Homebirth midwife/midwife group in Bellevue, WA

[memiles]

Brandy Ross, ND and LM, is now in practice with Darleen Curtis. I've been very impressed with her, and I know my clients have been very happy as well.

[Apricot]

Isn't Overlake Baby Friendly? And Evergreen is not? I guess I don't like the estetics of Evergreen. I know people rave about the Baby Groups at Overlake, very breastfeeding friendly.

I don't like U of W b/c it's really uneven - sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, more change than other hospitals.

We've lost one Tracy/Traci/Tracey - Traci Paglaci, who left Eastside Midwives for the greener pastures of Montana. Well, for Montana, for Washington.

[JenBuckyfan]

I think that both Overlake and Evergreen are decent options. I found a Maternity Care Report from June 2007 that analyzes and ranks hospital maternity care programs, and Overlake was in the top 10% of all hospitals within the 19 states reviewed and Evergreen in the top 15%.

Here's the website info I found:
http://www.healthgrades.com/media/DM...Report2007.pdf

I see that Overlake also hosts LLL support meetings once a month.
Evergreen has been identified as Baby Friendly by UNICEF.

[janaya]

Lisa Boyd's website is still up, did she tell you she is no longer practicing?

*eta* okay, saw the post explaining that. i am so sad, she's so wonderful!

[DahliaRW]

I'm super sad about Lisa too, an suspect in another year or so I'll be searching myself for a fabulous solo midwife.

As for Evergreen, I would HIGHLY recommend it over Overlake. In my experience, every mom I've ever known who has birthed at overlake ended up with a c/s or was pressured by their OB to have one. They have a VERY high c/s rate. Though with their new MW group that may be getting better.

I had ds#1 at Evergreen and was (in retrospect) very impressed with how natural labor friendly they are compared to stories I've heard from other hospitals. When I was there I was allowed to walk around, eat, didn't have to have an IV until I had PIT (due to PROM and no labor) and while on PIT they put me on a portable monitor and kept me walking and moving. Most hospitals won't do that. All of their labor nurses are trained in lactation as well and they always have a lactation consultant on staff.

[janaya]

Originally Posted by DahliaRW

Though with their new MW group that may be getting better.

One of those Overlake midwives is one of my high school best friends (Erin Schramer CNM), and I'm pretty well acquainted with the other. If you can work exclusively with them, I think you have a very good chance of avoiding interventions. They're working hard to turn over Overlake's bad reputation.

[Azryel]

An updated list:

Bellevue:
Heike Doyle & Andrea Henderson (www.birthcenter.com)
Valerie Sasson & Ali Tromblay (www.birthcenter.com)
Christine Thain (www.eastsidebirthcenter.com)

Seattle:
Sally Avenson (possible avoid)
Cindie Brown (www.midwifeseattle.com)
Tracy Cooper and Michelle Saoju (www.expectingthebest.net)
Beth Coyote and Geraldine (www.rcmidwife.com)
Molly Gray (www.snfm.net)
Tracy McDaniel (www.snfm.net)
Suzy Myers, Marge Mansfield and Heather Chorley (www.seattlehomematernity.com)

Everett:
Darelen Curtis and Brandy Ross

Renton:
Amanda Feldman (www.exodusmidwifery.com)

Lisa Boyd and Tracy Paglaci are no longer practicing.

Possible avoids (but do your research): Sally Avenson, Peggy Kimbal, Overlake

I've enjoyed learning more about the local hospitals, too. Thanks for the interesting discussion.

* Jaime

[DahliaRW]

Originally Posted by janaya

One of those Overlake midwives is one of my high school best friends (Erin Schramer CNM), and I'm pretty well acquainted with the other. If you can work exclusively with them, I think you have a very good chance of avoiding interventions. They're working hard to turn over Overlake's bad reputation.

I had a feeling that Erin might just be doing that! Good for her! I hope they succeed and can influence some of the cut happy OBs in the process.

Azryel - thanks for putting together the list from all the recs here. Something easy for me to hang onto for the future.

[mamasprout]

Just another voice for doing your own research. We met with Peggy Kibble and I loved her. If she delivered outside of the hospital I might have gone with her. I was especially impressed that when I told her who else we were interviewing she basically said "you aren't a mama who should be delivering in the hospital." She also acknowledged that some of the hospital "rules" are not very medically based (specifically no food). If we want to change the system of birth in our culture there is an important role for the midwife in the hospital (as well as outside!).

