vbac/low intervention doctors around or in St Louis?

[happyhats]

I'm not pregnant yet, but I MAY ttc early next year. And basically after having a negative birthing experience with my dd I'd like to protect myself against feeling like I was sliced and diced again, lol. Right now I'm on molina, previously mercycareplus. I'd like to have private insurance by the time I get pregnant with number two, but again I'm really looking to cover my bases. I recently had a "scare" and now really ant to be prepared.

I'm looking for a doctor that is open to vbac, or at least is anti-non medically necessary c sections. I also want to find a doctor that won't push inductions or the three hour glucose test on me. I'm fine testing my blood sugar, but fasting and drinking that crap made me sick and my last hospital was totally unsympathatic.

I am also interested in any info on private midwives you know of. If I have to pay out of pocket completely for health care I'm comfortable with, I'd be happy with that but want to budget accordingly as we are low income.

PMing me is fine. Thanks!

[brighteyed]

Hey happyhats,

I am currently seeing Dr. Mormol for baby number two for VBAC after a terrible experience with baby number one and my previous OB. He has been totally fine with everything natural, in fact I didn't even have to mention the things that I was desiring, he knew I wanted a natural birth and said, "I'm fine with eating/drinking during labor, being mobile and walking/showering/moving/whatever during the entire labor, you can birth in any position you want, have no induction, minimal checks, etc." He doesn't put time limits on labor, and said he believes that I will have no problem VBACing. He doesn't do c sections for no reason and has a very low rate and also hates cutting episiotomies. Hope that helps. He delivers at MoBap, Progress West and St. Lukes but finds MoBap and Progress West more naturally friendly. Also, we are low income self pay patients and have had no problem. He is very workable with payment plans.

[happyhats]

thanks a ton, brighteyes! I got another suggestion for dr mormal as well. I'll defenitely be looking into him more. How far along are you? I'd love to hear how everything turns out!

[MommyDOK]

Hi Happyhats! Good for you for doing your research ahead of time!

Have you been to an ICAN meeting? Many of us have different experiences w/ many doctors and would be happy to share. There are now 4 ICAN meetings in the metro area...1 at night in St. Charles, 1 in day in Belleville, 1 day at Kangaroo Kids and 1 afternoon on the weekends in s. county. Hopefully you can make one of the meetings. See more here: http://stlouis.ican-online.org/

[jboo7506]

Dr Mormol

Originally Posted by brighteyed

Hey happyhats,

I am currently seeing Dr. Mormol for baby number two for VBAC after a terrible experience with baby number one and my previous OB. He has been totally fine with everything natural, in fact I didn't even have to mention the things that I was desiring, he knew I wanted a natural birth and said, "I'm fine with eating/drinking during labor, being mobile and walking/showering/moving/whatever during the entire labor, you can birth in any position you want, have no induction, minimal checks, etc." He doesn't put time limits on labor, and said he believes that I will have no problem VBACing. He doesn't do c sections for no reason and has a very low rate and also hates cutting episiotomies. Hope that helps. He delivers at MoBap, Progress West and St. Lukes but finds MoBap and Progress West more naturally friendly. Also, we are low income self pay patients and have had no problem. He is very workable with payment plans.

Brighteyed: Do you think he would be open to being a backup doctor for a home birth? I realize you can't speak for him, but just as a general impression of how he might react.

I am planning a home birth but would love to find a backup doctor should I need to transfer.
Thank you.
Jennifer

[Ellie'sMom]

Dr. Mormol will definitely not back up homebirth. My understanding is that he will not keep you as a patient if he finds out that you are planning a hb.

Everything else about him is awesome from what I hear. I interviewed him when I was pg with my twins and really liked him, but I didn't like the idea of lying to him since I was also seeing a homebirth midwife.

As for a backup MD for a homebirth? Good luck! It may not be possible. Hopefully someone more in the know will post.

[MommyDOK]

There are 3 doctors, that I know that will do shadow care for a homebirth. I'm happy to discuss so pm me. THe situation in st. louis, w/ regard to hb is so bad, I won't put it in a public forum.

YOu can always come to an ICAN meeting to hear who they are too ::

[lovetobemama]

I delivered DS with Dr. Mormol, and DD with Dr. Jessica Bowers. Of the two, I would say that I VASTLY preferred Bowers. She's not perfect, but she was SO willing to work with me, once she saw that I was actually informed and confident in my choices.
Mormol was fine, but not very communicative or helpful at all throughout everything...with me, his attitude was more like, "Sure, You can have a natural birth, but I really couldn't care either way."

With Bowers, she is a newer doctor, so I think her attitude was more skeptical at first, she wasn't sure if I knew what I really was asking for. But she ended up agreeing to every single one of my requests, even down to no heploc IV, which Mormol made me do.

She does not have nearly as long of a history with natural birthing as Mormol does, though, so you'd have to make sure to be clear with her about where you were coming from. And I doubt she'd be a back up for a homebirth either, but you'd have to ask.

I wish you the best!!

[MsBlack]

I, too, have heard that Dr Mormel will NOT back up hb--from various 'close sources' ;-)

I don't know if Dr Janet Matuzek does VBAC, but I have heard that she is very very natural birth friendly, maybe homebirth friendly, and works at St Lukes (don't know if she does births anywhere else).

I've also heard good things about Dr Forseter for VBAC...as long as it's not multiple-csec-vbac.

If you're interested in homebirth, then contact Friends of Missouri Midwives for info on hb practitioners in the St Louis area.

Now I'm going to pm Mommy DOK about those hb-willing-backup OBs....maybe she knows of docs I don't!

[mommyndoula]

Originally Posted by MsBlack

I've also heard good things about Dr Forseter for VBAC...as long as it's not multiple-csec-vbac.

Forseter took on my VBA3C client a couple months back. He's pretty open to new things and special requests from my clients, like waterbirth.

[MsBlack]

Ah....interesting. Maybe he took on that VBA3C only AFTER he released care of a different VBA3C near term a few months back, telling her he thought bad things were going to happen to her/baby....and then soon he heard from her that she did indeed get her safe VBA3C without his help...and that not one bad thing happened! Maybe that situation helped him see the light, and led him to trust enough to take on another VBA3C. I hope he doesn't change his mind with her as happened before.

[happyhats]

thanks again for the information. I have contacted friends of missouri midwives so hopefully I can get in touch with some people. I do have one cnm available to me if I was to get pregnant while on molina medical insurance. Her name is Karen S Baum, and I was curious if anyone has worked with her before. I'm comfortable birthing at home or at a hospital, but would prefer someone low intervention and vbac supportive.

[2bafish]

Hello! i am halfway through my pregnancy (home birth) and wanting to find a back-up doctor in case of a hospital transfter. You mentioned 3 of them in your post. If you could tell me what you know I would very much appreciate it!