Why Midwives Rule! List YOUR Reasons

[beansavi]

Hi Mamas! I had a fantastic experience this weekend with my midwife that I want to share. Then I thought you guys could share your reasons why "midwives rule", too, if you want!

What happened to me:

I realize now that I have done this with every pregnancy, and this third was evidently no different: I get to about a month before the due date and feel like my baby is not moving like s/he should.

I called my midwife on Sunday and left a message. I got increasingly emotional, and my hubby called her pager. She was out looking for a canary for her mother for Christmas, but immediately called me. I was crying and very sad.

This sweet woman reassured me and first told me to get in the bath because the more I stress, the more the baby holds still. (A "fight or flight" thing.) She came home, called me again and told me to come over to her house. I told her I was calmer and that I could wait until morning.

She told me she didn't want me to worry one more minute, and said I could come over right then-Sunday night! I went, and we talked, she rubbed my belly, listened to the baby and did "reaction/non-stress" tests (listening to accelerations, etc.) with the doppler.

I was there for forty five minutes.

We also talked about other every day stuff in our lives (like the canary) and there was no feeling of hurry.

She hugged me as I left, and called yesterday to check on me.

I know what the routine would have been should I have had a mainstream doc. As nice as they can be (and I have had them, too), I would have had to go to the emergency room on a Sunday night if I was concerned and needed a listen to the baby.

Midwives rule! :heartbeat :heartbeat :heartbeat

[Tine]

Ooh, ooh! Me, me! I'm on an I-love-my-midwife kick right now, too. Here are just a couple of reasons (among a long, long list):

I recently switched to her at 22 wks. She spent 2 hours just talking with me, getting to know me & my pregnancy and learning about my experiences w/ infertility and past pregnancies. I've NEVER had a caregiver spend 2 unrushed hours w/ me. Or take any interest whatsoever in my knowledge, beliefs, and values.

She can discuss all sides of an issue intelligently, instead of just spouting the latest ACOG proclamation.

She is strong and determined to provide a service she thinks women really deserve. She's the ONLY homebirth CNM in a huge metropolitan area, fighting for normal birth in a community known for its medical establishment.

When this babe is born, SHE will be coming to ME! I can't tell you how giddy I feel about that.

[PinkPixie]

My experiences with my midwives is that they are compassionate, caring and very humane. I always felt that my body and emotions were treated with respect and dignity (I was not just another pregnant woman like I felt with ob's).

They are never rushed, my opinions and expectations are important to them. My birth has left me completely satisfied and fufilled. I'm so lucky to have my midwives again for my second homebirth.

I truly believe that being a midwife is not just a job, it is a vocation. And it takes a very special, calm, altruistic person to respond to that calling in life. :love

[witchbaby]

on mainstream boards and sites, i keep reading about how pregnant women are waiting HOURS to see their doctor, then only being in there for 5-10 minutes. i've NEVER waited for my midwives and we spend a full hour together, sometimes just chatting. i really feel close to them and am not uncomfortable with the thought of them seeing me naked and not at my best in the near future!

[beansavi]

Yay, Mamas!

I love that my midwife sees people in her home, and has a special room with a real bed with quilts, and tons of Mama icons, and pictures of homebirths everywhere.

I love that when I take my weekly pee, it's in a regular bathroom that doesn't smell like harsh cleaners, with flourescent lights. I just look out of the window at a birdfeeder....

:heartbeat :heartbeat :heartbeat :heartbeat :heartbeat :heartbeat :heartbeat

[dukeswalker]

nak...
She believed in ME - had faith that everything would go just as nature had intended if we didn't try to muck it all up. She KNOWS ME and my whole family - she calls (nearly 2 yrs. later to say "hi" - and feels comfotable enough to call and talk to dh about pharmacy stuff (he's a PharmD). I never felt like she was rushing me - NEVER. Not during an appt., not during labor, never....Best of all...She will have forever made an impact on me and my children. I know her affect on me will inturn influence my children - I am forever changed because of the gift she helped me give myself - yes my dd, but also courage, strength and faith in myself. :love

