Does anyone have experience with Diane Tandy?

[Mamaddp]

I am considering changing to Diane Tandy when our insurance changes from Kaiser to Aetna. I was wondering if anyone has had experience with her and know if she supports delayed cord clamping, natural birthing (doesn't push inductions). The other practice we are considering is Intown Midwifery...love the practice, not so sure about delivering at Atlanta Medical Center.

[ayb922]

What are your reservations about AMC? I had my daughter there in April and had a fantastic experience. No, it isn't Northside. Yes, the food sucks. The NICU is the same level as Northside. The rooms are small, but not horrible. But I wanted, and had, a water birth, they allowed me to keep my daughter with me at all times, the Nurse was great about abiding by my wishes during labor. I would have a baby there again in a heartbeat.

[Mamaddp]

Thank you for your response...it definitely gives me something to consider. 

[thorn]

I would go with intown given those options. Check out the ICAN of atlanta forum if you want to read reviews of Diane.

[KittyKat]

My baby is due next month, and I am seeing the midwives at Intown MIdwifery. I hope to waterbirth at AMC assuming I make it there in time!

The hospital certainly isn't impressive. The "waterbirth class" I was required to take in order for the hospital to "allow" me to waterbirth was taught by a person I cannot help but consider completely incompetent, and the class material itself was ridiculous (seriously, they listed negatives about waterbirth, and one of the items was "Slippery Baby." Like babies aren't born all slippery and wet if you're not in a birth tub? Please). I do appreciate that the hospital standard is rooming-in and minimal separation of the mother and baby. I'm hoping they let us out early for good behavior (the sooner I can get home the sooner I can actually get some rest).

I have friends who have given birth with Intown at AMC, and they had good experiences. I hesitate to lay the credit on AMC, it's more the midwives at Intown, who are working hard to provide the best care to moms and babies, and also to hopefully "brainwash" the nurses a bit away from the interventive model of care to a more evidence-based way of doing things. They don't require continuous monitoring, an IV or IV port, and for the intermittent monitoring that does need to be done, they have telemetry monitors so you don't have to get out of the waterbirth tub or be "strapped" to the machine to check the baby's heart rate.

I have also been seeing the backup doctor who works with Margaret and Intown. He's been just great. My baby has excess fluid on one kidney, at the first scan he had it on both kidneys, and while this is a minor problem it does warrant keeping an eye on, as babies with kidney problems can sometimes have low fluid or other complications depending on the severity of the kidney problems. The doctor has been very kind, explained things clearly to us, and has been very encouraging. The midwives have also spoken very highly of him, he lets them do what they do best, but the minute they need him, he's right there to help.

My 5yo was born with Margaret attending her birth, and she was just wonderful. I had to drive all the way from the South side up to North Fulton to see her, but it was worth it. I'm glad she's working closer to me now, cuts the driving time in half (or better if it's not rush hour)!

[southernfriedkarma]

FWIW - I have multiple friends who have delivered with Intown Midwifery, and all of them had great experiences other than the long wait times at appointments.  (Though I hear they've hired another midwife, and those wait times are getting better.)

I do have another question about Diane Tandy, though.  Her website is very, very religious and mentions things like praying in the delivery room.  She sounds like an excellent practitioner, but I would prefer that my own (and DP's) spirituality guide the birth.  Is it possible to have a non-religious experience with her?  Also, is she LGBT-friendly?  I ask because lots of very religious doctors are not.  

Thanks!