Pregnant in DC, not finding good natural care. Help!

[chels1511]

Hello!
My lovely sister Mariah is pregnant and lives in Washington DC, where as far as we understand, midwives are illegal (except nurse midwives...but they seem hard to find or get in with).
SOOOO, if anyone has any recommendations or has had a baby in this area, we'd love some help.
Mariah would be comfortable with a nurse-midwife at hospital or midwife at birth center. She doesn't want to do a homebirth but would also rather not end up with an OB.
She says she would drive up to 45 minutes out of DC to neighboring states if it meant she could find good midwifery based prenatal care.
Thanks for any recommendations!
Chelsea

[MiaMama]

Alexandria, VA used to be part of DC before Virginia got thier portion back, so it is really close. Like, close enough to just take the Metro.

There is a birth center there. I can't remember the name off the top of my head, but I think it is called Birthcare Alexandria. I didn't use them, because I lived way up in MD, but I have heard good things. I am pretty sure there are others around, too.

You might get more replies in the Tribal Area for DC.

[itsrtimedownhere]

here is a link to my friend jenn's doula site. she just opened her site today but she's been a doula for a while.

http://namastedoulas.com/

[triony]

I live in Northern Virginia, about 35 min from DC. Maryland allows only CNMs (I think) but Virginia allows CNM and CPMs. I have several personal recommendations made to me about Chesapeake Midwifery (Susan Dodge, CNM). I am personally using a CPM (Birth by Design) who is probably too far away for your sister, I think. But I interviewed Tammi McKinley http://novamidwife.org over the phone and really liked her. There are lots of options in Virginia.

[Tellera]

Originally Posted by triony

I live in Northern Virginia, about 35 min from DC. Maryland allows only CNMs (I think) but Virginia allows CNM and CPMs. I have several personal recommendations made to me about Chesapeake Midwifery (Susan Dodge, CNM). I am personally using a CPM (Birth by Design) who is probably too far away for your sister, I think. But I interviewed Tammi McKinley http://novamidwife.org over the phone and really liked her. There are lots of options in Virginia.

Susan is wonderful, she was my midwife with DS.

[BtotheG]

Originally Posted by MiaMama

Alexandria, VA used to be part of DC before Virginia got thier portion back, so it is really close. Like, close enough to just take the Metro.

There is a birth center there. I can't remember the name off the top of my head, but I think it is called Birthcare Alexandria.

It's called BirthCare and Women's Health. I just had a homebirth with them in October, and I can't say enough good things. Love, love, love them. It's a group of 5 CNMs who do homebirths or births at their birth center in Alexandria. PM me if you want more details.

[SubliminalDarkness]

There's also the DC birth center. http://www.developingfamilies.org/dcbc.html

[xixstar]

and depending on where in DC you are, you might also consider the birth center, Special Beginnings in Arnold (near Annapolis) - many people travel a ways to get there as well.

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Also consider posting in Finding Your Tribe. There seem to be a lot of options in DC. Good luck.

http://www.birthcare.org/

[Eresh]

I used BirthCare for DS's birth in Jan '08. "My" midwife is nolonger with BirthCare but started her own practice in Maryland. I believe it's easy commuting distance from DC.

http://www.mamasmidwives.com/M.A.M.A.S._Inc./Home.html

[wombatclay]

moving to Finding Your Tribe... good luck to your sister!

[skueppers]

Originally Posted by SubliminalDarkness

There's also the DC birth center. http://www.developingfamilies.org/dcbc.html

The people I know who've given birth with the midwives at the DC birth center have been very happy with the experience.

[FMB]

I had an OB / hospital birth (my OB was Dr. Malcolm Desouza, who was very supportive of my natural childbirth) but many of my friends used the birth center. I believe there may be a waiting list.

Tell your sister to sign up for the yahoo listserv "DC Expectant Moms." It's populated by other expecting moms of all types but seems to have a good share of doulas, midwives, and birth instructors who can help to lead her in the right path.

[nmorgart]

What about a doula? I live about an hour away, and I am a labor doula, willing to travel to her.
You can go to my website at www.westernmddoulas.webs.com, or email me at
[e-mail]

Even if she can't find the type of hospital she is looking for, a doula can help ensure she gets the natural birth she is hoping for.

[Bennoch]

I delivered with Whitney pinger, CNM at Washington hospital center. She is great and is in DC. You can google her and/or wisdom midwifery to get her info (I don't have it with me now).

[BMG580]

It is probably too far, but I have been so pleased with the Loudoun Community Midwives in Leesburg, VA. Probably 40 minutes outside of D.C. with no traffic to deal with. They deliver at INOVA Loudoun Hospital in the Birthing Inn.

[ThatLinGirl]

I had a wonderful birth with Erin and Mairi of MAMAS Midwives:
http://www.mamasmidwives.com/M.A.M.A.S._Inc./Home.html

Susan Dodge (CNM) was our birth assistant and she is superb as well -- I would be very happy birthing with her any day.