Asheville NC Homebirth Scene

[walking burp cloth]

We are looking into relocationg to the Asheville NC area. I hear homebirth midwives there are not legal. So, how does that work? Any homebirthers there? If it is not legal to practice midwifery at home, do the ones that do practice have access to oxygen or pitocin and things like that in case of emergency?

We had a homebirth with a great midwife team. It is legal here. But, I do heamorage with my babies, so I would feel more comfortable knowing how things work over there. I am not pregnant now, or ttc. Just want to find out for the future.

[mpvelaz]

CPM are not "legal" in North Carolina and they are the most common midwives who do homebirths. CNM can do homebirths in North Carolina, but there just are not very many who do. I don't know about other midwives in Asheville, but I do know that a practice of CNM there, New Dawn, do homebirths legally, however I recently heard that they may not be doing them right now, but I'm not sure about this.

I know that some of the CPM and "lay" midwives that practice in NC Carry oxygen and pit and some don't

[jecombs]

New Dawn Midwifery in Asheville is planning to resume their homebirth practice soon. I'm due in May and they have assured me that it their HB service will be back up by then. If you wanted to contact some lay midwives, look at www.nchomebirth.com and they should be able to connect you with some. Beyond that, Dr. David Hayes (an OB) of Harvest Moon Women's Health also does HBs. He is wonderful. I interviewed him and was totally impressed. The only reason I didn't go with him is because he wasn't "in network" with my insurance.

Welcome to the area!

[walking burp cloth]

Thanks for your replies. It sounds like there are some options.

[nannymom]

I'm having a homebirth with a direct entry midwife. The legality is for the midwife not the client and their are midwives willing to take the risk. I interviewed 3 before settling on my awesome midwife The community is pretty homebirth friendly and according to my midwife in the event of transport the hospital there is not hostile to you and your midwife stays with you in a doula style role (where as in other parts of the state they sometimes have to leave you at the door of the hospital because of hostility and fear of leagal issues)


Obviously it's not paid for by my insurance. Both New Dawn and David Hayes have fees that wouldn't be covered by insurance that were fairly hefty. I didn't care for my experience with New Dawn but Dr. Hayes did my labs and u/s and he was awesome. I'm just personaly not in to the male OB thing but he seemes like a good choice.

So there are lots of options. NC friends of homebirth can help you. put it into google.

[studentmomma]

Along with PPs - have heard great things about Dr. Hayes. We went with New Dawn for our last birth - in hospital - and it was a wonderful experience... although I certainly have heard varying opinions. We're using them again and although two of three of the midwives have turned over since last birth (DD is 18mos) we like the women there. We live too far away for a HB to be covered by New Dawn and have just been taken off "high risk" status so we'll be sticking with them.

I can't speak from experience but I'd say that CPMs (lay midwives) would get a fairly decent reception at Mission Hospital. Our experience there was about as home-like as you could get and they are doula friendly, breastfeeding friendly (although we did get a formula bag - no samples just the name on the side ) etc. Any experience on transfers ladies?

Just saw the post above me (nannymom) included that info sorry.

[krystyn33]

Mission has done away with the formula samples and is about to be certified Baby Friendly--great news there.

I've heard raves about DeEtte Nicholson of Tri-State Home Birth services. And another friend is thrilled with David Hayes. Good choices in this area!

[Peace+Hope]

just wanted to add that i found lots of recommendations for homebirth midwives through nchomebirth.com too. i filled out the form and got several emails in response.

now that i'm under the care of the MWs we interviewed, i feel great about it. they have indeed attended transfers to mission with no problems, rather they've been consulted as authorities once there.

new dawn is great for well-woman care. they say up front that they cannot guarantee HB. i'm totally out of the loop on why they have suspended all HB for now, but when i asked, seemed like the main obstacle to HB would be how busy they are when you go into labor (and they are VERY busy). that, plus the protocols CNMs have to operate under in the state, made me choose to go with trained but uncertified MWs (one is a CPM, one traditional).

my feeling is, this whole area is so supportive of HB, it's a tight community, MWs know each other, and the good ones get the referrals!

happy interviewing

[careful]

harvest moon is not longer is business, that Doc got sued! no details need to be given other than terrible tragic practicing of prenatal care.

new dawn is great.  lots of home births in asheville

[root*children]

Originally Posted by careful 

harvest moon is not longer is business, that Doc got sued! no details need to be given other than terrible tragic practicing of prenatal care.

new dawn is great.  lots of home births in asheville

What are you talking about?! David Hayes stopped his practice in Asheville to go work with Doctors Without Borders, not because of any malpractice.  He was truly a gem and is missed in Asheville!

New Dawn is somewhere you should really go visit in person and make up your own mind.  I have only heard negative things from patients there (all ended up switching to another practice).  They used to do a lot of homebirths, but not recently.

[root*children]

I see that this thread is several years old, but hope the info will still help some :)

[NW2SE]

And, ummm, not sure if I'm really "allowed" to say this yet...but David is coming back.   :)

-s

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[root*children]

Woo-hoo!  That's awesome!  That last post really troubled me - someone's first post on the boards was with the intent to dig up a 3-year-old thread and slander a wonderful doctor :(
 

[stormborn]

Originally Posted by careful 

harvest moon is not longer is business, that Doc got sued! no details need to be given other than terrible tragic practicing of prenatal care.

new dawn is great.  lots of home births in asheville

Any more info to back that up?

As far as I know Dr Hayes wasn't in the USA for the last few years and I know there were no lawsuits ongoing when he attended my last birth. I found him after New Dawn left me hanging halfway through my pregnancy, and his care was exemplary from prenatal on. 

Edited by stormborn - 11/17/12 at 1:06pm

[copperfox]

I was one of David's last patients before he left for Doctors Without Borders. He was exemplary! I'd recommend him highly and would use him for my prenatal care again -- if I were having any more kids, which I'm not. ;)

[BirthTender]

David is coming back?! So, great to have him back I know at least this homebirthing CNM (me) will be happy to have him back! Yea, wonderful doc & I never heard anything about him being sued, he left to serve with the Doctors W/out Borders.

[mleigh23]

He is back.

[holelev]

I am currently living in Brooklyn NY, but my husband and I are planning to move to Asheville in the next 2-3 months.  I found this thread because I am looking for a home birth midwife in Asheville.  I am having so very little luck that I am considering staying in New York!  I have sent out lots of emails and am awaiting replies but I was hoping someone here might be able to drop a few names to help me out.  I contacted Harvest Moon and got a voicemail message saying that that doctor is still out of town.  I am really looking for a midwife.  Thanks in advance!

[holelev]

BirthTender, I am new to this forum (I've never been part of any internet forum, actually), and I would like to get in touch with you since you are a home birth midwife, but I cannot figure out how to do that.  Maybe this will work...?

[mleigh23]

holelev:  I think you can send her a private message through this forum just by clicking on her name to the side and then clicking on something I think.  I haven't done that in quite a while.  Also, David Hayes is a midwife and a doctor.  I just responded with him through email last week.  Here's is email address [e-mail].  I found it on some website.  He was also out of town for the holidays, so maybe that's why the machine said that.  Not sure.  I'm still in the researching phase  for this upcoming pregnancy so I'm not pushed for time.  Definitely send him an email.  There are plenty of midwives in that area I'm sure but it is sometimes hard to find out about them.  Have you looked for doulas in the Asheville area?  I would call one of them and try to find out about some midwives in the area.  They would definitely know of some.  Not sure what else right now.