at home and at Montgomery Hospital

[jenmidwife2b]

If you are looking for birth center than yes Valley Birthplace would be your best bet, or a further drive down to Bryn Mawr to the birth center there. There are also a few homebirth midwives in the area if you wanted to explore that option. I have not heard good things about Doylestown hospital/the midwives there, though I'm sure that there are mamas out there who loved them.

[jenmidwife2b]

http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1054352 A thread about the water damage at the birth center.

[A Mom's Love]

Last I talked with them, the people from Valley Birthplace are taking patients at Norristown. There was a cell number posted on the notice that you can call to set up an appointment. If you need that #, pm me, I think I still have it somewhere.

[Attached Mama]

I went thru the Birth Center in Bryn Mawr Pa - they have 5 midwives that you see and they were all great. It's not quite as personal as a home birth when you are seeing 5 diff people and are not sure who will be on call for your birth. But it's a wonderful place never-the-less.

Congrats on your pregnancy!

[moobiegirl]

I am currently going to Valley Birthplace and have been very pleased. I have only had one appointment before the water leak, but it's my second pregnancy and I really like that they are not pressuring me to come in at every scheduled appointment. I am not able to leave work early to get to the temp office so some of my appts have been postponed a week or two. I'd give them a chance to get back to you. I do know that they do first appts around the 12 week mark. Good Luck!

[4littlemonkeys]

I would look into the birth center in Bryn Mawr.

If you are willing to travel about an hour there's a birth center in Reading. It depends on where you are in Bucks County how long the drive would be. My parents live in Warrington and I'm near Reading and it's a solid hour drive...but that to me isn't a big deal as I drove that with my other kids but I know for most an hour is a lot.

[littlecabbage]

Thanks to all the replies! We live in Solebury/New Hope, so Bryn Mawr and Reading are both a little too far ... Fortunately, I asked a fellow co-worker who lives in NJ where she delivered and she said Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington. She loved having her baby there! She loved her midwife and doula, described the hospital as 'a hotel' and very supportive of natural births. (She used the Jacuzzi and birthing ball.) Since it's only a half hour away, we made an appointment with the OB/GYN/midwife practice attached to the hospital for next week, specifically with one of the midwives. I'll report back afterwards. Hopefully, my experiences can help someone else!

[dlm194]

I thought NJ was out for you otherwise I would have popped into suggest HMC. I know several women who birthed with the midwives there and loved it. The hospital really is like a hotel. The rooms are HUGE and gorgeous. They have awesome beds to birth in, beautiful bathrooms, a jacuzzi room that looks like spa room, and little fridges in the room so that you can bring food. They aren't particular about interventions likes IVs and continous monitoring so you should be able to have a beautiful low tech birth. I was talking with the nurse there who runs the HypnoBirthing course (which I HIGHLY recommend) and the nurses LOVE natural birth moms. They find it disappointing when a mom walks in demanding an epidural. I think you also get a nice dinner with your dh after your birth.

My only tip is that if you cannot birth with the midwives (or their back up doctors) for any reason (insurance, etc), do NOT use any other practice affiliated with the hospital (they are nightmares and the reason the hospitals c-section rate is about 40%).

The only potential thing to be aware of is that labor, delivery, recovery and post partum all take place in the same room. So a day after you have had your baby, a mom make be laboring next door or walking the halls. I don't think that's a big deal but just an fyi.

I personally birthed not far from you at Capital Health in Trenton which is a very midwife friendly hospital (I used Pam and Louise at Midwifery Care Associates in Pennington) but the hospital definitely doesn't have a hotel-like feel to it, especially compared to HMC. They are very crunchy-midwives though.

[5xmomma]

I am a proud mother of 2, who during my first pregnancy had some complications. I was not happy with the care I was receiving so I transferred to the Doylestown Hospital Midwives.  I will not bad mouth or mention the name of the previous care takers, I feel that my personal experience should not reflect on their business as a whole.  I was extremely happy with the personalized care that I received from the Doylestown Hospital Midwives who work at Advanced Medical Solutions and Midwifery of Doylestown.  The staff was extremely helpful and went out of there way to make me feel comfortable, I was a person to them not just a chart.  I was a first time mother-to-be with many concerns and tons of questions.  I have to admit, I was a high maintenance patient calling every day, sometimes twice a day, but they answered every question and addressed every concern that I had.  My birth plan was 3 pages long, I was a bit of a control freak! The Midwives were so accommodating, they were patient and comforting.  My first pregnancy experience went from one of fear and panic(old Midwives) to a relaxing and joyfull experience with the DTH Midwives.  I am and will always be a loyal patient to the DTH Midwives for GYN and any future Pregnancies.

