Do you get anti-midwife comments from your other Dr's?

[Celticqueen]

I went to my allergist the other day and experienced something disappointing while I was there. We talked about my allergies, she perscribed something different for me, it was going fine. But then she asked me if I had a midwife or OB for my pregnancy. "That's weird" I thought- how is this relevant to anything right now? When I replied midwife, she said "Yeah, but who is the OB that the midwife works for?" I replied "They're a group of independent midwives at a freestanding birth center and they are not under any OB". She then expressed severe disappointment and said "Well that's not an ideal situation is it? I was going to ask you to ask your OB about this medication before you get it filled but nevermind. Midwives really can't answer those questions"

Earlier I posted a similar thread on this a few weeks ago...I called this SAME office and talked to an advice nurse about what to do about my eyes swelling up. When I told the nurse I was pregnant, she told me to ask my OB first. I told her I'd ask my midwife and she had the same response "Midwives can't answer those kind of questions".

DO I NEED TO WRITE A LETTER TO THIS PLACE WITH BROCHURES OF INFORMATION ON MIDWIVES AND WHAT THEY'RE EDUCATED IN???

I am not sure if it's just this office that is anti-midwife, or if this is common in other medical facilities as well? Anyway, I am royally pissed about it, although I'll admit it's hormones too. Still though, it is frustrating that medical professionals would view midwives like this.

I went to a pregnancy class (required, ugh) at our hospital recently (the hospital is plan B if insurance won't cover the birth center), and I was literally the only one in the room who was going with midwives, not an OB. For an entire chapter that the nurse covered, was about OB's and why we should see OB's, etc. I have had 2 babies- both midwives, I had to keep raising my hand every 5 minutes to chime in about midwives, and general correction to the nurse about various other mainstream things that I knew to be wrong. I said "Midwives are wonderful! I used them for both my births and will use them for this one too. They are so gentle and they are very professional" Finally she said "Why are you so knowledgable on pregnancy and childbirth? Do you want to help teach the class?" 

What are your experiences with this, if you have midwives? Do you see a lot of prejudice to them? Here in liberal Oregon, I must say this surprises me- Oregon typically has a very "do whatever you want, no discrimination" attitude going on. Apparently not when it comes to midwives...

[Celticqueen]

Weird, I thought others would have experienced this too...

[LLtheTinkerbell]

I went to a walk-in clinic for the first time in my pregnancy since seeing my (very mainstream) family Dr. when I first got my BFP. I went in to ask for a referral for an ultrasound as my midwife and I just now came to the conclusion that this baby is breech at 39 weeks. She is very experienced in breech birth, I just wanted the US myself to see what kind of breech and if homebirth was still the best option for me as a first-time birther.

The first thing the Dr. asked (before I could even say ANYTHING) was "who's your obstetrician?" I said I have a midwife, and he said "who's your midwife?" I said she's a lay midwife. He looked at me completely agog and said, "you are using an untrained midwife?!?!" I calmly replied, "no, she's trained, she's just not a registered midwife". (longish story but registered midwifery here has led to very medicalized midwifery, and if you want to avoid that route you have to go out of pocket with a lay birth attendant. Mine happens to have 30 years of experience and 1000+ births under her belt whereas this doctor looked about 30 years old!!!).

Anyway he just kept giving me blank stares, looking at me like I was completely crazy and had no idea what I was doing. He could not believe I hadn't had a previous ultrasound either ("You really should have done this a long time ago). I actually saw him write half of what he was writing in my chart in quotes. It was SO patronizing. I have really strongly considered writing him a letter or sending him an email with some links to info showing that not all women choose the medical route, and it's not because they're idiots!!!!!  Made me so mad!!!

Anyway that might be a little OT but yes, I have dealt with the prejudiced health care "professionals"! 

[rrs]

I've actually experienced the opposite.  Our pediatrician is thrilled we're having a home birth with a midwife.  Furthermore, I'm in nursing school, and every single professor that I've spoken to about my plans has been SO supportive.  The same is true of anyone I've discussed my plans with in my clinicals.  

In fact last week, one of my clinical instructors asked where I was having the baby.  I replied, "Home," to which she said, "No I meant which hospital," and I said, "Yes, at my house."  She then said "You have a midwife?"  I told her I did, and she went on to say, "Oh my, that is wonderful!  She is going to take such good care of you.  This is such an important time in your life, you will feel so loved." 

[*~*SewHappyNow*~*]

You should ask a PHARMACIST, not a doctor...  they don't know anything about that either

<--  Pharmacist

What a jerk of a doctor! 

I've actually had my own midwifes and doctors ask ME what I knew about drug interactions and contraindications of medications, because they know I know more than they do.

[cat13]

I've been getting this too with my dentist and eye doctor, as well as just lots of nosy people who ask lots of questions. I'm seeing a back-up OB through my insurance who does not know I am planning on birthing at home (there are no docs in my area that will work with MWs...ugh) so I technically do have an OB. When I am having my confident days I usually just tell people about my plan to birth at home with my MW, because I think it's always good to educate people that there are choices out there, and I believe that each woman should have the choice.  But to be honest, some days I just don't feel as confident in this world and I just tell them my OB's name.

[mareseatoats]

Yes! I experienced this just yesterday. We found out I had quite a bit of extra fluid around 26 weeks and so my midwives talked to a local high risk doctor and he agreed I should come in for a full anatomy scan and to just check everything in general. He was amazing! When they didn't find anything wrong he said to come back in three weeks and as long as the fluid levels hadn't risen he saw no reason to remain under co-care. He was so pro-midwife and trusting in my body, I was really surprised and thankful. So anyway, I made an appointment to go back in three weeks.

They called me yesterday to say I had to reschedule and the person I was talking to gave me one date, two weeks later than my original appointment, that I could get in. I told her I had an appointment with my midwives that day at that time and she said, "Oh. You're still seeing your midwives and receiving care here?" and when I said yes she said, "Why? Does your doctor know that?" It really bothered me. I don't know, maybe it wasn't that bad but I think I'm pretty sensitive to that kind of thing, anyway; my midwives are so wonderful! They take care of your physical needs, but they also are so supportive emotionally. One of mine even came to the anatomy scan with me because I was having a lot of anxiety about if baby was okay.

[matte]

When my GP learned I was pregnant (positive test in office), he immediately started advocating for a midwife and suggesting midwife practices in the area. However, there are actually very few that are convenient to me and covered by insurance. In the end he agreed that it made sense for me to go with an OB practice at Columbia, which I am most comfortable with because I know many people who have birthed there (including a friend who is a medical resident at the hospital). I think it really depends on who your doctor is, some really like midwives these days...

[mambera]

I don't have any other doctors but I am an MD myself (nothing to do with OB or peds though) and I did get some weirdness from certain colleagues about using a midwife practice - albeit a hospital-based CNM practice that *does* use backup OBs.  I do have a reasonably good reputation for having a head on my shoulders at work though so I think the happy result was to slightly legitimize midwives for my colleagues rather than have them dismiss me as a 'dirty hippie.' :)