Midwives in Vancouver Wa

[SelenaJean]

I have a friend who lives in Vancouver and will be TTC soon.  She has a son born in the hospital with an epi but witnessed my homebirth last year and wants something different.  She does not want a homebirth though.  She is considering Anduluz birth center but really would prefer a CNM in a hospital.  Are there any good CNMs in Vancouver?  Thanks!

[megannt]

Pacific Midwifery is where I went to have my baby.  They are awesome and I have heard nothing but positive reviews from everyone.  They deliver at Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital in Vancouver, WA.  For me, they are the perfect medium between home birth and hospital birth with a obgyn.  They were very supportive of my choice to deliver naturally and they support water births as well. They were present the whole time during my birth and when things got a bit hairy, there was even a second there to make sure everything went well.  I would highly recommend them and will be returning to them for my next baby.

Your friend is more than welcome to contact me and I can talk to her more about it, if that would help her with her decision. My email is [e-mail]

[SelenaJean]

Thank you!  I'll pass the info on

[mommacole]

You may also consider checking out Vivante Midwifery

Good luck!

[myownlight]

I am 27 years old and 19 weeks pregnant with my first baby.   I currently live in Portland but will be moving to Washougal at the end of the month.  I am scared to death of the risks that come with c-sections and epidurals.  Even just being in a hospital makes my blood pressure go up and my heart race.  However, I am also frightened at the thought of something going wrong during a home birth and not being in a hospital, in case of an emergency.  O yea, it’s also my first baby and I’m also scared of experiencing the pain without drugs.  Either way, I know that going into the situation scared is not the best bet.  I want to be strong, comfortable and confident.  I want to trust my doctor / midwife.  I need to be in the right environment for this to happen.   I feel like I need someone who will hold my hand through it all and make  me feel empowered, not belittled, helpless or scared.  I also have no friends or family out here (they are all back east or in the midwest so I could really use some advice.)  Thanks!

[Italiamom]

Myownlight, where, how, and with whom you give birth are big decisions.  And unfortunately, there isn't one *right* answer.  The answer is different for every mama here.  A lot might steer you toward the hospital, and a lot might steer you toward a home birth.  I would encourage you to browse around these boards, and remember that what is right for one mama, isn't always right for another.

If you are exploring your options here in the Portland metro area, I know that both Alma midwifery, and Andaluz water birth center, offer free initial consultations.  You can meet their midwives, tour their facilities, etc.  Those might be good places to start if you're exploring the idea of out of hospital birth.  They love first time mamas and many time mamas alike!  But I would call them to set up a free appointment to see what they could maybe offer you in your birth as a start.

Good luck!

[megannt]

myownlight: I would highly suggest a midwife if you are wanting to do a drug-free birth. You can find midwives that deliver in a hospital, birth center or home setting, depending on your preference. You want a care provider that is going to behind your choices one hundred percent. Don't be afraid to interview lots of midwives (there are many in Vancouver/Portland) to find the one that you feel most comfortable with. My midwives made such a big difference in my birth experience. They were supportive of a natural birth or an epidural birth. They were a positive and empowering influence. It's funny that you should mention that you want someone to 'hold your hand' because my midwives literally did this and it made a big difference. They were gentle and supportive, literally holding my hand when things got rough, would look me in the eyes and reassure me that what I was doing was not scary, but beautiful! Find a care provider that makes you feel comfortable. They are out there and it really is never to late to switch.

Another suggestion that I have is to do a natural childbirth class. I did a Bradley childbirth class and LOVED it. I wasn't sure at first if I should do it, because it was $250 but it was worth every single penny. You instantly have a community filled with people who think positively about birth. My instructor really helped me become more comfortable and at ease about birth. Once a week I was able to be surrounded by people that encouraged and supported my choice to deliver naturally. I can send you my birth class instructor's info if you are interested. If you can't do a birth class, find others, either in person or on this forum, who support natural birth. Talk to them about it, support really makes a big difference.

You might want to also read some natural birth books that speak about birth in a positive light. So many people want to tell you their birth stories and the stories don't paint birth in a very positive light.

Trust in your body. You were made to do this. The pain will be there, but it is for a purpose. You really can do this. One activity that we did in our birth class was we printed a picture of ourselves, all big and pregnant, and put it in the middle of poste rboard. We took a marker and wrote positive and encouraging words around it. We made these words bigger. Then, we thought of a couple of things we were scared or worried about, and we wrote a couple of those words in around it too, but we made them smaller. We wanted it to be a realistic portrayal of how we felt because everyone has worries and fears. Then, I hung it up somewhere where I would see it every day. It helped seeing all those positive, happy words amidst the tiny, scary words. Sounds simple, but every little thing helps.

If you ever want to talk about natural birth or have any questions or just need some support, you can always email me at [e-mail]

Blessings to you.

[SelenaJean]

I thought I would post an update.  My friend(who is now 11 wks preggo!) interviewed a midwife from Pacific midwifery but did not click with her.  She had gone to a couple of my prenatal visits and was at my homebirth and expected a long get to know each other chat like you get with CPMs.  So she she set up a consult with my MW Ellie Legare so her husband can meet her and is thinking of going for a homebirth!  I'm so excited for her!!!  I highly recommend Ellie to anyone looking for a homebirth midwife. 

[CrunchyMomToBe]

I just had a homebirth (July 6th 2011) with my midwife Bridget Carnahan of Abernethy Midwifery (http://www.abernethymidwifery.com/index.html) and I love her! I have such a great relationship with her, and she was fantastic during labor/birth/postpartum. I highly recommend her to anyone wishing for a homebirth!