Pregnant in Clarksville, TN. Birth options?

[Beauchamp]

We recently moved to TN. I haven't even been to an OB/GYN yet for regular annual visits but I am now 6 weeks PG and starting from scratch! Can anyone recommend a midwife, OB, or doula? I have been googling like crazy, but first hand recs are always good.

We have United Healthcare, and for some reason it is a real beast to search for options. All it lets me see are regular OBs in hospitals, which I am not leaning toward unless I absolutely have to or find a "midwife in disguise" kind of OB.

Thanks mamas!

[KoalaMommy]

You could try the Vandy midwives in Nashville, it's a little ways, but not nearly as bad as what I did. I drove 1.5 hours through 2 pregnancies to deliver with them. It's not so bad, really. Their practice is called the West End Women's Health Center, and all my visits were actually billed under their cooperating physician. It's worth a call to see if they'll take your insurance.

http://www.vanderbiltnursemidwives.org/

[treeoflife3]

good luck

[Beauchamp]

Thanks Koalamommy! I've heard of them but for some reason had a hard time finding the website. I will check them out for sure.

treeoflife....so, good luck really? Or good luck, as in 'good luck birthing in Clarksville!' (((insert maniacal laughter here))) ???

Is it crazy to consider the Farm? Too far? Has anyone heard of "A birth with a midwife times two?" (two midwives somewhere around here that do homebirths and will travel to Montgomery Cty)

[treeoflife3]

Originally Posted by Beauchamp

Thanks Koalamommy! I've heard of them but for some reason had a hard time finding the website. I will check them out for sure.

treeoflife....so, good luck really? Or good luck, as in 'good luck birthing in Clarksville!' (((insert maniacal laughter here))) ???

Is it crazy to consider the Farm? Too far? Has anyone heard of "A birth with a midwife times two?" (two midwives somewhere around here that do homebirths and will travel to Montgomery Cty)

I just meant good luck as in I hope you find what you want. I've looked into it just briefly and didn't find anything. I TOTALLY considered the farm though if we were ever to have a baby here (and it doesn't look like it.) I feel like I read somewhere once that we are too far for the farm I remember being really sad about that. I didn't do hardly any research though so that definitely doesn't mean there ISN'T something or a farm birth isn't possible!

[KoalaMommy]

How far is the farm for you? Seems like it should only be a couple of hours. I've known women who have gone from Chattanooga (3.5 hours) and Knoxville (5 hours) to birth at the Farm. Not sure about getting insurance to cover it, but "too far" depends more on you.

[Beauchamp]

It's just under 2 1/2 hrs, according to Google Maps. So far we can only find CNMs in United Healthcare's system online.

[Beauchamp]

Well, DH really likes the idea of the Vandy MWs. We have an appt in 2 weeks! We still might want to check out the Farm, and call some home birth MWs. I don't know. I am so confused after my last birth.

Koalamommy, what do you think about the Vandy MWs and actually being inside a hospital? Is there a lot of pressure to "cave" and get drugs, or do they push you for interventions, or is there a certain number of hours you can labor, and after that it's time for a c-section?

ETA I think our appt at Vandy is with Melissa.

[KoalaMommy]

I think it depends a lot on you and who you have during labor. My first delivery was very medical in some ways. My water broke and because we lived an hour and a half away we jumped into the car and went to the hospital. It took over 53 hours to get my labor going and for me to deliver my daughter. HOWEVER, I was more than 53 hours with my waters broken and I didn't have a c-section. So I guess you can view it in a variety of ways. My 2nd delivery was very different and the midwife worked very hard to keep me on course for my desired natural delivery and was very low intervention. But I also delivered that time only 5 hours after I got to the hospital.

My 3rd (with a doctor in another hospital) looked much more like the first labor (LONG!) and I had so many more interventions and much less support for my goals. Fortunately, though my doctor was trigger happy with the interventions, he was not cut happy and I still didn't have a c-section.

