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Houston Homebirth Midwife? - Page 2

post #21 of 40
11/9/08 at 5:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mamaverdi View Post
You really didn't find anything with the search?
Just recently, there are only 10 pages of old threads here... I have no idea why, but I think a lot of the great recommendations are now lost (or archived somewhere? I really don't understand what's happening).
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post #22 of 40
11/9/08 at 7:24pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah, I searched this section for both Houston homebirth midwife, and when that turned up nothing, just "midwife" and got bupkiss. I know there used to be pages of threads with recs because I'd looked at them before.
post #23 of 40
11/9/08 at 10:06pm
Try the archives???
post #24 of 40
11/9/08 at 10:33pm
Thread Starter 
:doh: I didn't even realize they had an archive for the tribal areas, much less that it was communal and not attached to the specific area. It took me some searching to find it even now.

I have interviews with Kathy Rude and Chris Duffy this Saturday. If I need any additional interviews after that I will go back and search the archives.

post #25 of 40
11/9/08 at 11:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sk8ermaiden View Post
I have interviews with Kathy Rude and Chris Duffy this Saturday. If I need any additional interviews after that I will go back and search the archives.
Oooh Please let us know what you asked, what they said, who you picked and why...It makes deciding for future plans so much easier when other ppl have BTDT, kwim??
post #26 of 40
11/11/08 at 7:12pm
I used Cathy Rude in June. She was great.
post #27 of 40
11/28/08 at 4:45pm
I used Carol Schumacher up until 32 weeks. I only switched midwives because I moved away from the Houston area. I really liked her a lot and was sad that she wasn't going to be at my birth. She came highly recommended from my previous midwife. fyi, for an added fee, she will travel to you for prenatals.
post #28 of 40
12/3/08 at 4:55am

Houston Midwife

I know this is a little late, but I just had to throw my vote into the mix.

I just had my first baby 4 short months ago. I did tons of research and interviewed a lot of midwives. I ended up picking Kellie Moeller. She is WONDERFUL. She is a Certified Nurse Midwife (one of the only ones in Houston that does homebirths, the others only do birth center births.)

I asked her tons of questions. I can post the list if anyone wants it. Mainly it would give people an idea of what you can and might want to ask a midwife.

The reason I picked Kellie is because I felt comfortable with her. I loved her answers to all of the questions I asked. She was patient and gave great detailed responses. She really knows her stuff. Most of the other midwives I interviewed danced around some questions. Kellie was honest and never dodged a question. I also really wanted a CNM. Kellie has tons of training, education, and experience.

Throughout my pregnancy, she was very encouraging, helpful, and wise. She helped me get over my intense fears (getting transferred to the hospital and all that came with it and the fear of actual labor.) She also helped me steer clear of GD and preeclampsia (I tested high on my 1 hour GD screening, and my blood pressure started rising towards the end.) All in all, she is great.

If anyone has any questions about Kellie or how my pregnancy, labor, or delivery was, feel free to PM me. I love love love Kellie and would go on and on and on. :
post #29 of 40
12/3/08 at 11:22am
FWIW there are other CNMs... but LM are fabulous as well.

I have heard on the grapevine that Kellie insists you meet with her "backup" OB as a "thank you" (no other reason, he will not guarantee to attend if you transfer)

That is not acceptable to me, though I realize that some women wouldn't mind.

-Angela
post #30 of 40
12/3/08 at 2:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by alegna View Post
I have heard on the grapevine that Kellie insists you meet with her "backup" OB as a "thank you" (no other reason, he will not guarantee to attend if you transfer)

That is not acceptable to me, though I realize that some women wouldn't mind.

-Angela
Yah, given a true emergency, I don't think I would care the least who was cutting me open. However, if I "out-risked" and needed to be referred to an OBGYN, I'd rather choose my own anyways. Seems pointless really.
post #31 of 40
12/3/08 at 3:52pm
Thread Starter 
We ended up picking Cathy Rude. We really liked her (my DH LOVED her). She answered all my questions very openly and I liked her answers.

The ONLY negative for her is she is kind of a diet totalitarian. I had vanilla ice cream on my diet diary three times in two weeks, and she told me that I should not eat it because of the empty calories. I'm sorry, who denies a pregnant woman ice cream? Other than that though, we loved her.
post #32 of 40
12/4/08 at 1:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShwarmaQueen View Post
Yah, given a true emergency, I don't think I would care the least who was cutting me open. However, if I "out-risked" and needed to be referred to an OBGYN, I'd rather choose my own anyways. Seems pointless really.
There actually are good reasons to meet a back-up OB.

1) You are then considered their patient. This makes it so so much easier to xfer to them at the hospital. Most xfers are NOT for cut you open quickly emergencies. But even so, having an established doctor makes a huge difference in any kind of care you receive in a hospital.

2) While you may WANT to choose your own doctor, depending upon why, you may not be able to find one who will work with you in the way you want; where the back-up docs ARE usually more flexible.


