Infomation on Kathy Sloan group and delivering at Mercy

[knoel]

I am 27 weeks pregnant and have been seeing Kathy Sloan and really have no complaints about her (she is the only midwife I have seen there due to my schedule.) Although at my last visit, she seemed really off...

She explained some paperwork I should fill out, twice with out realizing she just talked about it, would stop mid sentence and say she had no idea what she was talking about and switch topics.  I felt like I was dealing with, I don't know, someone with Alzheimer's? It was so discouraging!!

My goal is to have a natural birth with little to no interference in a birth tub.  I live in Northern Baltimore and her office is close, and Mercy is not too far away.  I had a bad experience with my first child's birth (home birth) and even now saying I want a natural birth.... I will do anything, and have any intervention done if my provider even senses at all that something is off.  So really I need my provider to really be on top of things.  And my last visit with Kathy just made me sad.  I will do anything to have this delivery go well, but the thought that I will have to start a search all over for a new provider just is so disheartening to me!

So please any advise, comments on Kathy and the other midwives at her office (recent experience would be most helpful- mostly because I have already heard how wonderful she has been with others in the past), any recommendations in the Northern Baltimore area of OBs/midwives that have hospital privileges in the area, or any other comments related to this.

Thanks so much.

[MarylandMommy]

I had a baby boy at Mercy and used Kathy's practice in March 2012. Overall I had a very positive experience and I am considering returning to the practice despite having moved to Cecil County - the hour drive to baltimore for prenatal visits and for the birth may just be worth it depending on what I can find in terms of care up around here.

My favorite midwife was Barbara. She and I seemed to just click. She was no-nonsense with a sense of humor but didn't seem judgmental or pushy. She stopped by my room after baby was born to say hi a few times and answer questions I had about circumcision. She is great.

Next favorite was actually Kathy herself. She came off to me as very "earth mother" and is very knowledgable and always answered my and my husband's questions thoroughly. Never felt rushed during prenatal visits with her.

Bayla delivered my baby. I had hoped for a drug-free birth using the tub but after being stuck at 8 cm (in the tub) for 4 HOURS I was exhausted and scared that I would be too tired to push so opted for an epidural. Turns out my water had only partially broken the night before. Bayla's personality and mine don't mesh that great, I had a hard time feeling super comfortable with her but she was patient with me. I kind of wish she had thought to make sure my water was fully broken before I got the epidural but I don't know, maybe you can't tell that sort of thing? So I do wish that either Kathy or Barbara had attended my birth but really I dont' have anything bad to say about Bayla or my overall experience, either. Bayla also gave me some terrific advice after my birth when I was combatting the baby blues, she advised me to take a complex B vitamin and it helped tremendously.

Kate I only met with once due to my schedule, and was a little offput by her simply because she warned me about  how much weight I was gaining (she herself is thin and very pretty so I admit I was probably being oversensitive :) ) However, she was the midwife on call a few times I had called in before going into labor and she was very helpful.

That's my experience. Maybe I will see you there in the coming months! Best of luck.
 

[imnottelling]

I am curious if anyone else has used them recently, because the only births I have heard at Mercy with them in the past several months have been induced. I'm getting the impression that they're falling into the CYA territory brought on by fear of Maryland's attitude toward CNMs, but I'd be happy to hear otherwise.

[knoel]

Thank you Maryland mommy for your response. I am really glad you had a good experience with them, besides meshing better with some of the midwives over the other. Barbara's name doesn't sound familiar, so I wonder if she's still there? I've really met with Kathy the most, and I go like her, just my last visit was so worrisome. I hope I can have the birth I want with them!
I'm not telling- thanks so your post! I do hope others will also chime in positive or negative experience with this group of midwives. I would like to birth without any interventions if me and baby are safe.
Thanks again ladies!

[mirkat]

Just a caution re: Mercy, since you mention you're interested in waterbirth with as few interventions as possible. I don't know if this is still the case, but according to an old thread, Kathy doesn't allow mamas to birth in the tub unless she makes sure your amniotic fluid is clear. In order to do that, she breaks your water. Probably worth checking her current policy on this. HTH!

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1223526/questions-about-delivering-with-kathy-sloane-and-mercy-hospital
 

[knoel]

Ill ask at my next appointment. We talked about it a little, but she was so off I'm not sure if shell even remember?
But thank you and I will ask more questions with the other midwives there that I see.

[klrteach]

I had a great natural birth at Mercy and saw the midwives in Kathy's practice for my prenatal care, too.