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32wks - am I too late??

post #1 of 14
2/20/10 at 8:07pm
Thread Starter 
I'm 32wks with #2 and, although I had wanted to go with a midwife and deliver at NWH from the beginning of this pregnancy, I have been seeing a small OB practice that was very convenient to my home and delivers at BWH. Initially I had spoken with the OB about my desires for a natural childbirth and felt that I was going to be supported. However, as I am getting closer to delivery, I have been asking more questions and feel like the responses have been more and more evasive and circular... And then today, I went and toured Brigham & Women's. It didn't take very long at all for DH and I to both realize that we do NOT want to have this baby there.

Do you know that BWH have a new policy effective 3/15 that ALL babies delivered even a day shy of 37 weeks have to go into a "new" nursery for observation for a full 24hrs?!?! This is regardless of birth weight or health status. Given that DS was delivered at 37w4d and was a very healthy 7.7lbs, it totally freaked me out that if I had this baby just 5 days sooner, she would not be with me for the first 24hrs of her life!

Anyway, I am now in the position where I really feel that I need to change providers so that I can deliver at NWH. I've heard many great things about the midwives at Women's Health Associates and will be calling on Monday to see if I can get in - given that I am already 32wks, do you think this will be a problem? Will they take me on at this stage in my pregnancy?

Does anyone have any specific recommendations for WHA?

It's sort of stressing me out to be doing this at this point, and I'm kicking myself for not going with my first instinct...
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post #2 of 14
2/20/10 at 8:53pm
I switched providers (in RI) at 33 weeks, no questions no problems, best decision I made. So do it!! Can't hurt to try.
post #3 of 14
2/20/10 at 10:02pm
I had to do it over 2 yrs ago with my 2dd at 35/36 weeks. Can't hurt to try! I have a friend who's vbacing at NWH with midwives, she's very excited and says they're great. Good luck!
post #4 of 14
2/21/10 at 2:06am
That policy sounds crazy!

I can't see why you'd have a problem switching, so long as you're not high risk or there are other issues. I can see a practice being wary of taking someone who might be high risk, and though that seems completely unethical to me I can also kind of understand why they would be wary. If anything, they'd probably be thrilled to have a new patient who is so far along without any issues.
post #5 of 14
2/21/10 at 10:11am
Although I could make a recommendation, it wouldn't help because she isn't taking new patients. I think all of their midwives are great at Harvard Vanguard. You can look at their bio's on the Harvard Vanguard website.
post #6 of 14
2/21/10 at 11:04am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the encouragement - I'm going to call a few places tomorrow and see what comes of it. I'm not high risk and have had zero complications during this pregnancy. DS was also a perfectly healthy pregnancy and an uncomplicated vaginal delivery (although my water broke with him and I did not start contracting w/in 12hrs so they put me on pitocin, but I view this as their problem with the timeline my labor was on, not a problem with the labor itself - that experience is a major reason why I want a more supportive provider this go around)
post #7 of 14
2/21/10 at 12:06pm
I might potentially have to drive a distance from near Cape Cod , and have been considering NWH over South Shore Hospital. I spoke with one of the midwives about my interest in possibly having a VBAC there, and they were very nice - She said that I could join late in pregnancy.

NWH is affiliated with BWH...I wonder if they are forced to adopt the same poicy re: "new" nursery? I would definitely want to know about that - that would be terrible! Good luck, and let us know what you find out! I will probably need to start thinking about meeting those midwives as I get closer to my second VBAC. Good luck!
post #8 of 14
2/28/10 at 10:46am
Would love to hear how you got on at NWH. I am 27 weeks on Thursday, currently living in London but just found out last Friday that there is a chance (we will know at weeks end) that we need to move back before the baby (i.e. the next 4 - 6 weeks).

I had a natural birth in December 2008 here in London and was really hoping for the same experience again. Definitely want to home overall but managing a natural birth is a critical factor for me.

Thanks!
post #9 of 14
3/10/10 at 9:56am
I recently (almost 8 weeks ago) birthed at NWH with the Harvard Vanguard Midwives after needing to be transferred from my homebirth. I was attended by Michele Helegson. She was warm and loving. I was convinced that I was going to need a c-section and she reassured me that she would do everything to help me have a vaginal birth. My birth had the potential for being traumatic, but with my homebirth midwife acting as my doula and Michele, it turned out to be a great birth. Michele and Mary Baker also attended me with my previous son who is almost 10yrs old. As a doula and midwife myself, I appreciate them and their compassionate care. With that pregnancy I transferred care at 30 weeks to them.