I have two friends who have loved working with Peggy and Erin. One is getting ready to have her second w/them.

p.s. does anyone know more and is willing to share what Lisa Boyd is doing? Moving? New path? Just curious. Sad to hear she won't be practicing here.

[stephck]

Originally Posted by Apricot

To your list, I would add
Tracy and Michelle, Expecting the Best

.

Tracy is expecting in September, so she won't be practicing after July and Michelle is taking some time off from midwifery. I was looking forward to using them and now am looking for a midwife myself

[Aufilia]

Originally Posted by Apricot

Isn't Overlake Baby Friendly? And Evergreen is not?

Nope, the other way around. Evergreen was the first certified Baby Friendly hospital in the US (there are 61 in total, 4 in Washington State). Overlake is not certified. It's possible they've filed a certificate of intent to become certified, but I can't seem to find a list of hospitals that have filed.

[greenmansions]

I met with several midwives when I was looking for one. One of them was Sally Avenson. If you are more "sciencey" she might be good fit for you. She was all about the research and less into the "touchy feely" aspects of birthing, IMO. Note I was looking to VBAC and a lot of the discussion was about that and how she would handle things. She was not as warm a person as I wanted, but I do know of women who used her and were very happy with her, including the MW I ultimately used (not a homebirth MW.)

If you have any other questions about her you can PM me...

[Kirsten]

Originally Posted by Azryel

Ok, here's the running list, now sorted by location. I welcome additions and corrections.

Bellevue:
Heike Doyle & Andrea Henderson (www.birthcenter.com)
Val Sasson & Allie (www.birthcenter.com)
Chris Thain (www.eastsidebirthcenter.com)

Overlake is probably my hospital in case of an emergency transfer. Should I try to make it to Evergreen, or even UW, instead, if possible? I guess I'll have to start researching hospitals at some point, too, even though I want a homebirth...

Heike and Val (and anyone at Puget Sound Birth Center) are actually in Kirkland if that makes any difference to you.

Someone mentioned Heather Chorley. She used to practice with PSBC but now works out of Seattle (closer to her home I believe). She is very nice; I like her a lot too.

Unless it is time emergent, transfer to UW Medical or Swedish (I believe were the natural birth friendly hospitals - more so than either Eastside). That is what my midwives suggested.

[maxmama]

Originally Posted by salmonbay

Welcome to Seattle!

You might try Cindie Brown, CNM www.midwifeseattle.com, she does birth centers, home and also has privileges at Group Health Central, (one of the best rated places to have a hospital birth in the Seattle area)

She does attend births at Puget Sound Birth Center as well. (or your home, if that is your choice) The good thing about Cindie is that she is a solo practicioner, (but has good back-up) so she will be the one who attends your birth.


She is kind, gentle , soft, considerate, caring and wise.

Also, here is a good resource to "get your arms around" some of the practices, facilities and such is the "Great Starts Guide" http://www.greatstarts.org/bookstore.htm#Guide

Best wishes on this upcoming birth, and again, welcome to Seattle!

Sharon,
www.newmoonbirth.com

I have the delight of working with Cindie when she has clients at Group Health. She's wonderful.

Because the Montlake birth center is closed, the last I heard Sally Avenson is also birthing at PSBC, and she's also a solo provider (in fact, she's Cindie's backup, and vice versa). She's an excellent midwife.

[maxmama]

Originally Posted by Kirsten

Heike and Val (and anyone at Puget Sound Birth Center) are actually in Kirkland if that makes any difference to you.

Someone mentioned Heather Chorley. She used to practice with PSBC but now works out of Seattle (closer to her home I believe). She is very nice; I like her a lot too.

Unless it is time emergent, transfer to UW Medical or Swedish (I believe were the natural birth friendly hospitals - more so than either Eastside). That is what my midwives suggested.

AAACK! Swedish is NOT natural birth friendly.

If your insurance will cover it, transfer to Group Health Central (we love our home birth transfers and read our birth plans carefully! -- also we give you your placenta if you want it )or the UW.

