Anyone switch providers over 1/2 way through? Updated :)

[mommytoallh]

Xposted in my DDC

I am pretty frustrated with my midwife. She delivered my last baby and she was only ok. She worried that he was going to be too big and it almost seemed like she was inexperienced. The hospital I deliver at is mostly medicalized, but I have had 3 natural births there with little intervention. I am ok to deliver there again, but I would love something different. That being said at my last appointment we were discussing the issues I have been having and she actually said to me "watch this one be your c-section baby" ha ha ha. I did not think it was funny at all. I have fought very hard and worked very hard to have 5 unmedicated births, no episiotomies or tearing, and little intervention. I almost feel like I don't want her anywhere near me when I go into labor. There are two other midwives at my practice, one is nice enough, one I have not met. But I won't get to choose, it's whoever is on call.
My doula has recommended a different practice that she says have amazing midwives, and they deliver in a hospital that has a water birth option. Now that would be amazing. The problem is it's further away from me. My mw apt would probably take me 45-50 min to get to. It's all back roads vs highway and in New England in the middle of Feb that could be a problem. The hospital is about the same. I have never switched like this while I was pregnant. And I don't exactly adjust to change well . I think my dh would support whatever I decide, although we have not talked about it yet. I'm not sure if I am being overly sensitive about the comment. I would also really love to give birth in the water.
It makes me angry that women have to go through so much crap to have a good birth experience.
Any input would be appreciated.

[JudiAU]

I switched late (past 30w) in my first pregnancy. Best thing I ever did. It ended up being the difference between a c-section and a vaginal birth but I didn't know it at the time.

[nova22]

I switched at about 37 weeks and never looked back. Most women who switch are happy with their new doctor or midwife because they know what NOT to look for in a provider.

[crayfishgirl]

I switched while sitting in the delivery room after my water broke when my (supposedly) minimal intervention-minded OB proceeded to lecture me on the value of interventions in saving lives, and then gave me a little less than 8 hours to deliver (my first, and I wasn't having productive contractions at the time). My new OB, who walks on water in my mind, was confident, reassuring, and followed my wishes for a birth as natural as possible. With the help of pitocin and a lot of walking my 9lb+ daughter was born naturally 42 hours later without an epsiotomy or tearing. It was the difference between a stressful and upsetting birth that would have without a doubt ended in a c-section and the fantastic birth that I had.

[finnegansmom]

I would totally switch. I switched with my second at 24 weeks, was fine.
I can't remember where you are in NE but I've birthed in Maine with MWs and now I'm seeing an awesome MW in Mass...

[kythryne]

If you're considering the hospital I think you are (Wentworth?) - I had laparoscopic surgery done there last year and they were AMAZING. I can not say enough good things about the nursing staff, I've heard wonderful things about their labor and delivery staff, and if I end up having to transfer for a non-emergency reason, that's where I'm headed, even though it would mean an hour drive from either home or the freestanding birth center I'm presently planning to use.

As for the travel time... I'm driving 45 minutes to see the midwives I want, even though there's a homebirth midwife/freestanding birth center right in my town, because I was just more comfortable with the farther-away practice. It's a bit of a pain, and I'm not really looking forward to doing it in winter, but it's worth it to me.

I can't really weigh in on switching partway through pregnancy since this is my first, but having fired a number of doctors over the years, I can sympathize. It's always been well worth it to me to seek out someone better when I wasn't comfortable with a practitioner, and I think it's really important to follow your gut on things like this.

[delaneymom]

Same as others, we switched at 20 weeks with our last, and it was the best thing we could have done.

[ryleeee]

i am REALLY hoping to switch...i haven't even had my first appt. yet but i am on the waitlist for a midwife. *sigh*

[St. Margaret]

I switched last time a bit over halfway I think it was, best decision EVER. Night and day difference-- the new OB was like a midwife, the old one was the typica yucky kind. This time I was going to a CNM in an OB practice, knowing I'd be finding someone else to see down the line (this was with insurance) and only contracted with a midwife oh close to the third tri at least. I think I was the last person she took for the month, too, so I was just in time... but there are LOTs of MWs here, I would have found someone good

Driving backroads in the snow sucks but then again I'm a CA girl, so what do I know? I hope you find someone supportive. I think it matters hugely to have a supportive birth team.

[kawa kamuri]

i've switched beyond 20w four out of five time both because i've moved and because i wanted the birth i wanted. i wouldn't hesitate to drop an ill fitting provider.

[soccerchic21]

I am switching now due to insurance at 29 weeks but I am feeling better about my birth. This is my third. I say if you have a bad feeling go with your gut. I have never heard of a midwife talking about big babies and cesareans even jokingly.

I liked the OB I had but this being my third child I feel like my DH and I know what to do and all we really need is the medical professional to just watch and be there if anything drastic happens. So for me as long as it is someone I feel somewhat comfortable around then it works.

It wouldn't hurt to just have a consult with the practice that your doula recommended just to get a feel for them.

[blizzard_babe]

I switched not just providers, but states, at 36-37 weeks .