What I have learned from my 3 deliveries is 1) I'm more prone to long labor and 2) I should really have a doula to help me know when it is necessary and prudent to head to the hospital so I don't show up too early 3) I don't like having a student (midwife, doctor, nurse etc.) involved in my delivery. I would recommend items #2 and 3 to you as well. I think you can have the kind of delivery you want with the midwives as long as you are prepared and present yourself at the right time. I think you have to employ similar tactics as if you were having a baby in a hospital with a doctor knowing that they are bound by many of the same hospital policies as doctors, but the midwives are more on your side and willing to work with you more, to listen to you and spend more time with you.

That I didn't have a c-section the first time around was pretty darn amazing! DD's heart rate even dropped while pushing. My midwife was cool and calm, she didn't even tell me what happened, she just told me to take a break from pushing for a few minutes, gave me some oxygen and came back 10 minutes later. I know so many women who have gotten to there and ended up in the operating room. I can't say enough about them. It is a hospital delivery (which I have to have), but it is a midwife experience. I think you'll know when you meet them if it's right.

[Beauchamp]

Thanks! I wasn't sure about students when I read about it on Vandy's website. I had a few students for my colposcopy/biopsy two years ago and NO THANK YOU. I guess that answers that for me! Even though my MW's assistant at my first birth was way better than my actual MW.

What scares me about the Vandy midwives is actually being inside Vanderbilt. With drugs, intervention, c-section, etc, "just down the hall, just in case." At my first birth I had quite a few things done to me or threatened to be done to me if I didn't do whatever in a certain amount of time.

[AliDoula]

Hire a doula!

It really is a great way to help ensure your birth plans will be respected and attempted, and that you'll be given every opportunity to hae a natural birth in the hospital. Of course, I would love to have a Farm birth myself, and if you go with 2 homebirth midwives you probably won't need a doula. But in case your DH is like many others and really wants you at the hospital "just in case," definitely bring a doula. I've never known anyone who regretted it!

[Tnmommi]

Just wanted to say I'm pregnant in Clarksville to lol
except Im 21w2d.

[Beauchamp]

Originally Posted by Tnmommi

Just wanted to say I'm pregnant in Clarksville to lol
except Im 21w2d.

Where are you planning to give birth, Tnmommi?

[Tnmommi]

Originally Posted by Beauchamp

Where are you planning to give birth, Tnmommi?

A UC at home if by the end of my pregnancy baby and I are in good health...if not I plan on going to Gateway...I refuse to give birth on post and our insurance wont pay for birthing centers/midwives.

[eaglebug]

I just wanted to second the Vandy Midwives recommendation! My baby was born at 29 weeks by c section with multiple health problems so I didn't get to actually use their services at birth, but if pg I would try again! I had also hired a doula (that I also didn't end up using) that has worked with them extensively and she had opinions about which ones leaned most towards natural vs. medical intervention. In the end I discovered that particular doula wouldn't have been a good fit for me but my intention was to have someone to help me speak up and avoid things I didn't want to do.

I see Margaret, who I adore, but she only works one day a week. The group is so big I realized that the chances of her actually being on call for my delivery was very small. I haven't talked to any other patients of theirs but have wondered if they all noticed that too. We did have a plan for me to meet others at my check ups as my due date neared...but like I said the baby came before I got a chance. I have really liked all the ones I've met though.

Since my birth came unexpectedly early, we didn't get a chance to finalize a birth plan, but Margaret had already addressed things like laboring at home for as long as possible. She said once you get to the hospital you are sort of put on a timeline...and even though you can call the shots it's just easier to avoid having to defend your decisions. That's my interpretation of what she said...my point is that yes, it is a hospital and won't be as free as birthing at home or the Farm, but this hospital has worked with the midwives enough to know what to expect from their patients.

HTH!

[Beauchamp]

Originally Posted by eaglebug

...I had also hired a doula (that I also didn't end up using) that has worked with them extensively and she had opinions about which ones leaned most towards natural vs. medical intervention.