[wendy1221]

Hmmm.... Here are too many things to list. She's like a friend now, a real friend that I can call up, not an acquaintance. KWIM? A week before ds was born, I started early labor. My past labors were very very fast. I called her and said I'm not sure, but these feel real, etc. She came right over. I mean fast. Reassured me, told me it might be tomorrow, it might be 2 more weeks, but to relax and do what I felt like doing. I was in early labor for a week. She called me several times to ask how I was feeling. During my labor, which was my longest and easiest at 8 hours, she rushed over to find it was moving slowly. She just mostly hung out in our dining room area chatting w/ my family and her assistant, who is a good friend of mine. Gave me a few massages when dh wasn't doing it, fed me several times and was such a comforting, soothing presence for the whole thing. She seemed to just KNOW when I needed someone and when I needed to be left alone.

From a more mainstream healthcare provider point of view, she was better than a regular OB b/c she talks to you herself, her office is very homey, our appointments were always at least an hour long, and she didn't try to do any unecessary stuff at all.

[MamaTaraX]

OT -- Heather, I *LOVE* the quote in your signature! It's one ofmy favorites. My DH cried when we read the book the first time. You made me smile today:)

Will be back with my "why midwives rule!" later:) Gotta go clean, my awesome midwife willbe here in an hour ;)

Namaste, Tara

[busybusymomma]

Oh boy... I dunno where to start! :) My dh asked me when I'd see mw again and just out of the blue was talking about how much more impressed he is than he was with the OB we used for #1 and the OBs I saw early in my 2nd pg. She's just peachy.

Hmm, let's see:
*I can email her about non-urgent stuff and she usually replies pretty quickly
*If it's important, I can call her on her cell phone!
*She's met all our family and knows they're a big part of our lives
*She came to my house two weeks in a row when we couldn't find the baby's heartbeat at 12 weeks (she knew I didn't want u/s)


OT- Tara, are you seeing Gay, Jennifer or Mary-Helen or do you have a Greenwood mw? Seems like I remember seeing you on one of the FYT Indiana threads. :)

[Snowdrift]

Well, I'm only at 17 weeks with my first, but I already have so many reasons why my midwives are wonderful.

First, their office is a room in a center of midwifey/AP type small businesses and organizations. It has a huge room that is stuffed with couched and birthy pics and things. This is where i wait on the very rare occassion my midwife is running behind or I get there early and have to wait five or ten minutes. (Another reaosn to love them.)

They do a quick little exam just to feel stuff and they do this on this neat couchlike thing with embroidered pillows and satiny coverings.

When the apprentice takes my blood pressure, I stay in my comfy chair and kneels next to me to do it, instead of at the doctors where
I have to perch on a high table for their convenience. I am treated like a queen!

My midwife asks permission before touching me, every time.

She reads my mind and knows what will make me feel better/reassured/more empowered. Doctors don't even care about it, but midwives seem to intuitively know how to fix it, whatever 'it' may be.

I never, ever, ever have to deal with a nurse/receptionist/assistant. They have apprentices who are involved but aren't a gatekeeper designed to protect the caregiver from m the way nurses and receptionists are.

I get hugs every time I arrive and every time I leave. They either caught on real fast that I am seriously huggy, or everyone who is amenable gets hugged, but it is great!

Hrm, maybe by the time I've actually been through labor and birth I'll have even more reasons.

[beansavi]

This is sooooo great to hear, Mamas.

Thanks to all of you who have contributed so far! I love hearing about all of the experiences around the country...

Maybe we can direct our midwives here to read, since we are all "anonymous", to get a little "pick me up" if they need it!
:heartbeat :rainbow :heartbeat :rainbow :heartbeat

[~lioneyes~]

I love my midwife (Pamamidwife) because she is so NOT the CNMs that I had at the beginning of this pg.
I can email her about whatever, and she gets back to me.
I can have total college/pg brain and show up the wrong day for an appt. and she finds a way to fit me in that day.
She is just a hoot to talk to, and we can talk for more than 10min.
I love my Emily mw because she is going to make a special trip to my house to check my bp.
I just love them because they are happy with the fact that I don't want crazy tests, and bad stuff put into my baby. They are so laid back, and that really helps me be laid back. Yay for Pam and Emily!!! :love

[DreamsInDigital]

My midwife is like a part of my family now. I cried today when I realized that since my birth is over I will stop having appointments with her soon.
You never get to know a doctor that well.