I know personally the midwives at WHA, and they too are lovely.

Now with that said, everyone has a different impression with personalities, etc. So, I believe in interviews.

Best Wishes : )
post #10 of 14
3/10/10 at 7:28pm
the midwives at women's health associates do a "meet the midwives" night - once a month, maybe even once a week but i can't remember. you meet at least one midwife and get to ask any questions about the practice that you want. i found that really helpful. so i would definitely call and ask about that. here's their website w/contact info.

i switched my care to them at 24 weeks, and i was very glad i did. i got along fine with all the midwives, and i really liked that since it was a small group i got to know all of them before the birth. whoever is on call will be with you when you go into the hospital. since you're already 32 weeks, i would try to schedule each prenatal with a different MW if you can so you can meet them all and feel comfortable with them.
post #11 of 14
3/10/10 at 8:10pm
I wonder did you switch? This post was made a month ago so by now you're about 36 weeks...
post #12 of 14
3/10/10 at 11:13pm
Thread Starter 
I did switch, I have my first appointment this week and am just hitting 35wks now

I also got some clarification on the new policy beginning at BWH 3/15/10 regarding babies born between 35wk 0d and 36wk 6d (essentially, 35-37wks). My incredibly OVER-confident tour guide at BWH did make an error in how she presented the policy (I know people make mistakes, but the tone of the whole tour was "I know what's best for your labor and delivery, just listen to me and you'll be fine", and both myself and another mama asked a lot of questions about this policy, as it just didn't sound right).

Babies born at this GA do not have to be admitted into the "step-down" nursery for 24hr observation as she stated, what is happening is that these mothers and babies are being grouped together in the same wing as that nursery and the nurses that are assigned to those rooms are supposed to have additional training/experience with pre-term babies.

I was only able to get the clarification after going to my 32wk OB appt and explaining why I was switching to a midwife group that delivers at NWH. While the OB had "heard something" about the new policy, she wasn't really sure herself what it was, but she did recall hearing that it was "overkill". She called me later that evening to tell me what she had learned about the policy after calling BWH.

We toured NWH last week and both DH and I felt that it was much more in line with what we were looking for. Yes, it is still a hospital, but the atmosphere was completely different and we are happy that we decided to make the switch.

Of course, this baby has been breech since about 30wks, so now we're just holding out hope that she will turn and I will not end up with a c-section despite all my efforts in securing a natural, intervention-free birth!!
post #13 of 14
3/11/10 at 4:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by caz77 View Post
I'm 32wks with #2 and, although I had wanted to go with a midwife and deliver at NWH from the beginning of this pregnancy, I have been seeing a small OB practice that was very convenient to my home and delivers at BWH. Initially I had spoken with the OB about my desires for a natural childbirth and felt that I was going to be supported. However, as I am getting closer to delivery, I have been asking more questions and feel like the responses have been more and more evasive and circular... And then today, I went and toured Brigham & Women's. It didn't take very long at all for DH and I to both realize that we do NOT want to have this baby there.

Do you know that BWH have a new policy effective 3/15 that ALL babies delivered even a day shy of 37 weeks have to go into a "new" nursery for observation for a full 24hrs?!?! This is regardless of birth weight or health status. Given that DS was delivered at 37w4d and was a very healthy 7.7lbs, it totally freaked me out that if I had this baby just 5 days sooner, she would not be with me for the first 24hrs of her life!

Anyway, I am now in the position where I really feel that I need to change providers so that I can deliver at NWH. I've heard many great things about the midwives at Women's Health Associates and will be calling on Monday to see if I can get in - given that I am already 32wks, do you think this will be a problem? Will they take me on at this stage in my pregnancy?

Does anyone have any specific recommendations for WHA?

It's sort of stressing me out to be doing this at this point, and I'm kicking myself for not going with my first instinct...
I went with WHA and loved them. Valarie delivered my daughter. She was amazing. She was great.

A word about the postnatal nursing staff, however- stick to your guns, they will try to take your baby to the nursery whenever possible. The one time this happened, she came back with a binky in her mouth and had been fed a bottle of formula.
post #14 of 14
3/11/10 at 5:34pm
good idea to have a birth plan, give it to every nurse you meet, specifically show postnatal nurses the "baby care" section. I was very specific, no formula, no binky's at my hospital. I think every hospital is going to have at least a handful of old-school nurses so it's important to be very clear.