Midwifery Traditions - Lower Gwynedd, PA

[LoveMyJonah]

I searched and have read wonderful things about the CNM's in this practice. I moved to Maple Glen yesterday from the city and I am thinking of switching to this practice. I will go for a consult but have some questions first.

- How is Chestnut Hill Hospital at respecting NCB? We would not be doing a homebirth, but want midwifery care as opposed to OB care and want an NCB friendly hospital. We're currently at Holy Redeemer and having BTDT before, I am running for the hills! Does the hospital have any strange "restrictions" as far as freedom of mobility goes or monitoring?

- Has anyone had any problems with the midwives being unavailable and ending up with an OB at the hospital? I am due around Christmas so this worries me. Do they have back-up midwives?

- How soon do they let you leave the hospital?

Thanks!

[MrsMike]

Hi! I, too, have heard wonderful things about MT and will be switching over to them soon. Actually, my best friend, who is a midwife and who delivered my son, used Kathy Hindle for her first child's birth and has nothing but glowing reviews. She would have had Kathy at her second child's birth but it went quick and Kathy herself had the flu. I had Kathy for well-women care years ago back when she worked with the birth center I currently use.
I ended up having my son at Chestnut Hill, against my wishes. The one midwife who was needed as back-up in order for me to have a birth center birth was "unavailable." So, while I do not have experience with Midwifery Traditions at CHH, I did use another midwife and had a completely natural birth. The staff at CHH left me alone with my midwife for the entire birth which was wonderful. The time after my midwife left (few hours after the birth) is a different story and I barely have anything positive to say about the place in that regard. I was able to leave a little over 12 hours after the birth. I would have been able to go home sooner but I had fainted and was too tired to fight for myself.
According to my best friend, CHH is generally easy to work with when it comes to NCB. They also have their own staff of midwives. They are also one of the few who allow VBACs (I believe), though another friend was turned away for a VBA2C.
I think you'll be pleased. I have generally heard good things as far as births go. Good luck and congratulations. :-)

[LoveMyJonah]

Thanks so much for the info Jenn! I know I'll be fine to fend for myself after the birth, but I plan to use hypnobabies and I would like to be "in my zone" as much as possible so we're planning on hiring a doula. I really don't want a lot of interruptions. I've used self-hypnosis and therapy in the past for some other conditions and it was wonderful. I just know at HR they'll be constantly interrupting me which would defeat the purpose.

If all else fails(due to us looking for a doula this late in the game and being due right around the holidays), my dad will play "doula" again like he did last time, he was really wonderful. My husband is a saint, but he is, how do I describe him.... a nervous wreck! He had an extremely hard time seeing me in pain and had a lot of fears about birthing, and of becoming a father, but he's past a lot of that now. I needed my dad to take care of my husband more than me! I have a lot more faith in him this time though, but he has a Panic Disorder and it's really hard for him to calm down sometimes, although he tries.

LOL Sorry for my life story!

[LoveMyJonah]

Oh I could cry, they're full for December

[mom2tatum]

Maybe you could look into the midwives of Delaware County. They are really really great, and seem to believe wholeheartedly in forging a good relationship with the hosp and staff in general...and they are so supportive of NCB, I was totally impressed and so was our doula at the time. If I wasn't planning a homebirth this time, I'd be back with them in a second...its the next best option to me. Some of the midwives have been there together for 15 years (becca, bernadette, off the top of my head) and are such lovely and wise women. I know they now have two or three new mw's since I delivered, but I say give them a call. The office is separate from the hosp, and it seems like a clinic almost because part of their "focus" is on serving the underprivleged population, but don't let that throw you, they are fabulous and they really want to encourage women and the hospital staff to embrace NCB as much as possible.

Their statistics are great as well.

[mommyshoppinghabit]

Originally Posted by LoveMyJonah

Oh I could cry, they're full for December

They fill up fast! I don't know how anyone actually gets them to attend their births as I tried twice to use them for each of my births and I let them know about 7 weeks post-conception and they were already booked for those months, and I was already a patient of theirs, going for regular gyn visits! From my experience, I would focus on getting a doula booked rather than looking for a midwifery at this stage. If you can swing the money end of it, look for a doula that can do both birth and postpartum. Even better, get a doula who is also a lactation consultant! I have one in mind if you want her number.

[LoveMyJonah]

Originally Posted by mommyshoppinghabit

They fill up fast! I don't know how anyone actually gets them to attend their births as I tried twice to use them for each of my births and I let them know about 7 weeks post-conception and they were already booked for those months, and I was already a patient of theirs, going for regular gyn visits! From my experience, I would focus on getting a doula booked rather than looking for a midwifery at this stage. If you can swing the money end of it, look for a doula that can do both birth and postpartum. Even better, get a doula who is also a lactation consultant! I have one in mind if you want her number.

Sure! Just PM me her number if you don't mind! Thanks!

[~NewMa~]

Kathy Hindle delivered my little Levi at home this past April
She's also a mother to me (helped my mom deliver me, my sister and brother and has been a big part of our lives and remained close friends with my parents since then)
I'm so glad and excited to hear kind words about her on here!!!