[MamaTaraX]

OT- Tara, are you seeing Gay, Jennifer or Mary-Helen or do you have a Greenwood mw? Seems like I remember seeing you on one of the FYT Indiana threads. :)

Yep, it's one of them;)

Namaste, Tara

[newcastlemama]

I love my midwives (Full Circle Midwifery, CA):dust

They treat me like I am intelligent(what a concept!)
They love me like a daughter
They came to my home
They support my decisions
They are loving and gentle
They are never in a hurry
They talk to me about really personal stuff
She had a party at her organic farm for all the hb families!!! with hayrides for the kids!

I am excited to get pregnant again so I can hang out with them more!! :homebirth :homebirth :homebirth

[beansavi]

Oh, you reminded me that I called my midwife by accident four months after my second child.

I was trying to call my mom, but I called Nancy (my midwife), instead, and she took that as as "sign" that we should just chat!

She was soooo sweet and called me "daughter" with a giggle when I explained what "accidentally" happened!

I love my midwives (Full Circle Midwifery, CA):dust

They treat me like I am intelligent(what a concept!)
They love me like a daughter
They came to my home
They support my decisions
They are loving and gentle
They are never in a hurry
They talk to me about really personal stuff
She had a party at her organic farm for all the hb families!!! with hayrides for the kids!

I am excited to get pregnant again so I can hang out with them more!! :homebirth :homebirth :homebirth

[chiro_kristin]

Oh goodness, there's so much I could say...

They trusted me and my baby.
They were willing to follow my lead.
They respected every emotion I had during my pregnancy, labor, and after.
They never implied that I didn't know something since this was my first pregnancy.
They serve families to show God's love.
They've become special friends!

[Aka mommy]

I love my midwives because they genuinely loved me, my unborn daughter, my hubby and my toddler! I love them because throught their eyes and hands i was able to grasp the fullness of trusting my body and my faith. I love them because they are truly friends for an eternity. I love them because they became the mother i never had when i needed it the most. Ahhh you've got me crying, that's how much i love these dear women!!!!

[Charmie981]

Maybe we can direct our midwives here to read... to get a little "pick me up" if they need it!

It's a big pick-me-up for me, since I'm in the process of going from my apprenticeship where I saw 13-20 mamas a week to my own practice, where I "only" have two clients (and right now both of them are on monthly prenatals :(). And it's reassuring me that my vision for my practice is right on with what mamas need :). Thanks, ladies!!

[beansavi]

Charmie 981,

Keep up the great work!

You may "only" have two mamas coming to you, but you really have four people-wait-two families worth of people you are effecting for the rest of their lives...

So glad we can contribute to your remembering how magnificent your life work truly is! It's the least we could do... :love

[MamaTaraX]

My List:

--I switched to midwives at 19wks with my second son. My DH was nervous at first to leave care that was already established. IN the end, he was so imprseed with the midwife at the birth that he named the baby after her. The cool thing? She didn't really do anything at the birth :) He thinks midwives rule too!
--Those midwives trusted me, my body,and my baby.
--My current midwife does too :)
--My midwife comes to my home for visits, which is great because we can't drive
--Midwives include my children in prenatals, letting them measure and put goop on my belly and help find the heartbeat and feel psoition....it's wonderful!
--Midwives sit and talk to me for 30 minutes "just because" and never rush me or themselves
--My midwife likes my kids and knows my family. She asks about my mom by name. She treks off with my 7-yr-old to his abysmal bedroom just because he asked her too and doesn't get bugged when he babbles (loudly) while she's here :)
--My midwife is hands-off at births (I know this from friends and look forward to it for my own)
--My midwife made me a gift just because she didn't geta hcance to call me the other day when she missed our appointment
--My husband likes her and respects and trusts her
--She believes in birth, in babies, in mamas
--My midwife practices at her own risk in this state; she does it for the love of women and the love of birth

