Kind of freaking out...

[Mamanoley]

So I am planning a homebirth with a wonderful local midwife whom I absolutely adore....BUUUUUUUT I just found out today that she has five mama's over 38 weeks right now, and my biggest fear is going into labor when she is already attending another mama because then I get...THE BACK UP whom I've never met, and don't even know her name.

Now she assures me that it won't happen but I just feel like 6 or more clients due in one month is alot for one person and I'm terrified to be one of the mama's passed on to the back up.
*she also has canceled multiple appts. in a row before because of birth after birth after birth which was what started my original concern.
Am I panicking for no reason or do I have a legitimate worry here?

[Pernillep]

Mine has about the same amount for August but they are spread out pretty evenly. She also has a few day vacation tossed in there. I think as long as she has a pretty good grasp of dates and history of her clients the likelyhood is pretty slim she will be at another birth. not saying it can't happen.

However, I have not had any of my appointments canceled due to births yet so that would probably make me nervous too.

[Flower of Bliss]

My midwife takes 4 clients per due month. I don't think she declines clients based on their due date within the month (and thus might have all of her clients due in the first half of the month or whatever). I think this is a pretty reasonable policy, however, it can sometimes result in a lot of mamas having babies on top of each other if some from the end of last month haven't had their babies and some from the middle of this month go early and such.

Yesterday my appointment to meet my midwife's back up was canceled because my midwife had 2 (!!) women in labor. Though after both of those women have had their little ones, I highly doubt I'll end up seeing the back up. However, one of the women is also her assistant, so I will want to meet whoever the new assistant will be. We expected that I would have my little one before her assistant, but sounds like we were wrong.

Birth is unpredictable and babies choose their own birth dates. I expected my first to come at 40+ weeks based on family history, and she came at 38 weeks 0 days. Based on that, I assumed that this baby would likely come between 37 and 39 weeks, but here I sit at 38 weeks 5 days with no baby yet (though lots of pre-labor much like with DD#1).

If I were you, I'd ask to meet the back up ASAP, to help ease your mind.

[Mamanoley]

There was a baby born last night and she mentioned today another one on the way, that would leave three and then me if that is the remainder of clients for august.

I've spent my entire pregnancy making a relationship with my midwife and I would be upset if I didn't get to have the baby with her I am comfortable with her.

[wombatclay]

Actually, that's one reason I opted out of the homebirth I was planning... almost every appointment was cancelled or rescheduled last minute, she was going to be away for several months in the middle of my pregnancy, and I knew she had a lot of women due in August. And I knew that her backup midwife was also booked for August! Given my vbac status, if both the primary and backup midwives were "busy" with another birth then I'd be an automatic transfer to a non-vbac supportive hospital and it wasn't worth the risk.

Have you spoken with your midwife about this? I'm sure she has all sorts of plans and options in place, and if she knows about your concern she may be able to work something out that would help you relax. I think concerns about the practicalities of birth are really common at this point in pregnancy, but she may be able to put your fear to reast really quickly...