Has anyone been to the midwife/Ob yet?

[lisap]

I'm just asking b/c I'm a little bummed that my OB won't see me until the middle of November. I just want confirmation and such, but I have to wait : . So has anyone else seen their midwife/OB yet?

ETA: How does a midwife work? Do they accept insurance? I don't like my OB and am looking for a new one. TIA.

[cymbeline]

If I could have my way, I would use my midwife from my first two homebirths, but she moved out of state

Anyway, we're interviewing a potential replacement on Monday.

As for the OB/Midwife question... I paid out of pocket for the first two. I was lucky, she was quite affordable. But it was a pinch for the first time, we were so broke, and I had seen an OB for the first 35 weeks of my pregnancy. I switched to the mw at 36 weeks and still paid the whole price. Totally, totally worth it, IMO.

[KnittingKara]

Not yet ... we have a consultation scheduled early next week with a local birth center to see if it is a "fit" with us. here's hoping : If not, well, the search for a midwife will continue, though I have to admit I do feel a little bit worried about not having a for sure plan yet ... but I feel good and I'm trying not to, as my friend says, borrow trouble. Still I probably won't rest until I hear that heartbeat

The birth center we're looking says some insurances will cover it. We're still looking into whether or not ours will or if we'll have to pay out of pocket (and hope there's an installment plan )

Good luck in your search!

[Keeta]

I've been to see my new OB - she's affiliated with an Alternative Birth Center in a local hospital here, which was as close as I could get DH to a "natural" experience!

I think she only saw me so early (around 4 wks) because I was brand new to her practice, so it was to establish a "baseline" of info about me. I'll be back on Nov. 9 (four weeks from the last appt). Before I made an appointment with her, I had called my old ob/gyn (who I wasn't crazy about) to make an appt, and they didn't want to see me until 8 weeks along.

[MyLittleWonders]

I just saw the nurse practitioner on Monday at 7 1/2 weeks. I forgot how much I liked her. She is really cool and all for not doing unnecessary things (for instance, various blood tests that are unnecessary, but some doctors push them anyways ... she's like, why make insurance spend the money? It only raises med costs for us all.). I'll see my ob on Nov. 8th - 10 1/2 weeks pregnant. The way the practice is set up, all "new" ob patients see the NP first as she's less busy, and then will see their OB 4 weeks later. Since I waited to go in (I didn't make the appointment for the pee-test at the doctor's until a week and a half after I knew I was pregnant), I'm seeing my OB about 1 1/2-2 weeks later than I did with ds#1 (ds#2 was an abnormality in that I was 4 weeks further along that I realized!). I'm guessing she'll do an u/s to confirm dates and also confirm heartbeat/growth at that appt (I'm hoping so), as I think I'll still be a couple weeks too early to get a heartbeat with the doppler.

[lisap]

Are any midwives covered by insurance or do you have to pay out of pocket?
We know we want to deliver at a particular hospital, but my OB is very cold and sterile. I really want to have good birth experience (she wasn't there for the first one, but that OB was no help to me).

[B52Bombshell]

Some midwives are covered by insurance. Depends on your insurance, and the midwife. You can either call your insurance company or look online (if they have a website & I believe that most do) & see which midwives in your area are covered. They may be covered 100% by insurance, or, if you go out of network, insurance will (should) cover a portion (like 70/30...60/40...if you're lucky it'll be 80/20).

In my case, the midwife associated w/a hospital is covered 100% by our insurance. The midwife associated w/the birthing center is not (dang it), neither is the birthing center. Insurance will cover 70% of the cost. Yes, it's gonna hurt to pay, but at this point in my life (fortunately), I'm not a slave to the insurance company (maybe not the best analogy, but you get my point). I do NOT want to give birth at a hospital. I had my 1st child at a birthing center (now closed) & really, really loved the experience. I thought long & hard about my decision, 'cos I'm **cheap** & would rather have insurance cover everything, but I cannot deal with hospital b.s.-particularly post-partum. I have no OB, BTW, I just use midwives for well-woman care. They have a much better bedside manner, IMO.

I saw the midwife at the BC yesterday. I'm 6? 7? weeks along. Don't have to go back until 15wks.

[luckymama]

i have an appointment late next week. my midwife is affiliated with a hospital and works with OBs, so she is covered by our insurance.

[AugustineM]

With my first DS I saw midwives at a free standing birth center. They were covered 100% by my insurance (Premera). This time I'm going to midwives associated with a hospital because I have to VBAC. They are also covered 100% by my insurance. I think that they usually are. If you just call and ask they'll tell you what insurance they take. I would totally recommend midwives. They are so ... caring and informal and laid-back. Each appointment is at least 45 minutes. I don't have to wait long periods of time in their office, etc.