I love midwives!! Though I'm a UCer at heart, and maybe someday I'll get to have one (next time!), if I'm gonna do it, I want to do it with midwives. I'm glad that midwifrery is alive and well, even if it's underground in some places. I hope to see a massive shift to midwifery care (at least to the midwifery model of care) in my lifetime :)

Namaste, Tara

[FreeSpiritMama]

I LOVE my midwife too ~ In the UK we have a free healthcare service and homebirth is a legal right but the downside is you could have any midwife turn up for the birth. My midwife really wants to be at our homebirth and is going to make sure she is oncall for me from 37weeks :love, this means so much to me isn't she great :D

[QDB]

i love my midwives too!

the main reasons are she sang to me in labor AND didn't bat an eye when i threw up on her cell phone on early labor!
:lol

[carriedaway]

i :throb my MW because...

she let me "sleep" for two hours when i was almost completely dialated - she let me direct my birth ftmp

she assured me that i would be able to breastfeed

lots of other reasons but none that i can specifically think of right now :)

carrie

[beansavi]

Wow, its so great to hear all of these wonderful things!

[Wugmama]

She gave me a foot massage at my last visit - and it totally brought the swelling in my feet right down!

:love

Tracy

[busybusymomma]

She gave me a foot massage at my last visit - and it totally brought the swelling in my feet right down!

:love

Tracy
Awwww! :love

[ABand3]

where's that wipe a tear away smiley?

I just said goodbye to my midwives today. We're moving two states away in a couple weeks, and I'll probably never see them again :( .

One I've know for nearly six years, she's done prenatal care and attended all three births; the other I knew only since my most recent, but she caught my babe at home in the water this summer. Wahhhhh! Midwives are awesome!

[jraohc]

AWESOME!

I had mEdwives for my first pregnancy - they'd have sent me to the emergency room. I am definitely looking for a mIdwife next time around now that I really understand there's a difference.

[beansavi]

Yep, I just "learned" that there is the "Medical Model" of midwifery care and then true midwifery...

[MistyB]

She let me have my way 100% of the time.

She has the most relaxed and soothing demeanor.

But most of all..she was cool with me birthing all all 4's! :lol It felt like the natural position for me to birth my first child in but after arguing with the doctor that it WAS possible, I caved and rolled to my side to push. Getting to do it the second time made up for missing it the first.

[Emilie]

i love my midwife( and miss her so!)

-after my birth she helped me shower and when i felt whoozie she had me sit down and washed my hair for me.

[Skrimpy]

I love my midwife for more reasons that I can count. I will just give one reason for each baby.

Baby 1. When I said "I don't think I can do this" during labor, she just smiled and said "you are doing it," and then I just was :) so beautiful and simple.

Baby 2. She was there to hold me and let me cry as I held my newborn baby, because even though his birth was beautiful and he was wonderful, Daddy was deployed and missed his first son's birth.

Baby 3. She told me "this birth will change your life forever, and this birth will change my life forever." How wonderful is a woman who so accepts and understands the power of one birth!

[Pariah]

I love my new midwives. The first ones I was seeing were the absolute opposite of what I expected from a midwife experience...I was very upset and disappointed. They were definitely "med"wives and not at all trusting of me, my body, etc. But the new midwives we're seeing now...WOW. They're so hands-off and so trusting of the birth process, which is making me feel a lot more confident in myself and in my ability to birth our baby. I'm feeling very good about having them attend our homebirth.

[busybusymomma]

I have to add: my friend used the same midwife and she commented the other day on how the midwife knew just what to say and when to encourage her etc.... whereas, for me she knew when I just needed to be left alone. :)

:love

[Red Sonja]

A nice chat over a hot cup of tea beats the heck out of a paper gown, stirrups and hanging your rear off the edge of an exam table! :moon

[fourlittlebirds]

This is so heart-warming. What an awesome profression. Doesn't it almost make you want to be one?

