So Excited!( Kay Johnson Mamas, Anyone??)

[TyrantOfTheWeek]

First off, I am pregnant again! Due 12/8. Derek and this baby will be the same age for 11 days if I deliver on my EDD.
Anyway.....
My OB/GYN fired me for non-compliance due to the fact that I am a "risky homebirther"
You can read my story here:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1215713
Anyway, I have an appointment with Kay Johnson in a couple weeks. Anything I should know before going in there? Any topics I should keep on the low?

[lindsayb]

Kay is my midwife. My DD is August 5. i'm not sure about any topics you should keep on the low, but I can tell you I like Kay as well as her partner midwife!

[littlebb]

Kay is friends with my homebirth midwife and my few interactions with here were wonderful. She fully supports homebirth (low risk), though I don't think she will actually perform a homebirth. I know a lot of homebirthers needing 'backup' have gone to Kay throughout and after their pregnancy.

About 6 weeks after my son was born at home, I had a slight scare. After my birth, it took my midwife over two hours to get the placenta unattached and birthed. She finally had to go in an manually detach it and pull it out. With that, there's always a risk of infection if you leave behind any placenta. She examined the placenta and determined it was still in perfect condition.

I came down with a fever and something else (I think it was a clogged duct but at the time I didn't know that). Just to be safe, my midwife referred me to her for assistance. She helped me over the phone, called in a prescription just in case it was an infection and helped me with follow-up (no infection in the end, just a clogged duct). She did all this for free.

All that to say my experience with her was nothing but great. For her to take the time out of her busy day and to call and check up on me a few weeks later was wonderful and surprising given my experiences with OBs in the past. I had hoped to use her for my annual exams (if needed) but her office is very busy.

[Louisep]

I have only good things to say about Kay who was at the birth of my ds. I have heard some say they don't like her bedside manner but I have no idea what they're talking about. She's no nonsense I suppose, but I felt fully supported by her throughout my pregnancy and birth and got that warm fuzzy midwife feeling from her

[Doula Tracy]

Kay's awesome! You will have a great experience!! She's well known in the natural birth community and I love having births with her.

Tracy Cuneo, CD(DONA)
www.fayettevilledoula.com

[SublimeBirthGirl]

I Kay.

[TyrantOfTheWeek]

She was awesome.
I am so glad that Beth referred me to her. She also delivers at my back up hospital which it awesome. I feel so much better off with Kay than the goof balls at the other place.

[Butter is Better]

Where did Kay go? I excited to hopefully use her as my midwife when the time came, but I called Alpharetta Women's Specialist and Kay is no longer working there! If anyone knows where she is practicing now I would love to know!

[lizzylou]

Kay caught my daughter just three weeks ago. I called earlier this week to make my postpartum appointment and I was bummed to hear that she was gone. I'm also curious as to where she ends up.

[sopaska]

Yes, I would like to know what practice Kay is moving to also. Anyone??

I had an appointment scheduled with her today and when I got there I was surprised and disappointed to hear that she is no longer with AWS. I had called to make the appt at the end of Feb. Kay delivered first in 2009.

[doulanichole]

I think she may be on a bit of a break for the time being.

[KittyKat]

For those who are fans of Kay (I saw her for prenatal care during my first PAL, she was amazing) I highly recommend Margaret Strickhouser's practice, Intown Midwifery. Margaret is really great, and I have met the two younger midwives working with her, both of them also seem very good. They are attending water births and VBACs at Atlanta Medical Center. Their backup doctor is Dr. Bootstaylor who is a MFM high risk OB. The midwives have told me he fully supports them, and basically stays out of their way unless they need him. As soon as they call for help he's right there! They are all working towards opening a freestanding midwife-run birthing center in Atlanta (about time, right?) sometime in the next 2-3 years.

I can see why some people might not know what to make of Kay's no-nonsense personality, but I knew she was "the real deal" when she told me one of her favorite birth memories:

The mother was from a small rural village in South or Central America. She spoke very little english, and already had many children. This was her first time birthing in the US and she was baffled by how many births here seem to happen with the woman flat on her back. This she wanted to avoid. Well, she went into labor, and the unfamiliar atmosphere seemed to be slowing things down. She sent her husband away to run an errand. Then she asked if the midwives and nurses would just go wait in the hall. Kay said she DID go wait in the hall, and left the mother to labor on her own, only peeking in every 30 minutes or so to make sure all was well. At one point she was on the bed, on her back, just to see if that made any difference. Eventually of course the mother was ready to push, and at that point called the midwives back in to be with her. I thought if a midwife tells me one of her favorite birth stories is one where she was not even in the room for much of the labor, she's probably a good option for someone who wants a "hands-off unless I need you" care provider. :)

[junglebabes]

So did anyone find out why Kay left or where she has gone?  I really like Janet and feel comfortable with her, but am a little disconcerted by the sudden and mysterious disappearance of Kay from the practice.  I'm also made somewhat nervous by the statement of an ICAN representative in another thread that now that Kay is gone she wouldn't reccomend anyone out of North Fulton.  I'm trying for my first VBAC so of course this statement is of some concern to me.  Does anyone have any information or reassurance?

[thorn]

just to clarify, ICAN itself does not recommend providers.  though I am an ICAN chapter officer, any opinions I express about care providers (here or anywhere) are my own opinions and not official ICAN positions.

however there is *much* discussion of the subject of providers on the ICAN of Atlanta forums http://www.icanofatlanta.com/board/index.php

Kay lost her privileges at N. Fulton.  That is why she left.  As far as her future plans, I don't know them at this time.

[junglebabes]

Thank you for the link to the ICAN forum (you have probably saved me much time and frustration).  I'm sorry if I made it seem that you were speaking for ICAN.  My intentions were simply to make a connection between me wanting a VBAC and someone from a VBAC supporting society saying that the hospital I had thought to deliver at did not have anyone she would reccomend.  Again I apologize if my statement allowed to broad of an interpretation and thank you for the link.

[thorn]

You're welcome . No problem at all I just wanted to clarify in case anyone thought I was speaking for ICAN instead of just myself. Hope to see you on the forums!

[kayandbee]

I know this thread is old, but I was researching Kay Johnson and I stumbled upon it.  Kay was my midwife with my daughter's delivery 2 years ago, and I was bummed to see that she was no longer with Alpharetta Womens Specialists.  Then I found her here http://gamidwife.com/ - she has started doing home births.  I am excited and pregnant with my second, so we have decided to stick with Kay and do a home birth.  Wonderful news.  Hope this helps someone! 

[southernfriedkarma]

We're seeing Kay and Debbie and Whitney in preparation for our homebirth in about 7 weeks (give or take) and have been very happy with them.