Feel free to comment further on this! Our MW (for the first appt) is Melissa.

Right now, with a high energy toddler to care for every day and also being pregnant, I feel like I am going to pick between Vandy and the Farm (if they'll have me) just because it's easier than researching/interviewing HB MWs and I am TIRED. :yawning Is that bad?

Unless I have a weird feeling at Vandy. I am worried about the MWs really being under the direction of an OB for the final say in things.

[KoalaMommy]

The vandy midwives don't even have an MD in their office, they certainly don't live under the thumb of one. I vaguely knew that they had a cooperating physician, but I never saw her (well, except the time I was in the hospital having broken my leg while pregnant and I was refusing a medication). Honestly, if I hadn't been hospitalized for something else while pregnant, I would never ever have seen her! They have so many patients, that 1 cooperating physician couldn't possibly manage the care of each one!

I do think some of the midwives are more inclined toward totally natural birth. Margaret was awesome, I loved her, my midwife was Elaine, though she's semi-retired, Mavis was great too. Most of the others are newer and I don't know them. I personally don't care for Linda, I didn't think she was a very good listener and a friend of mine saw her recently and said the same thing.

But I would say if the Farm is what you want, go there. Why wouldn't they take you? You certainly live close enough if my friends are any example. I couldn't go to the Farm for, medical reasons I have to be in a hospital, but if that weren't the case I wouldn't have hesitated to birth there.

[eaglebug]

Originally Posted by Beauchamp

Feel free to comment further on this! Our MW (for the first appt) is Melissa.

Right now, with a high energy toddler to care for every day and also being pregnant, I feel like I am going to pick between Vandy and the Farm (if they'll have me) just because it's easier than researching/interviewing HB MWs and I am TIRED. :yawning Is that bad?

I wish I could help more, but in the end I found I liked that doula least of all. She wasn't a good fit for me and in hindsight I don't trust her opinion. The one MW she said she didn't like b/c she was the most medically minded is no longer there. I was actually admitted to the hospital by that same MW and had a great experience with her. As for the other ones I've met I thought Linda was okay and I liked Soheyl's personality. Tonia was nice also but my contact with all of them wasn't birth related. I haven't heard of Melissa. Hopefully you will get to pick her brain at your appt and will feel great about using the group! If you see Melissa and check out the Farm you will have your bases covered and can feel like you're making an informed decision within reasonable limits.

As for doing what is easiest...when you are pregnant I say go with what is best for you at the time. A stressed out mama isn't worth the stress on the baby! I don't believe in making yourself miserable in the name of a conviction when you're pg.

To address your concern about the supervising OB, I don't think it should deter you. I would say that relationship is there to cover them legally but I never heard mention of that person in all my interactions with them. I went into their care assuming that there have been trailblazer moms through the doors of Vandy asking for all kinds of freedoms and refusing convention left and right. They are quite used to it. Since my situation was different and dangerous they had no choice but to hand me over to an OB but were careful to explain how and why they agreed with that OB's decisions. This wasn't their supervising one, just one on staff at Vandy. I was more concerned with staff nurses and like any hospital, the ones at Vandy will have a range of comfort levels with natural birth. I predict that kind of conflict is much more common than fighting the advice of the supervising OB.

[Smithie]

I'm in SC, and spoke to the Farm ladies when my OB threatened to "fire" me for refusing the glucose test. They were awesome and agreed to take me. I wound up not getting fired and birthing in the hospital, but that whole idea of going to the Farm a week early, staying in a guest house, dropping all my "real life" stuff and focusing on the birth? That would have been great. I am always hoping to hear of a mama who chooses to go that route and to find out how she likes it! 

[HRJ]

Unless you do a homebirth, I would do Vandy any.day over the hospital in Clarksville.  To be honest, I wouldn't take my dog to the hospital in Clarksville.