Do you want the good news?

[Shenandoah]

I spoke with a doctor who does vaginal breech deliveries this morning. He said he'd take me as a patient, just call when I'm in labor and he'll meet me at the hospital.

Now comes the decision making. It is easily 2.5-3 hour drive to that hospital. By the time I know I'm in labor, arrange for childcare for my other children and get on the road it could be 1-2 hours. Plus, if traffic is heavy, which it easily could be, then it will take longer to get to that hospital. My mw said she'd come with me but that's still a long drive.

He asked a lot of questions about my size, my previous birth and baby's size, etc. When I told him about the long drive and said, "Someone said I could just stay home and have the baby and just go to the local hospital if there's a problem." He said, yes, you could but you'd make your ob mad at you. (Like I care.) His opinion is that I should be able to birth this baby (who will probably be 6.5-7 pounds) without assistance at all but that I'd be safer in a hospital. Sure, I probably would be. But would I be safer at home or on the side of the road? My mw doesn't have experience with breech and isn't comfortable trying to deliver my baby herself. She knows someone who might be able to help but that person isn't liscensed.

So complicated. I think the defining moment will be when the contractions start. I'll know whether I think I can do the drive or not right then. Right now I'm still praying the baby turns. (And I'm coaxing him too.)

Thanks to everyone for your assistance and support.

[swtpesq]

It must be great to at least know that you have options!

Good luck, and keep us posted!

[blissfish]

CRIPES! I so feel for you - and hey, lucky you, you get to make decisions in LABOR! PERFECT!

GOOD LUCK! and TURN, baby, TURN!!!

[bleumoose]

It must be a relief to know you have options, even if they are complicated ones. I'm hoping baby turns for you and eliminates the need to weigh the options!

[meggles]

Still sending turning vibes...
It must be nice to have a real Plan B though, just in case you need it.

[Electra375]

Are you with a CPM now or a CNM?
Are you planning a hb?
Hbing is an option in VA and the mw I know who assist with breeches is not licensed, but no mws were licensed prior to July 1 of 2005! My hba2c was lay mw, non-licensed. Licensing is a new thing in VA.

The only thing a license does for you is that it might help insurance cover the cost -- however, that is not the case with Self-Funded plans or HMOs. We had a self-funded insurance plan that would not cover homebirths and of course HMO does not have CPMs as in-network providers.

And the one CPM up this way that I know does not do breeches b/c it was not in her scope of training in another state prior to moving here. There are several CPMs in the Charlottesville area who are breech trained and there are many other mws who are not fully CPMs yet you are also trained and skilled. The license does not mean they are more qualified than a non-licensed.

My first mw won't get licensed, she does not want it. And she is more than qualified, highly skilled and very knowledgable. I'd actually rather be stranded on a deserted island with her than the CPM I know. I know that for me licensed means nothing, I prefer the non-licensed, pay cash mw.

Loudoun Community MWs way up in Leesburg did not have a problem with a friend delivering a twin breech, or so they told her. Of course, these were babies #6 and 7! And in the end both were head down. Only 1 of the group told her this, they do assisted vbacs, but only after 1 c/s last time I asked. I think they are able to see me now that I've actually birthed, but I would not choose to birth in a hospital ever again after birthing at home.

If a mw is coming to assist another mw with an unfamiliar issue such as breech, you might find the cost is minimal, if at all or barter - able. I think I asked and was quoted $600 or something like that.

Where is it that you have to travel to for the nice OB? I know of NO OBs like that here in the Northern Shenadoah area - c/s is a c/s push, push, push, the vbac rate is extremely low.

[Shenandoah]

Electra, the ob is in Arlington, Dr. Tchabo. My mw is almost liscensed so will be accompanied by her "supervising" mw. If something goes wrong and a nonliscensed mw is present along with the liscensed one, the liscensed one could loose her liscense. Also, dh is just barely on board with a hb (of a vertex baby) and will certainly not be swayed into a nonliscensed mw. It's his child too so although my vote is weighted heavier, he certainly gets a vote.

My plans are up in the air and won't be truely decided until either the baby turns or my labor begins. At this point I'm beginning to think the baby is just waiting for labor to begin before he turns. :

[Electra375]

I've heard good things about that OB. I didn't think they were taking patients (if it is the place I'm thinking about - Catholic based practice).
Please pm me with who your mw is, I might know her or of her!
I just found out in a card today that my former mw who is super trained is now a CPM (i didn't think she was going to go that route). She is in DE, but traveled into NoVA to serve mamas. I know her apprentice who assisted with my dd's birth just became VA's 20th licensed CPM and I would imagine if it were her, she'd call the DE mw in.
Let's chat... I think I can find you a CPM who is knowledgable in breech births to attend to a hb for you. Depends on where you live... AT the very least, I can direct you to the women who keep track of all the licensed mws, but you might already know at least 1 of them from the Birth Circle you mentioned earlier.
I was up in the air about what to do when at 28wks pregnant my OB terminated my care in 04. At 34 wks I met with my mw and had a plan. The not knowing was just aweful, the entire pregnancy had been a game of finding a care provider. Once I met with her and made the decision to hba2c, I was at total peace and hunkered down in preparation. I only had a few weeks since my edd was way off, I went into labor 2wks earlier than u/s edd.