[day_sleeper]

Hi all..I'm almost 30 weeks and have had some major OB drama that has caused me to want a new provider right away. I had really wanted to go with the Bethany Birthing Center at the beginning, but I didn't see them on my insurance. However, thanks to a comment I read in a related thread in this group, it seems if the doctor at the center is in my insurance plan, then I could still be covered. I plan to verify this today.

My question is this: have any of you ever changed providers so late in your pregnancy? Specifically with Bethany? If I can ever get one of their nurses on the phone I can go straight to the source, but that's not happening today. I need to move fast though.

In addition, can anyone recommend a good OB, preferably in the East Valley? I would consider a CNM as well; however from some of the comments I've read in this group, they're not necessarily any more accommodating than an OB. Thanks for the help. I'm seriously desperate here.

 

[polka123]

I was going to suggest Bethany Birthing Ctr

All my GYN/OBs were central & west valley

 

[day_sleeper]

Thanks! That's probably going to be my best option. It's not my preferred choice because it's quite far from where I live, but it seems to be where I'd receive the care I'd like.

 

[Mariposa]

are you looking at delivering there or just having care there and delivering at hospital? i think that one of their midwives sees pts in the east valley. here is the address and phone number. 504 West University Drive Mesa, Arizona 85201 480.969.4671

i saw lynette casey and she is great. connie garcia caught my DD and she is super nice, too. i am seeing a homebirth midwife this time, mainly because i find the their office so busy and almost like a doctors office.

good luck!

 

[Mariposa]

i totally forgot. my MW likes dr. christine brass-jones in the east valley. she is a DO. here is her website. http://www.trueharmonywellness.com/Page4.html

 

[mamas2atti]

the birth center itself offers the very worst in customer service. however, lynnette casey was my midwife and I just had my baby on monday and I love her. she was incredible at the birth. I also saw donna tash in the east valley a few times and she was great too. it's much easier to get into that office.

btw, i switched over to lynnette at 26 weeks and it was the best decision i ever made.

 

[day_sleeper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mamas2atti the birth center itself offers the very worst in customer service. however, lynnette casey was my midwife and I just had my baby on monday and I love her. she was incredible at the birth. I also saw donna tash in the east valley a few times and she was great too. it's much easier to get into that office. btw, i switched over to lynnette at 26 weeks and it was the best decision i ever made.

Thanks! I called the Mesa office and they were super helpful, so I am going for a consult next week.

 

[day_sleeper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mama Nurse are you looking at delivering there or just having care there and delivering at hospital? i think that one of their midwives sees pts in the east valley. here is the address and phone number. 504 West University Drive Mesa, Arizona 85201 480.969.4671 i saw lynette casey and she is great. connie garcia caught my DD and she is super nice, too. i am seeing a homebirth midwife this time, mainly because i find the their office so busy and almost like a doctors office. good luck!

I'd like to deliver there. What I was concerned about were the frequent prenatal visits, but I found out I can go to their Mesa office for those and then deliver at the center. I'm going to meet one of the midwives next week for a consult. Thanks for the help!

 

[guestmama9972]

I am piping in kind of late on this as I just read your posts, but I can attest to the BBC being a great place. Well, the office itself leaves a little to be desired, but the midwives are fantastic. Lynette Casey delivered my first dd and she was so awesome that I would have packed her up and brought her home with us if I could. It has been 4 years and Lynette still greets us with hugs and smiles. She is awesome.

Best wishes in your journey.

 

[bradley method mom]

I ditto, lynette and Dr. brass-jones. as well as Dr. whitehead. there are some great homebirth midwives out here too.

 

[christiab]

I had to have an OB at my delivery b/c I was "high-risk". I switched to Dr. Scott Schapker (the son) at BBC when I was 32 weeks and I LOVED the man!!! I had gone to 3 other practices during my pregnancy and I couldn't deal w/ being told how I had to have an epidural, I needed an episiotomy and I was crazy for wanting a natural birth. Long story short, Dr. Shapker talks to you like you have a brain and respects your choices.

