input on midwives in NYC?

[racheldear]

i am newly pregnant and looking for a midwife in NYC. i would like to give birth at the st luke's roosevelt birthing center in manhattan. any suggestions about who to call? thanks!

[ebony]

I have tried to find recommendations for good CNMs in the hospital. Unfortunately, I can't find any. My friend in NY is pregnant and she wants to find one in the hospital as well. The only great midwives I know in the city are homebirth midwives. My midwife is absolutely wonderful. If you ever consider homebirth, her name is Cara Muhlhahn and she is in Manhattan and does births all over the boroughs.

Good luck on your search!

[LizD]

My sister-in-law just had a nice birthing at the center at st luke's last Thursday! I will email her and ask which midwife was hers. I know she was very pleased and my mother-in-law very impressed.

[racheldear]

thanks! glad to hear she had a good birth at st. luke's!

[EviesMom]

I've heard tons of rave reviews about CBS Midwifery, with Barbara Sellers and Elizabeth Boyce. http://www.nycmidwives.com/ My friend who worked as a labor and delivery nurse at St. Luke's Roosevelt is in school to become a midwife, and she absolutely adores these women after seeing them in action during births on the regular labor and delivery floor. This is who I would want to use for my next birth (although I can't use that birthing center next time because I'll be VBAC :irked: ). The only issue I've heard is with insurance because they don't take much/any. (That's why I didn't use them last time.)

Midwifery Services, headed by Barbara Brennan, uses the birth center at St. Luke's. I talked to them, but I didn't have a good rapport with Ms. Brennan, although I know some people love them.

I used Dr. Alice Lee (partnered with Dr. Rhee) for my last birth. She takes a lot of insurance, encourages the birthing center, and is very very warm and personable. I went with her partially because my nurse friend said she really liked her and thought she was a midwife when she first worked with her. I think Dr. Lee is very good, and she gave me information on trying versions and moxa to get my breech baby to turn. In the end, however, I went into labor early (2 days before an attempt at a version to turn the baby), labored for a while, and ended up with a c-section. I don't think I'd go with her again, though, because she does a lot of ultrasounds and I don't think that's great for the baby, and I didn't like Dr. Rhee's attitude toward weight gain.

[krae]

I used Dr. Lee as well. She's no longer practicing in NYC (moved to California with her husband). Dr. Rhee now practices with Dr. Katrina Bradley. The philosophy of the practice is the same, though, and they are among the most NCB-friendly OB's in NYC, from everything I've heard. Probably your best option if you have to go with an OB for any reason. (Dr. Lee WAS a little out of control with that ultrasound machine though!)

Midwifery Services and CBS Midwives are two practices that deliver at the BC. I'm not personally familiar with either, but have heard they share call. So you could end up with a midwife from either group at your delivery. The other names I've heard are Sylvie Blaustein, Georgia Rose and a midwife named "Yael" that practices with Dr. Paka.

You might want to try asking for recommendations at RealBirth (www.realbirth.org). It's an organization run by the midwives that used to deliver at Elizabeth Seton.

[LizD]

My SIL used Yael Silverberg and was very happy with her and Dr Paka (or Patka, I'm not sure of the spelling). If you need the number PM me. Good luck!