[wjey]

I had DS at Doylestown hospital (C-sec) and DD at Norristown Hospital with Barbara D'Amato from Valley Birthplace.  I really enjoyed my stay at Doylestown, but I did not enjoy my surgery.  Is that the nice way to put it?  I wouldn't touch the hospital with a ten foot pole now because they don't allow VBACs.  I appreciate my old OB for being an excellent surgeon, but do not support the non VBAC policy for myself or others, so I switched and was SO happy with Valley Birthplace.  Everybody there is wonderful.  If you're not sure where to go after you have your apt in NJ, give them a try!

[Kizz]

I'm currently at Doylestown with Dinesen & Associates. I just started with them and so far I don't have a prob, but I'd prefer a more holistic approach to child birth and prenatal care. I've always considered using a midwife and when I found that Doylestown Midwifery was associated with the hospital I was torn. I read reviews on both practices and got mostly mixed reviews about Doylestown Midwifery. I would change practices if necessary. I'm in the early stages of the second trimester and decided to make appt to see the midwife. Any thoughts on either practices?

[wjey]

I used Dr. Dinesen for baby #1.  Definitely not a holistic approach.  I had my c-section with him, which was necessary becuase of a huge fibroid blocking my baby's way out.  He is an excellent surgeon, but if you end up with a c-sec, he won't do a VBAC (and his c-sec rate is not low) because Doylestown won't do VBACs.  I left him for the combined reason of needing a VBAC and not liking the way that he handled a miscarriage that I had.

[yell]

Kizz--

That's funny because it sounds like we are in a similar boat.  I'm in the early part of my second trimester (19 wks today) and I'm switching out of the Dinesen's practice.  I didn't LOVE him to begin with but I read good things, and I'm a first timer so I have no idea what I'm doing.  I don't trust his C section rates, I don't like how rushed I feel at appts, and I don't like how cold he is.  I have no idea where I'm going to go next, but I know I'm done with Dinesen.

[5xmomma]

Have you been to see the Doylestown Midwives? They accept VBAC's.  If you are still looking to transfer, I would definitely give them a call.  I LOVE the Midwives there.  Hope you find a perfect fit like I did.  Good Luck!

[Kizz]

Yell -

Sorry to hear things didn't work out well for you with Dr. Dinesen. I've only been there twice so far and it's been good. What is his c-section rate? I know the hospital's. I spoke to them about my birth plan and asked when c-sections become an option. His answers seem like typical responses why they'd be used and said that he is fine with my plan.
I have no choice but to deliver at doylestown so it's either with him or the midwifery group. I'll see how my second trimester appt goes then decide if I will switch. I'm just torn between making a move now or not, I already did so in the beginning since my original OB changed practices.

[Kizz]

Originally Posted by 5xmomma 

Have you been to see the Doylestown Midwives? They accept VBAC's.  If you are still looking to transfer, I would definitely give them a call.  I LOVE the Midwives there.  Hope you find a perfect fit like I did.  Good Luck!

I've heard both good and bad about doylestowm midwifery. If I do switch my only option is really them but I haven't gotten enough positive reaction as yet. What did you enjoy about going to them the most? I kna they only do births at the hospital which is okay with me.

[yell]

Kizz--

Dinesen told me that there was a 30% chance of me ending up a C section (normal, healthy pregnancy).  Then I felt like every woman I talked to who used him really liked him, but they all had c sections.  I've been bothered by my feeling like just another patient or number to him and not a person.  It just feels cold.

[wjey]

Originally Posted by Kizz 
I spoke to them about my birth plan and asked when c-sections become an option. His answers seem like typical responses why they'd be used and said that he is fine with my plan.

As another poster said, Dinesen's c-section rate is around 30%, which is normal only in the United States and those "typical responses" are only typical here, as well.  The rate is so high if you look at worldwide statistics.  C-sections are WAY overused here and Dinesen goes with the flow, unfortunately.  Please, please, please research this before you let yourself be conned into believing that you'll only have to have a c-section if you really need it.  Most of the reasons given for "needing" a c-section can be overcome (and they are in areas where c-sections are not so normalized).  Once you have that first c-section, you'll often be told that you'll have to have one for all of your other babies, as well (also not true!).  I'm hoping that I'm not coming across too mean, here, but I wish I knew before I had my son with Dinesen what I do now and I'm just hoping that I can help somebody else avoid the pain (physical and emotional) that I had as a result of having my c-section.  Last I checked, Dinesen is the emergency surgeon for Doylestown Midwifery, so he's still there in that capacity, if you were to switch.