If you have to go to a hospital, Phoenix Baptist was fantastic! No IV's, no push for epidurals, they left me alone and let me sleep!!! They only gave me intermittent monitoring and respected me and my baby. I drove all the way from Chandler, but it was worth it!!

 

[JeanetteL]

I agree with all the recommendations -

Lynette is my favorite of all the midwives at the birth center, and Dr. Brass-Jones is supposed to be very good as well, although I have not met her. I've had two doula clients who were hoping to VBAC with Lynette, but ended up with cesareans. Lynette did absolutely everything she could to help my clients have vaginal births, and both time Dr. Shapker was the doc who ultimately did the surgery. One of my clients had serious complications with her c-section and he took a significant amount of time to answer questions, explain everything to the family, etc. He treated everyone involved with a great deal of respect and consideration.

Best wishes for a wonderful birth!

 

[day_sleeper]

Christiab, thanks for the good response about Phoenix Baptist. Because of my insurance, I'm going to have to deliver there, but I will have a CNM from Bethany. I haven't toured yet (tomorrow, finally!), so it's great to hear these things from someone who has delivered at the facility.

 

[johub]

Maryanne Romans caught my twins at Phoenix Baptist, assisted by Connie Garcia.
I love Maryanne and she also caught my DS at the birth center.
Phoenix baptist really respected me and my babies and it was as good as a hospital birth could have been IMO.

 

[mich311e]

I birthed at Phoenix Baptist with Marla Roberts from Bethany. I also saw Lynette, Suzanne(who I wouldn't recommend, but I don't think she's there anymore) and Maryanne at Bethany Women's. Marla was great.

Baptist is a great facility, I used a hot tob for labor which was very nice! Watch out for some of the nurses though - I was pressured to supplement but stood my ground. They also questioned why I didn't want my son to have the hep b vax. To be expected at a hopsital though....

Good luck!!
-Michelle

 

[mamas2atti]

Heads up! They have now changed the structure at BBC. Now when you make an appt you can't see a particular mw. You have to see whomever happens to be there that day. Likewise, when you have your baby, the mw at Baptist that day is the one who catches (not sure if this stands for at the Birth Center too). I think they are trying to help the mw's out, but I think patients are not going to be happy with the arrangement. I loved getting to know Lynnette and build a relationship with her over the course of my pregnancy but I'm not sure that will happen any more.

 

[tiggrrl72077]

Wow, when did they change that? That would be so disappointing to me. I absolutely LOVED Lynette. I ditto the poster who wanted to take her home. I didn't like a couple of the other ones and hated when I had to see them. We have since moved to CA so I won't be able to have Lynette at my next birth but If I could I would go to her again in a heartbeat. I adored her.

 

[alison_in_oh]

Thanks to whomever bumped this! Really confirms my happiness to be seeing the Bethany midwives. (I'd very unhappily made an appointment with an OB covered by my insurance until I learned about the billing arrangement at Bethany.)

When I made my appointment with Bethany, they told me which midwife I'd be seeing. I get the impression that I'll probably end up seeing several people over the course of my pregnancy, and then at the birth will be the midwife on call. That's the way it would have worked with the hospital-based midwife practice I started with in Ohio. I'm OK with that currently, it's still a better deal than most typical OB practices, and since I haven't been yet, I haven't met anyone I didn't like.

I think I'm seeing Lynnette on my first visit, so I'm excited to see all the praise.

 

[amcal]

Donna Tash CNM from Bethany delivered my last baby and I couldn't have been more pleased. I loved her so much, I still see her for gyn care.

 

[NightWalker]

I LOVED Lynnette, she even came in on her day off (and after hours) just to deliver my son. I think she gets such rave reviews they probably have to change the policy so the other midwives get some work.......lol Maryanne was on call when I went into labor, but Lynnette came in because I requested her. How cool is that? She was great, I am sorry but I HATED Baptist-- the nurses were rude and made it really hard for DH and I, it was a fight the whole 12 hours we were there

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