What makes midwifery so special and so great is not only that midwives tend to understand better than more medically-oriented birth professionals what facilitates normal birth, but also that an integral part of their practice is about making a human connection and honoring the sacred and meaningful aspects of birth.

I never did need someone to analyze pee sticks for me (or attend the births for that matter.) But I did benefit so much from having someone to talk to who understood what I was going through and was interested in talking about it and helping me work through it. In a culture that understands so little about natural parenting and birth and that does not value the process, few of us have friends or sisters or mothers who can or wish to come into the red tent with us. So for those of us who feel an instinctive and spiritual calling to experience that kind of community as we are in the process of becoming mothers, midwives can be invaluable.

[busybusymomma]

This is so heart-warming. What an awesome profression. Doesn't it almost make you want to be one?

It does! If things work out, in a few years I'd like to apprentice- certain things would have to come together though. If they don't, hopefully I can do so in about ten years. :)

[beansavi]

Keep em coming, guys!

[busybusymomma]

My mw and her teen daughter pushed my minivan out of the mud at my prenatal earlier this week. :love They got a bit dirty!

[lechepatito]

Wow, there are too many reasons to list! My midwives have trusted me, have let me make my own informed decisions, have supported me and listened to me whine with a sympathetic ear, have made my births calm and peaceful and empowering. With my DD, I labored for 35.5 hours, and never once did anyone mention a hospital, epidural, or any interventions (I'm sure with an OB I'd have had a c-section). With my DS, the mw's made it to the house about 5 minutes before crowning, yet there was never a sense of emergency or rushing. The only emotion that my midwives have ever inspired in me is love.

I could go on and on, but I'll end with one final great thing about midwives: when I walked into my 30 week appointment having already gained 40 lbs (and with 15 lbs still to go before the end, lol), instead of telling me to watch my weight gain, my midwife said, "Look how beautiful you are!" I felt like a goddess :throb

Midwives rule!!!! :thumb

[valeria_vi]

i love my midwife( and miss her so!)

-after my birth she helped me shower and when i felt whoozie she had me sit down and washed my hair for me.
Emilie, who was your mw?

[SunRayeMomi]

I love my midwife because....

She's my mother!! :lol
But I would love if even if she wasn't :D

:lurk:

[beansavi]

This is a featured thread of the week on Mothering Dot Com! :lol

[beansavi]

My last appointment with my midwife ended up lasting two hours! When I got in the car I was astounded to see the clock.

There are no words for how secure and peaceful and joyful I feel when I sense she really "likes" talking to me and there is no hurry.

These feelings effect my pregnancy, my birth experience and ultimately my whole family's life.

What a great way to contribute to a peaceful world!!! :throb

[babycatcher01]

My midwife, my mother, lives only a mile away. She has delivered all her grand children. She is also the one who taught me all her wisdom of 30 years of being a midwife. She has passed the torch to me, and as a new midwife I hope to pass on her, love and passion to all woman and bellies I come in contact with. Midwives touch lives and families and are often known as part of the family, there is somthing very special about that.

[Susannah M]

I started seeing my midwives around 25 weeks into the pregnancy. They did not bat an eye when I told them that I would still be seeing my OB since DW felt more comfortable doing that. We paid out of pocket and it was no easy thing for us, but it was worth every cent - I will never regret it in a million years!
There are soooo many reasons I love my midwives. . .

I can call or email at any time and Pam will respond right away!
No question was a dumb question to ask.
I knew that they would be at the birth - there was no question of if it would be someone I had met or not that would attend the birth.
They never told me what I had to or "should" do. They made suggestions when I asked for help with something.
During the labor and birth they were completely hands-off.
I gave birth in my MIL's hot tub at 3:30 in the morning in 40 degree weather and neither one of them batted an eye. They simply kept giving what I needed - unconditional support.