[naturals]

Yep, Overlake is definitely C-happy people. I had a c-section there , my doc couldnt attend it as she was on call that weekend and had to leave at 6 am. I got to the hospital at 5.45. She broke my water and DD's case was a nuchal hand , her hand was over her head. After breaking water she nudged DD 's hand and managed to push it back inside and continue with the labor. By the time the other doc came to check her hand was again back over her head, and so this doc refused to do a normal birth. He told me that either you choose a c-section right away or labor for some more time but even after that" I wont do a normal delivery for a nuchal hand". The docs just dont want to take the risk, nor did we. so we just decided to get it over with.But my experience with the nurses was good. They took good care and also initiated breastfeeding for my baby. I was so dazed after the surgery that I didnt even ask for it but my nurse got DD to me as she remembered me telling that I wanted to BF.They even asked a lactation consultant to visit me twice when the initial days were so hard. So, yes overlake is ok if you are lucky and everything goes right. Also, a lot depends on ur OB.
Braestfeeding was really not an issue there.

[Azryel]

A nuchal hand is grounds for a c-section? I hadn't heard that one before. Both my first and one of the twins had a hand come out with their head, and nobody even mentioned it except incidentally.

Thanks for all of the additional responses. I'll roll them up and post a master list again. (You're right about PSBC being in Kirkland. Sorry for not being more careful about that. Given I live on the Kirkland/Bellevue border (in Bridle Trails) I was just melding the two in my mind.

I have an appointment with Chris Thain on Tuesday, and am in the process of setting up some additional appointments. So exciting to get the ball rolling on this!

* Jaime

[Azryel]

Kirkland:
Heike Doyle & Andrea Henderson (www.birthcenter.com)
Valerie Sasson & Ali Tromblay (www.birthcenter.com)

Bellevue:
Christine Thain (www.eastsidebirthcenter.com)

Seattle:
Sally Avenson (mixed feedback) -- Cindie's back-up
Cindie Brown (www.midwifeseattle.com) -- Sally's back-up
Beth Coyote and Geraldine (www.rcmidwife.com)
Molly Gray (www.snfm.net)
Tracy McDaniel (www.snfm.net)
Suzy Myers, Marge Mansfield, and Heather Chorley (www.seattlehomematernity.com)

Everett:
Darelen Curtis and Brandy Ross

Renton:
Amanda Feldman (www.exodusmidwifery.com)

Lisa Boyd (www.tenmoons.net) and Tracy Paglaci are no longer practicing.
Tracy Cooper and Michelle Saoju (www.expectingthebest.net) are taking a break.

Mixed feedback (but do your own research): Sally Avenson, Peggy Kibbel (not a homebirth MW)

Hospitals:
Overlake: High c-section rate
Evergreen: "Baby Friendly"
UW: Uneven (sometimes good, sometimes bad)
Swedish: Mixed
Group Health Central: "We love our homebirth transfers and read our birth plans carefully"

As always, additional feedback, opinions, corrections, and recommendations are welcome. Thanks!

* Jaime

[janaya]

Originally Posted by maxmama

AAACK! Swedish is NOT natural birth friendly.

If your insurance will cover it, transfer to Group Health Central (we love our home birth transfers and read our birth plans carefully! -- also we give you your placenta if you want it )or the UW.

Maxmama, I wonder if you were my labor support nurse for my first son's birth? She (you?) showed me a pic of her son and complimented my tattoos.

If so, I think you're lovely!

[janaya]

Originally Posted by naturals

Yep, Overlake is definitely C-happy people. I had a c-section there , my doc couldnt attend it as she was on call that weekend and had to leave at 6 am. I got to the hospital at 5.45. She broke my water and DD's case was a nuchal hand , her hand was over her head. After breaking water she nudged DD 's hand and managed to push it back inside and continue with the labor. By the time the other doc came to check her hand was again back over her head, and so this doc refused to do a normal birth. He told me that either you choose a c-section right away or labor for some more time but even after that" I wont do a normal delivery for a nuchal hand". The docs just dont want to take the risk, nor did we. so we just decided to get it over with.But my experience with the nurses was good. They took good care and also initiated breastfeeding for my baby. I was so dazed after the surgery that I didnt even ask for it but my nurse got DD to me as she remembered me telling that I wanted to BF.They even asked a lactation consultant to visit me twice when the initial days were so hard. So, yes overlake is ok if you are lucky and everything goes right. Also, a lot depends on ur OB.
Braestfeeding was really not an issue there.

This is so sad! My 2nd son presented with a nuchial hand and that birth was great! He just powered out of me like superman.