Choosing a midwife/doc

[Meli65]

So, what are your plans in this regard?

Ds was born at a freestanding birth center in NJ and I was attended by midwives and a doula -- it was great! No birth centers in Cleveland though :(

So, I'm considering a home birth. When should I start interviewing midwives? And how/when are you making a decision?

[geminimommy]

Excellent question! I'm trying to figure out what to do as well. A local group of doulas are having a "Meet the Doulas" tea next week and since some of them attend homebirths I'm hoping to get some good recommendations on midwives too.

[Awaken]

I'm going with the freestanding birth center/cnm's I used last time. I truly want to do a homebirth this time, BUT the one hb cnm practice is really far away from us- not practical for prenatal appts. with a toddler in tow. So that would leave a lay midwife I guess, and I think hb is technically illegal in my state w/o a cnm (haven't researched it all the way yet) and we are not ones to buck the law. Plus, why pay cash when our insurance pays for the birth center and cnm's. Except I am stressing out over possibly having to give birth at the hosp.- my last birth was at 37 weeks so anything before that I would have to go to the hosp. with the cnm and I DON'T want that. I have 1/2 a mind to stay home and go UC if that were to happen!!!

[~Nikki~]

I'm hoping to find a midwife this time around, that will either deliver at my hospital, or at a birthing center (I have to find out if one exists in my city, I suppose!) My first daughter was delivered by a doctor, and I didn't like the experience. It was so impersonal. When I went in for my 6 week checkup after the birth, my doctor didn't even know that I had ended up needing a c-section! I just got a bad vibe from the whole experience.

I wouldn't feel comfortable having a homebirth. My first birth, like I said, ended up a c-section after 44 hours of labour. I still don't know why it happened, and wouldn't want to risk being stuck at home if things went bad this time. I was told that my daughter wouldn't have made it through another half hour of labour, so I'm glad they advised me to have the c-section.

I'm hoping to have a VBAC this time, so we'll see how that goes. ;)

[aja-belly]

we're having a homebirth with a midwife we know and love. we "picked her" a few years ago. i took childbirth classes taught by her for my doula cert, and was a doula at a very good friend's birth that she was the midwife for.

aja