Mine was a bit different a situation, though... I found out pretty late that what I thought was a covered-by-insurance facility (my local hospital... pretty good as hospitals go, 5-7% c-section rate, pretty laid back) wasn't. That's the only facility in Bethel, Alaska, and there are no HB midwives there, so most women in our position just go into Anchorage, rent an apartment from 36 weeks on, and then birth there. I didn't want to. We own a house in WI (we rent and live in AK most of the year... long story), so we decided to come here. Lo and behold, freestanding birth centers, in or out of network, are covered 100% on our insurance. So even with three airline tickets, a freestanding birth center birth is going to be cheaper than a hospital birth .

So yeah, I transferred at 36 weeks (actually, made the decision at 34 weeks but didn't see my new provider until almost 37 weeks... it's been quite the ride). I'd totally go for it if I were you. I have over an hour and a half drive to where I'll be giving birth. Our midwives pointed out that if the baby is coming so fast that we don't have time to make the drive (we have plans to head down and get a hotel room if it looks like things MIGHT be starting, and if they don't start... well, we'll get a night without DS in a hotel room ), there isn't a lot of messing-with-us that a hospital can do. We're pre-registering at a local-ish (still a half hour away... our closest in-network facility) hospital just in case, as well as our in-case-of-transfer hospital in the city where the birth center is located.

I say at least do one appointment there and see how it feels.

[fairymom]

I'm in the process of switching too- at almost 25 wks. My story is very simular to yours. (My last for los were w/the same practice but they changed so much that I did not feel comfortable at the end but never got the nerve up to change. This time I found a new clinic and have been seeing them since 12 wks and am still struggling- so we're switching totally, to a HB and HB WF.) I've always read its never too late to switch.

I'd switch simpily because if you're not comfortable w/your provider and are already imaging a bad birth your body won't be comfortable to do what it can naturally (it'll want to protect itself).

My clinic was just 10 mins away the hospital 15. The HB MW (I'll go to her till 36 wks) is 20-30 mins away but it's diffenetly a sacrafice I'd make to get the birth I want and can have.

[nadia105]

I had to switch at 24 weeks with my third b/c my original m/w told me she wasn't going to be catching babies by the time I delivered. Luckily, I found my current m/w nearby, she had apprenticed with my original one and was there for my second baby.

If I had had a choice, I would have stayed with the orignial, I had no reason to switch, but when it came down to the birth of #3, I have no doubt that the one I switched to was who I was supposed to have. I would have had a very different outcome with anyone else, and I'm grateful to her for that.

[aurinia]

I am kind of in this boat right now...seriously considering changing practices to a more twin-vaginal-birth friendly doc. I really like one of the OB's in my current practice and she's certainly open to the idea, but I absolutely loathe the other OB that works with her. Also, neither one of them are willing to deliver baby B vaginally if he turns out to be breech...if baby A is born and they can't turn B, its an automatic c-section. And they're really pushing a c-section overall, which really bothers me. I found out at last week's appointment that they've already scheduled a section for me at 38 weeks! I had an appointment with a perinatologist yesterday (who I absolutely LOVED...I wish he delivered at my hospital ) and he agreed with me...even with my current issues (PIH, insulin-dependent GD), as long as baby A is head down, he sees absolutely NO reason why I couldn't deliver vaginally, even with a breech baby B, and is writing a strongly-worded recommendation to them stating that. If they still give me a hard time at my next appt and still refuse to consider delivering baby B breech, I'll be looking for a new doc. He gave me the name of one that he said has lots of experience with both twins and breech births, so I'll be giving them a call on Monday just to see what they say.

[jajah]

From what I hear, it's never too late to switch and most women never look back. If you have a reason to switch, and know what you're looking for, I'd say you're on the right track.

We had to switch this time due to moving out of state and there were some communication issues getting records transfered and whatnot, but it's all working itself out (finally, at 37 weeks).

[lunarlady]

With DD1, I switched at 29 weeks and I was so happy I did. With DD2 I wanted to switch around 36 weeks, but didn't. Looking back I really wish I had trusted my gut, and let my heart, not my mind or wallet, make the decision.

[NaturalMama311]

I switched with DD when I was about 28 weeks because I HATED the OB office I was going to. They were rude, cold and we always felt rushed out even after waiting to see the doc for an hour every time. Plus they never really talked to DH, they acted like he wasn't even in the room and he came with me to every.single.appointment. He would ask questions and when the doc would answer them she would look at me and never make eye contact with him, it was kind of weird. Anyway, we switched to a midwife practice at 28 weeks and it was the best decision we ever made. DH and I were both more comfortable with them and had so much more confidence in them.

This time around we just moved 2 weeks ago so I have to switch providers again. I'm going to my first appointment on Wed. of this week and will be 26 weeks that same day. Hopefully I will like them as much as I liked my previous MW practice, I just can't drive 90 minutes to see them.

I don't think switching at any point is a big deal, most providers have had patients switch late in pregnancy so they know the drill.

Good luck!

[MaerynPearl]

i moved cross country at 28 weeks... so of course I had to switch!

i did have the knowledge of the move from the beginning though so I was working with my doctor AND my new midwives (through emailing them on what was going on at my doctors appointments so they could keep up)

I did not find it hard to switch at all... though I would have loved to stay with my doctor my midwives were awesome.

[Adaline'sMama]

I swtiched at thirty weeks because my CNM left the OB practice and I didnt like the OB so I switched to another OB. Turned out that the OB I switched to (who preformed my version) found out she had breast cancer the day before my birth, so the OB i didnt like delivered me anyway. It was all just fine.