Anyone deliver at Anne Arundel Med Ctr with Special Beginnings Midwives?

[LDS2]

Hi Everyone! I am currently 34 weeks pregnant and will be having my baby at Anne Arundel Medical Center with the midwives from Special Beginnings. Unfortunately, I can't birth at the birth center due to previous uterine surgery. I was wondering if you could share your experiences with me if you have had your baby at the hospital with these midwives. I really like them alot but as I get closer, I'm starting to have more questions about what the hospital situation will be like. What did you think of the overall experience? Did the nurses respect your wishes for a natural birth? Did you feel supported by the midwife and hospital staff? Was there anything (procedures, etc.) that they wanted you to do that you didn't expect? How long were you there postpartum? In general, I'm just curious as to how it all went for others and if you have any advice.

Thanks so much in advance for your responses!
Lisa

[NaturalMama311]

I am very interested to hear inout as well, I am currently 33 weeks and in a similar situation. I will be birthing at AAMC with SC midwives. From what I have been told, the hospital requires a 48-hour stay after birth for the baby. Mom is free to go earlier but they require the baby stays for at least 48 hours, unless you get a waiver from your pediatrician. That's about all I know since I asked about the length of stay, so please let us know how your hospital birthing experiences were!

[beachmommy5]

I recently birthed at AAMC with the midwives from Bay Area, it was a VBAC. Overall I was pleased with my hospital expirence. We stayed for 24 hours, and although they acted like they expected me to stay for 48 hours I told the nurse and pedi that examined dd that I was leaving early and they didn't give me any trouble at all. The delivery nurse was very nice and had no problem with my no vax/no vit K/no eye ointment/no bath birth plan.

[Crunchie]

I transferred to AAMC from SB in labor for the purpose of intervention (I had a c-section) so I don't have any experience with them in terms of how supportive they are of natural birth. But my overall experience was good. The nurses were great and everyone was very easy-going about all of my choices. No Hep B, no eye goop. I nursed within 20 minutes or so of the surgery. My baby did not have a bath and he never left my room (or my bed, really ) once. We left the hospital a day early (48 hours).

I would go to AAMC again. The fact that I had to have a c-section wasn't a good experience, of course, but I'm glad that AAMC was the back up hosptial when I did have to have medical intervention.

[SassyC]

I had a great VBAC experience with SB at AAMC. No drugs or interventions. I did labor VERY quickly which no on expected. I was super happy with everything and everyone (including the NICU).

[gkb2215]

I delivered at Special Beginnings seven weeks ago, so I can't give you firsthand info on doing it at AAMC. However, the understanding I got from the midwives and someone I know who delivered at AAMC w/SB midwives is that the hospital staff is very respectful of SB patients' preferences.

I prepared a birth plan that wasn't much different from what SB already does at the birth center,--no hep B, breastfeeding on demand, skin-to-skin contact, delayed cutting of cord, etc.--that I thought would be good to have if I ended up being transferred. Both midwives who read our plan said that the AAMC is familiar with those requests and accommodates them, unless there's a good reason not to.

As for the 48 hour stay, I suppose that's a negative for some folks and a plus for others. My experience at SB was wonderful, but the only thing I wish had been different was that I could have stayed longer. Hubby and I felt like deer in headlights when we got home 8 hours after the birth, and I think a longer stay would have been helpful for things like breastfeeding, resting a bit, abdominal massage, etc. That's just my opinion!

[KatyLinda]

I wonder how much of the 48 hour stay is required. When I had DD at Howard County I was told it was 48 hours for vaginal, unless it was after 11 PM, then you waited until 11 AM the following morning. When my OB told me that based on my dilation, etc that I was going to deliver around 11 I freaked! I told her I did NOT want to stay an extra 12 hours, I wanted to go home. She looked at me puzzled and said, "As long as the baby is healthy, you can leave tomorrow!" I was SOOOO releived. Sure enough we stuck around for our "celebratory dinner" (which we should have skipped...yuck) and left the hospital at 7 PM with our 22 hour hold baby. The 48 hours is the max the insurance will pay for, but we were cleared to leave early as long as we were both healthy. It was on my chart that we wanted to leave ASAP and all the staff was supportive of that. I would think it would be similar at AAMC, but maybe I'm crazy...

[PJJ]

with SB your wishes are listened to

But with Women/OBGYN, no one even looks at your birth plan.

The hospital staff at AAMC seems to operate as the doc does, so I would vote SB.

I so wish I had gone to them and I am certain I would not have had a c-section.

Good luck Mama!