OBGYNs/Midwives/Birth Options in Tucson?

[growgrowgrow]

I am newly pregnant and considering options for my baby's birth in June.

I would most prefer to deliver at the Birth Center, but I tried to go there during my pregnancy a couple years ago and was risked out for things irrelevant to giving birth (GERD and history of depression).

I ended up getting ill with valley fever and cholestasis, being hospitalized during the third trimester and being induced. I did a lot of research prior to having my baby and I felt confident that it was a medically necessary induction, and I liked my OB (Kathy Reed @ UMC). I don't know that she would even be the one to deliver my baby anyhow (she wasn't the last time, though I missed her just barely as she had to catch a flight). Any other OBs anyone recommends who are natural-birth friendly?

I am wondering which hospitals are the most birth-friendly in Tucson? I did UMC and while my experience wasn't awful, I didn't like a lot of things about it (pressure to send baby to nursery, lactation nurse not responding for 1+ hour when I would call and say I needed help getting my daughter latched b/c she was hungry and crying, etc).

Also, are there any home birth midwives in Tucson who are currently accepting clients, that you know of? And how do I contact them?

Thanks in advance!

[DoulaAngie]

There are homebirth midwives in Tucson.
Amy Zenizo, Bette Kibble, Lisa Block-Weiser are three off the top of my head.

I prefer TMC or Northwest Women's Center for most births. I prefer UMC with Dr. Maciulla for VBAC. Northwest doesn't do routine separation of mom and baby after birth. TMC, and UMC do, I'm not sure about St. Joe's.

If you're wanting to avoid a big group practice and have no routine separation post birth (of course you can always refuse and put up a fuss) I'd recommend Dr. Westerband at NW.

Of course you could also use the Birth Center midwives and deliver at TMC if you risk out of the BC itself for the actual birth. There are pros and cons to that as well.

If you can't find contact info for the providers listed above, PM me. I'd be more than happy to help. I've been a birthworker for over 10 years in Tucson.

ETA: If you're looking at St. Joe's Dr. Weisertnis pretty good too. I've had some great natural births with her recently.

[growgrowgrow]

sorry for the double post!

[growgrowgrow]

thank you so much!

we are on AHCCCS right now so that is also a consideration... i forgot to mention it before. i'm hoping my husband will have a job with good insurance soon, but at present we are limited to providers who accept AHCCCS. i would love to do a home birth in theory, but i am not sure i'll feel comfortable with it (i have high blood pressure, for one thing) or be able to work out the finances. i am not sure how much they normally cost or whether there are sliding scales, trades / barters, or flexible payment plans.

does northwest have the same room for birthing / recovery / postpartum, and rooming-in? i do want a female OBGYN if i go that route...

do you think being risked out to birth at the birth center before is an automatic risk-out this time too? probably so... i didn't have high blood pressure at that time either, it started becoming an issue at the end of my pregnancy and has required medication since my daughter's birth.

i had heard some bad things about st joes, but it is close to our house... tmc is close too. northwest is far away but i've gone there for other things and have been impressed with their staff and facilities.

i know there are situations i can always refuse and put up a fuss, but i'd rather not have to deal with that when i am feeling kind of vulnerable to begin with. so it'd be great to have the most ideal team and facility set up soon... so that i can be comfortable about that much!

we will also be needing a doula! through desert doulas last time around we qualified for a low-income assistance to have a doula who was just about to receive certification and i loved that. i wonder if that same service would be available a second time, if our finances do not improve.

Originally Posted by DoulaAngie

There are homebirth midwives in Tucson.
Amy Zenizo, Bette Kibble, Lisa Block-Weiser are three off the top of my head.

I prefer TMC or Northwest Women's Center for most births. I prefer UMC with Dr. Maciulla for VBAC. Northwest doesn't do routine separation of mom and baby after birth. TMC, and UMC do, I'm not sure about St. Joe's.

If you're wanting to avoid a big group practice and have no routine separation post birth (of course you can always refuse and put up a fuss) I'd recommend Dr. Westerband at NW.

Of course you could also use the Birth Center midwives and deliver at TMC if you risk out of the BC itself for the actual birth. There are pros and cons to that as well.

If you can't find contact info for the providers listed above, PM me. I'd be more than happy to help. I've been a birthworker for over 10 years in Tucson.

ETA: If you're looking at St. Joe's Dr. Weisertnis pretty good too. I've had some great natural births with her recently.

[rainbowmoon]

If you end up needing an OB I highly recommend Jennifer Rienhart. She is a real sweetie.

Amy Zenzio and Lisa Block- Weisner are the go to homebirth MW's IMHO and hearing about experiences of friends!