I saw my midwife two days ago and I am 7 1/2 weeks. I go back at 12 weeks. I love going in for those visits! Next one we get to hear the heartbeat.

[akmeg]

I saw my family doctor today, in Alberta here the family doctor is the one who attends births unless it's a high risk pregnancy. I didn't really need to go in until later, but I wanted to confirm that this is really happening! Yea! It is!

I'm not going again until 12 weeks, in December. My Dr. is pretty relaxed about most things, especially since he knows me and was there when dd was born. I also teach his daughter violin, so the visits are very easy going! I would probably rather be seeing a midwife and birthing at home, but this situation is really pretty good.

[loudmama]

I'll see my family practice Dr on Nov 3rd. I'll be 7 weeks.

L

[Gray's Mommy]

Our new midwife normally sees new mamas between 10 & 12 weeks. We are going in when we are 10 weeks. Hopefully we'll get to hear the & go from there. We are planning for a homebirth, but may use her birth center instead.

mary

[mountainsun]

In FLorida, birth centers have to be covered by insurance by law! No matter to me, I don't have insurance. I would say interview some MWs. I had an OB last time, and she was OK - but I walked out of my nterview with my *new* MW feeling all warm and fuzzy - it was such a different and pleasant experience. Seriously, look into it

[The4OfUs]

I'm goign to see the midwife on the 25th - there are a few midwives, backed by a few OBs. I'll probably meet the OB a couple times, but will plan to hav ethe midwife at the birth cause I want a VBAC.....

DOn't think we'll get much of anything at this first visit since I'll only be 6 weeks, probably just intake and talk about the previous pregnancy.....then go from there as to what to do next. I DO ned to get my thyroid checked right away though as I'm hypothyroid on replacement meds and last time the levels went all wonky and I had to be checked every month and my doses tweaked (fortunately everythign went fine and I was never way out of range, just flip flopped backa dn forth between the outer limits on both ends) so I want to be sure to do the same this time.

[chrismom]

I have a long standing realtionship with my midwife. He is a solo practice certified nurse midwife so he does all my gyn care. He is now doing all my prenatal care. He is covered by our insurance. I have been to see him twice. The first time was at 6 weeks but he was called by another client before we were able to get to the physical exam. She was in labor and progressing fast. I told him to go. We rescheduled for this week (8 wks) which was great since DH was able to attend as well. I postponed the repeat for my own reasons, he was willing to rescedule for 2 days later. Now my next appointment is in a month but told me if there is any reason why I want to come in, just call and he will see me as frequently as I would like. He was wonderful with my last pregnancy which turned out to be a blighted ovum, lost at 10 weeks. He is very reassurring now about anything that may be disconcerting given my loss last time but not dwelling on it.

We do not plan to have him attend the birth. He is not set up for home birth so we will also be hiring a lay midwife, who is not covered by insurance. My DH feels more comfortable with Patrick handling my prenatal care as he has access to more intense testing (DH still is a little nervous about HB and wants to make sure that I am an ideal candidate). If I have to abandon my HB plans, Patrick will be my attendant for the hospital birth. He is cool with this plan.

I recomend MWs to everyone. OB's have never clicked with me, even the ones I met while in medical school. I had a female MW for routine gyn care before moving to Pittsburgh and she was great. I tried Patrick out when I moved here as he was the only MW at that point in a freestanding practice. I found that the sex of the MW makes no difference, it is the attitude of the MW that counts. I can't even abide the OB office anymore so I don't wnat to go into a mixed practice.

[ckhagen]

I'm not that far along, but I haven't been yet because we have no insurance right now and I'm applying for state pregnancy coverage. I should get approved, but there's some more hoops I have to jump through. Once I get a temporary OK, I'll be able to see the MW. She wants me to come in ASAP so she can attempt to date the pregnancy since I have no idea where I am other than between 3 and 6 weeks.

[mamamilkbar]

I have already been and see my OB, just to get a confirmation so I could start preparing work wise way far in advance, LOL. We go back Nov. 8th. Also I am seeing a OB and midwife. I love my OB, but with DD he was out of town and I did not like the Dr who deliver so so I am having a midwife as a back up in case that happens again... and I just got new insurance and didn't know how it works and I love it! I only had to pay 20 bucks up front for the co pay and now everything else is covered 100%. Baby start trying to have more babies soon after this one

JUST KIDDING!