I love my midwives! I can't wait to get pregnant again and have them as our midwives again!!!

[yogamerd]

I LOVE MIDWIVES!!!

How can you beat personalized prenatal care? Someone who TRULY CARES about you and you babe... loves him or her almost as much as you do?

Midwives EMPOWER women to believe in their body's ability to birth naturally. That is the best gift (other than my baby) that I will ever receive. I will never be the same again because I have chosen to HB with a MW. YAAAAAAAAAAY MIDWIVES! :throb

[beansavi]

My midwife, my mother, lives only a mile away. She has delivered all her grand children. She is also the one who taught me all her wisdom of 30 years of being a midwife. She has passed the torch to me, and as a new midwife I hope to pass on her, love and passion to all woman and bellies I come in contact with. Midwives touch lives and families and are often known as part of the family, there is somthing very special about that.

Yay! Good for you babycatcher and susanna!

[pamamidwife]

I started seeing my midwives around 25 weeks into the pregnancy. They did not bat an eye when I told them that I would still be seeing my OB since DW felt more comfortable doing that. We paid out of pocket and it was no easy thing for us, but it was worth every cent - I will never regret it in a million years!
There are soooo many reasons I love my midwives. . .


your midwives love you, too! :)

[KSlager]

I love my midwives for the obvious reasons too: birthing at home, supporting my wishes and desires, not rushing or taking charge of my body's process.

Most importantly for me is the support and confidence they had in me and believing MY own feelings of my body when the medical field would have nabbed me high risk all the way.

-- I gained a lot of weight with two of my 3 pregnancies but I and the babies were healthy; that's all that mattered to them. Not to mention, I was already overweight.

-- With all 3 pregnancies my blood pressure would get high that last month of my pregnancy. I felt great and had no "symptoms" so my wise midwife chalked it up to "I believe this is normal for YOU" She didn't peg me onto some national chart that all women are supposed to fit on.

-- I went quite past my due dates with 2 of my babies but it was never even mentioned. Why? Because it was "normal for ME"

-- My first baby was 10 lb 8oz, the second 10 lb and the third 9 lb. 6 oz and they were considered "average weight" for our family - YES!

-- After 2 births I bled a lot - one I lost 4 1/2 cups and the other I lost 6 cups but I was doing well. Again, the wise woman said "This is normal for YOU. But be sure to drink EXTRA fluids!" :-)

The fact is I had very healthy pregnancies, births and post partum periods and innumerable perfect memories of 3 perfect births.
I never, ever would have had that with most doctors and in a hospital setting.

[Susannah M]

your midwives love you, too! :)

I saw a few of your posts and wondered if this was you :)

[beansavi]

KSlager,

Thank you for all those great examples. I, too, am another big-baby-havin' mama, all normal for me according to my midwife!

[DesireeH]

Aww, this thread has me almost in tears cause my pg is over now and I wont get to see her regularly now. :( Probably my last pg too unless we have an accident.

I love my midwife because she is such a sweet person. She is supportive, gentle, and non pushy. During my birth at the end when I was started to get nervous she just reminded me to do what my body was telling me and all worked out perfectly. I will miss our visits!

[beansavi]

Yes yes yes. I know the feeling after you have your 6 week checkup and you are getting ready to leave, and there are no words to tell her how much she means to you, and you don't want to start crying, but....too late...the tears are dripping on the baby...so no words are coming out, and you are just looking downward to hide the tears and are "packing up" the baby...that's when my midwife grabbed me and hugged me and told me she loved me.

She tells all the Mamas she loves them at the last checkup. She says we are all her daughters for that window in time, and really forever after.

So bittersweet...

I'll be in that situation again really soon, too. :hug :Hug :hug

[indie]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who cried after my 6wk visit. DH thought it was weird. He was just glad that we didn't have to drive to her house for appointments anymore.

[autumn_faune]

My midwife was great about taking me on 6 weeks before my EDD, she was very good about being hands-off and respectful of my wishes to feel alone, which was important to me, as a UCer at heart.

