Question for midwifes about schedules

[DDNemo]

When you take clients, do you try to have time between estimated due dates? Or do you have a back up planned in case you have two women go into labor at the same time?

My MW has no back up plan and says that it just does not happen. I had thought she scheduled her clients with time between edd, but "NO" she just says that it does not happen, and God willing it won't happen.

I was a little uncomfortable that she did not even have a backup plan - but I can understand that it probablly will not happen. However, I'd like to know what other midwifes think..... is this SOP or should I be concerned?

Thanks!

[pamamidwife]

I don't have a formal person on call for me for backup. I do live in an area that has surrounding midwives in an hour radius. I have told people that if two women go into labor at once (unlikely to happen), I stay where I was first, send my apprentice to the other mama and call in another midwife to supervise the apprentice.

I don't look at times between due dates because some women come three weeks early, others three weeks late. Arranging due dates like that would only guarantee that I'd have all my clients birth the same week! I just trust that things are going to happen the way they are meant to - and they always do.

[memiles]

As a doula, the only moms I have ever had go at the same time had due dates 3 weeks apart. Others have told me the same thing.........it's a crapshoot. I always have a backup, and I don't really consider due dates when taking clients unless I feel like I wouldn't want to do any more births within that 6 week period.

[MsBlack]

It's not so much about time between due dates...it's about how many births your mw does in a month, and also how far apart her clients live from each other. Me, I drive up to 2hrs...I don't take more than 4 a month. This past Feb-March, I had 3 ladies with a 3wk due date span that turned into all 3 going in the same week! Luckily, there was a day-plus between labors so I did get some sleep/downtime in between. I have actually never missed a birth because of someone else's labor--tho I have missed a few who just birthed faster than I could drive to them!

If your mw doesn't drive far, she could probably do more than 4 a month...I've heard of mws who go no more than 1 hr, and take quite a few more births than that. If she does drive a goodly distance, I'd be worried--unless she takes no more than 4-5 a month.

If you can find out that she really doesn't miss births, then I'd relax.

[DDNemo]

Thank you ladies! I feel pretty good about it not being a problem... I do whish she would develop some sort of backup plan though... I was a little unsettled with how she just blew it off and said "it just doesn't happen" without going into much more detail.

[tlcdoula]

Originally Posted by DDNemo

Thank you ladies! I feel pretty good about it not being a problem... I do whish she would develop some sort of backup plan though... I was a little unsettled with how she just blew it off and said "it just doesn't happen" without going into much more detail.

I would think she would need some sort of back up plan. I am not a midwife, but even just knowing someone else that she can call on. If it is bothering you I would ask her more about it and explain how you are feeling. Perhaps she really does have a plan, but doesn't go into it with the mothers or maybe she doesn't. In which case maybe she could come up with a plan to make you more comfortable.