Home Birth Midwife recs for Baltimore-Parkville area? - Page 2

[NaturalMama311]

I had my first with Special Beginnings and they were great!  I had a planned c-section at AAMC but the MW from SB was there in the OR with me and DH holding my hand the whole time.  She was wonderful.  

I had a VBAC with my second at Upper Chesapeake with Susquehanna Midwives and they were awesome.  Very pro VBAC, supportive and respected my wishes for a natural VBAC.

[lcchrt]

I live in Parkville also! My daughter is 7 months now but I delivered at Upper Chesapeake with the midwives and it was an amazing experience. It was fully unmedicated/natural and everything I could have hoped for in a hospital. I really hope with my next I can have a homebirth and would do anything to do so, but in the case that I can't I would deliver in a moment at Upper Chesapeake again! (I delivered with Donna) I love having so many local mamas here!

I must have been the third mama who wasn't able to use the birth tub! Haha they let you labor in it but they wont let you birth in it. It was busy my ENTIRE labor (17 hours long). I never stepped foot in the thing lol

Edited by lcchrt - 5/3/12 at 7:56pm

[MrsTani]

I have been reading a lot of threads and noticed that some are saying there are hospitals that won't let VBAC moms labor in tubs. Why? Any that will?
 

[KatyLinda]

Most require constant monitoring for VBACs, so you're limited by the range of the monitor cords. 

[VBACmama4]

The only hospitals in MD that will allow a VBAC to enter a tub while in labor are Mercy and BWMC, but you have to have a nearly "perfect" combination of low-risk factors, ok it with the Director of Labor & Delivery, and even then they insist that you leave the tub to give birth. Like once you're in the pushing phase it's easy to just stand up and walk to the bed (???). They claim several issues, the main one being what KatyLinda said about constant monitoring (even though both Mercy and BWMC have waterproof telemetry), and the second as it's been explained to me over and over again is that they claim that it's harder to get a VBAC who has ruptured during labor up out of the tub for an emergency c-section. 

Basically, the best options for VBAC's in MD are home birth or midwife attended hospital birth, but doing it at home guarantees access to the tub. 

[MrsTani]

What about MD General?
 

[IdentityCrisisMama]

I would be willing to drive for a home (setting) birth. In the Baltimore area, I would look into homebirth midwives in DC, VA, DE, PA and maybe eve WV. It seems to me that there are some providers within a 1 hour drive. If I were you I would start calling the CNMs practicing in the area and asking them for suggestions for any other CPMs still practicing. Good luck, mama!!  

[VBACmama4]

Maryland General told me the same thing as the rest, they don't allow VBAC's to use the tubs at all. They initially said they'd consider it during a phone conversation but when I went to the office they immediately rescinded permission because the Director wouldn't allow it. 

[MrsTani]

Any idea if the "no-VBACs in the tub" at MD General applies to secondary VBACs as well - those who have had a successful VBAC after their initial c/s?
 

[VBACmama4]

This reply is late, sorry about that but just FYI, yes, the no VBAC rule at MD General applies to everyone unless they have express prior permission from the Labor and Delivery Director himself. I had a CS in '01, VBAC water birth at a birth center in '02, another VBAC in '10 and MD General STILL told me no on the tub birth! They wouldn't even consent to letting me labor in the tub until they "saw how I was handling it", as though I were a first time mother with no track record. It's really sad..