Personally I had a HORRIBLE experience with the birth center resulting in being left alone in a birth tub for 14 hours then a transfer and c/s. (really I got horrible care there) they also violated HIPPA and some other crappy things while under their care and I found them very flaky about the chance of being risked out, among other things..(very disappointing experience and in hindsight I wished I had just gone to TMC) I actually developed white coat induced hypertension under their care because it was so stressful.

TMC is AWESOME! I highly recommend it and I'd be birthing there if I was still in the area hands down. I found they are waaay more knowledgeable about positioning than the mw's I hired through the birth center and they are very respectful and will basically abide by your wishes no questions asked. You can room in, they have great food options and they offer postpartum massage right in your room for FREE as well as awesome lactation consultants that are just a phone call away and always available to you after discharge.

I was not separated from my babe and we roomed in at TMC so maybe that is new?

[DoulaAngie]

Originally Posted by rainbowmoon

I was not separated from my babe and we roomed in at TMC so maybe that is new?

Standard policy at TMC is that baby goes to the nursery for 2 hours when mom is taken to the postpartum unit. A woman's provider can order the mom and baby to be "Transitioned" in the labor and delivery room so that mom and baby both move to the postpartum unit together. But it's not standard practice. In your case my best guess is that your provider advocated for you and wrote orders to transition you and baby on L&D.

[amandabarugh]

I pretty sure that my midwife, Billye Matthews, does homebirths in Tucson, as well.  She is in Benson.

[DoulaAngie]

Originally Posted by DoulaAngie 

Originally Posted by rainbowmoon

I was not separated from my babe and we roomed in at TMC so maybe that is new?

Standard policy at TMC is that baby goes to the nursery for 2 hours when mom is taken to the postpartum unit. A woman's provider can order the mom and baby to be "Transitioned" in the labor and delivery room so that mom and baby both move to the postpartum unit together. But it's not standard practice. In your case my best guess is that your provider advocated for you and wrote orders to transition you and baby on L&D.

Update on TMC.  Last week I was informed that TMC is moving to couplet care where mom and baby will stay together, no more routine postpartum separation as they have been doing for years.  They're doing practice runs to get in the groove but the hope is that by June they'll be fully transitioned over to couplet care from that point on.

[Bette Kibble]

Hello my name is Bette Kibble. I have been a Licensed midwife, doing Homebirths in Tucson, Arizona and surrounding areas for over 30 years I also offer waterbirth. I have a clinic in Tucson and also offer Home Visits. feel free to call me for a Free Consultation at 520-882-8228. Thanks and peaceful,joyous Birthing!!

[Bette Kibble]

Originally Posted by DoulaAngie 

There are homebirth midwives in Tucson.
Amy Zenizo, Bette Kibble, Lisa Block-Weiser are three off the top of my head.

I prefer TMC or Northwest Women's Center for most births. I prefer UMC with Dr. Maciulla for VBAC. Northwest doesn't do routine separation of mom and baby after birth. TMC, and UMC do, I'm not sure about St. Joe's.

If you're wanting to avoid a big group practice and have no routine separation post birth (of course you can always refuse and put up a fuss) I'd recommend Dr. Westerband at NW.

Of course you could also use the Birth Center midwives and deliver at TMC if you risk out of the BC itself for the actual birth. There are pros and cons to that as well.

If you can't find contact info for the providers listed above, PM me. I'd be more than happy to help. I've been a birthworker for over 10 years in Tucson.

ETA: If you're looking at St. Joe's Dr. Weisertnis pretty good too. I've had some great natural births with her recently.

Hi ,I  am Bette Kibble L.M.,C.P.M. and yes i am a Licensed midwife for over 30 years doing Homebirths in Tucson and southern Arizona..I have a clinic and also do Home visits.Please feel free to call me for a FREE consultation at 520-882-8228.

[swelldoula]

Here is a complete list of the home birth midwives listed on the AZ health department's website. I just had a home birth on 6/11/12 with Amy Zenizo, and I would highly recommend her!

Tucson Midwives

[Bette Kibble]

Bette Kibble is listed as Elizabeth Kibble, All Natural Birth at Home/Southwest Midwifery service.520-882-8228....Arizona State Licensed Midwife in Tucson,Arizona. she has been doing homebirths in Arizona for over 30 years,and is the longest practicing Licensed midwife in Arizona.

[mwherbs]

I looked at the list and several midwives in the Tucson Area are no longer practicing. Amy , Betty,Lia Byrns, Sharon Hodges-Rust, and Misty Adriance (i think misty is listed in marana) are the LMs practicing in Tucson. We also have Billye Matthews who will trave to Tucson from Benson and Stephanie Fritz who comes up from Sierra Vista.
The others listed are Now either retired, or working as nurses and CNMs not attending home births. Lisa Block Weiser unfortunately died suddenly this year .