But even more- now that I'm not pregnant, my baby is 14 months old, and I haven't seen her in so long....

I had to go to the Emergency Room a few days ago, and all I had to do was have dh call her and she came to sit with me there, massage my feet, bring me slippers, reassure me, take care of my daughter while I was having x-rays etc...

It also gave me huge reassurance that if I should ever need to transfer, she would be right there helping me, staying with me so my husband could be with the baby and make sure our wishes were respected if we had to be separated.

Even when we weren't having a midwife-client pregnant/birth relationship, she was there for me. And that means more than I can ever explain.

[gnutter]

I love my midwife-she rules because she knew exactly what to say when I had a miscarriage-she held my hand and called to check on me the day she knew dh would be going back to work. she rules because she remembered when I was preggo with ds that I was super paraniod and she brought her early detection doppler when she knew I just had to hear the baby. And now with my latest she calmed me when I was a little freaked out about an unexpected pregancy and she laughed when I told her how wonderful my ultrasound was (my first ultrasound). She is like a sister,best friend mother you always wanted kind of friend.

gretchen

[beansavi]

Man...these are great examples. I just LOOOOOVE this thread!

[Jenne]

Although I haven't had to hire a midwife yet I have been emailing regularly with several midwives from several different states about their practices and if I could homebirth with them if I were to live in their area when I become pregnant.

All of the responses have been so warm and care-filled yet so knowledge based. That is what I truely, truely love about midwives.

The idea that education and experience and warmth and care can peacefully and productively not only co-exist but blossom.

Looking forward to the journey,

Jenne

[beansavi]

Best of luck and blessings on your journey, Jenn!

[DesireeH]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who cried after my 6wk visit. DH thought it was weird. He was just glad that we didn't have to drive to her house for appointments anymore.

That sounds like my husband! LOL

[bri276]

"letting" me push for 3 hrs. I bet an OB would have sectioned me after 2, 2.5 tops. baby was doing fine and I'm glad she never even mentioned the possibility of a section. she knew I could do it.

[MamaTaraX]

I have a new one to list!

--My previous midwife, for whom our second son is named, remembers me and asked if she could tag along with my current midwife for a post-partum visit or two. I think that's awesome!

Namaste, Tara

[Emilie]

joanne

[valeria_vi]

joanne
who is joanne? joanne lindberg???

[valeria_vi]

My last appointment with my midwife ended up lasting two hours! When I got in the car I was astounded to see the clock.

There are no words for how secure and peaceful and joyful I feel when I sense she really "likes" talking to me and there is no hurry.

These feelings effect my pregnancy, my birth experience and ultimately my whole family's life.

What a great way to contribute to a peaceful world!!! :throb
I had a 4 hour appointment with my mw once. and most other appointments were 2-3 hours long. there was so much for us to talk about and not even once did I feel rushed.

[Birth Junky]

I love my midwives because . . .

. . . at today's pre-natal, when I told the apprentice I was already at 29 weeks, she said "wow--it's going by so FAST!" This, from a woman who has only seen me at a couple of appointments--I loved that she felt so personally invested!

. . . at one of my last pre-natals, my midwife offered me "a bunch of" back issues of birthing magazines for my library. "A bunch" turned out to be a HUGE box and a large bag BURSTING with magazines!

. . . when the apprentice reached for the Doppler to check baby's heartrate tonight, my midwife pointed out "she would prefer the fetoscope" BEFORE I even noticed! :D


This is my first birth, so I have no other experiences to compare it to . . . but my midwives always make me feel cared for, respected, and safe. I look forward to my appointments SO much, and I know I will be sad at our final post-partum visit. But I am so enjoying learning about midwifery from the inside, and can't wait to become a midwife myself!

[beansavi]

Yeah, my midwife was telling me about supplies I needed for the homebirth and some supplements I am to take to keep my uterus helathy and ripening....and then she just went in her cabinets and filled up a bag with supplies and herbs she had extra!

She says she lives by the motto of "paying it forward"...

It's nice to see someone living it as well as saying it!

Peace,