I'm not saying anyone has to meet a back-up doctor. I never have . But there are good reasons to do so, even if the midwife doesn't state them.
post #33 of 40
12/4/08 at 1:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sk8ermaiden View Post
We ended up picking Cathy Rude. We really liked her (my DH LOVED her). She answered all my questions very openly and I liked her answers.

The ONLY negative for her is she is kind of a diet totalitarian. I had vanilla ice cream on my diet diary three times in two weeks, and she told me that I should not eat it because of the empty calories. I'm sorry, who denies a pregnant woman ice cream? Other than that though, we loved her.
Cathy is lovely! Good luck with your birth!

And ice cream
post #34 of 40
12/4/08 at 5:51pm
Cathy is strict with the diet.

I one time had Koolaid one my diet sheet. Beware of the koolaid.

But, it works. I really paid attention to what I ate and had an extremely healthy pregnancy. I had energy, very very little PP bleeding and (vain as it is) four months after I delivered was back down to my prepregnancy size.
post #35 of 40
12/4/08 at 7:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mamaverdi View Post
There actually are good reasons to meet a back-up OB.

1) You are then considered their patient. This makes it so so much easier to xfer to them at the hospital. Most xfers are NOT for cut you open quickly emergencies. But even so, having an established doctor makes a huge difference in any kind of care you receive in a hospital.

2) While you may WANT to choose your own doctor, depending upon why, you may not be able to find one who will work with you in the way you want; where the back-up docs ARE usually more flexible.


I'm not saying anyone has to meet a back-up doctor. I never have . But there are good reasons to do so, even if the midwife doesn't state them.
In this case the OB isn't even promising to actually be a backup for the individual patients. They have stated ( to my understanding...) that they would NOT come in if not on duty.

-Angela
post #36 of 40
12/5/08 at 10:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by alegna View Post
I have heard on the grapevine that Kellie insists you meet with her "backup" OB as a "thank you" (no other reason, he will not guarantee to attend if you transfer)

That is not acceptable to me, though I realize that some women wouldn't mind.

-Angela
I'm not trying to be rude, but you shouldn't say derogatory things about what you don't know. Hearing "through the grapevine" is nothing more than gossip.

Kellie does not FORCE you to see a back up OB. She says it is a good idea to see one, not as a "thank you" but in case you need to transfer to a hospital for a non-emergency. Up to 25% of first time moms transfer to the hospital for exhaustion. She gives you a list of OB's who are homebirth friendly. The guy I met with did not charge me for a visit, and yes, he guaranteed that if I needed to see him, he'd be there. In fact, he was called in at 3am the day I saw him to assist one of Kellie's patients who had been in labor for 33 hours.
post #37 of 40
12/5/08 at 10:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sarahkristin View Post
I'm not trying to be rude, but you shouldn't say derogatory things about what you don't know. Hearing "through the grapevine" is nothing more than gossip.

Kellie does not FORCE you to see a back up OB. She says it is a good idea to see one, not as a "thank you" but in case you need to transfer to a hospital for a non-emergency. Up to 25% of first time moms transfer to the hospital for exhaustion. She gives you a list of OB's who are homebirth friendly. The guy I met with did not charge me for a visit, and yes, he guaranteed that if I needed to see him, he'd be there. In fact, he was called in at 3am the day I saw him to assist one of Kellie's patients who had been in labor for 33 hours.
Actually, I'm going on information from a friend who is currently with her. I don't want to give too many details as it's not my story.

She told this mom it was mandatory and it was "as a thank you"

Does she have a 25% transfer rate for first time moms?!? That's outrageous if that's the case.

I don't see where I said anything derogatory. I simply stated what I had heard. Some women would be fine with that requirement- in fact, in other parts of the country it's standard.

-Angela
post #38 of 40
12/6/08 at 2:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sarahkristin View Post
I'm not trying to be rude, but you shouldn't say derogatory things about what you don't know. Hearing "through the grapevine" is nothing more than gossip.

Kellie does not FORCE you to see a back up OB. She says it is a good idea to see one, not as a "thank you" but in case you need to transfer to a hospital for a non-emergency. Up to 25% of first time moms transfer to the hospital for exhaustion. She gives you a list of OB's who are homebirth friendly. The guy I met with did not charge me for a visit, and yes, he guaranteed that if I needed to see him, he'd be there. In fact, he was called in at 3am the day I saw him to assist one of Kellie's patients who had been in labor for 33 hours.
that is not what many others say...

I will add for clarification purposes, i know this to be true personally.
post #39 of 40
12/18/08 at 4:21pm
i see you have chosen your midwife. we actually interview Cathy as well. We ended up going with one of her regular back up midwives, Natalie Wommack. We are just on the edge of Copperfield and Katy. Her house is out in Ft. Bend County. Our entire family loves her and we can't wait to give birth to baby #4 in our home!

best of wishes during your pregnancy and with the ice cream. i can totally relate!

erin
post #40 of 40
12/21/08 at 12:34pm
Thanks for sharing.

-Angela