[lfranz]

I am new to this... So hang in there...
I am about 19 weeks pregnant. Have a 4 year old adorable girl born in the water with no drugs in San Diego, CA. It was great but I had to go to the hospital because my placenta retained and I tore really bad with the fast birth. Not sure if I am going all natural this time.
New Jersey is different. No water births, only in your own house (not going that route...)
Going to a midwife at delvalobgyn right now, but not happy with the midwifery service there. Too impersonal... 15 min, you are out... Plus, dont even know my gestational age there, the records are always missing.
Ok, so I dont mind going to a doc or midwife, as long as they care and are personable and agree with a more natural birth (laobring at home, walking around drinking, no shots to the baby, no feet test, no taking away from me etc). I heard docs only show up to pick up your baby... I want to feel connected to the caregivers...
For me pregnancy is such a great event! I only have once a month to really talk to someone knowleadgeable about it, and I dont want to be rushed. I want to be cheered and guided! Yes, the birth is the climax of the pregnancy but hey we are talking almost 10 months here! There is so much to talk about and remember...
Anybody out there with high standards about reproductive care that could recommend a doc or a midwife (or both?) close to the princeton area.
I heard that the mercer hospital is better (more holistic) than Princeton, is it truth?
Thank you for reading. Your suggestions will be greatly apprecciated!

 

[dlm194]

Try Pam and Louise at Midwifery Care Associates.. I don't think I ever had an appt that lasted less than 30 minutes with them.(granted, I like to gab!) They don't practice with doctors. They have a small office that looks like a casual living room in Pennington vs a medical facility.

Capital Health is not as nice looking at Princeton. The rooms are older and the food leaves something to be desired.

: But they are very used to midwife deliveries there. They were super-respectful of my drug free birth. No one was trying to talk me into drugs or anything. The woman down the hall was clearly having a natural birth too.

I didn't have a problem having my birth plan followed. Once my baby was born, I held her nonstop for 2 hours before they even weighed her. I sighed a waiver and they didn't bug me about shots. They do want to do the PKU testing. I wanted to leave before 24 hours and there was a ped who was willing to let me go since Pam was willing to come to my house and do the testing herself. But the ped never signed the release so I had to wait the full 24 hours before leaving which was annoying but not the end of the world. They did the testing and we left.

They have laboring tubs there but not water births. You could ask about renting a tub and bringing it in; I don't know what their policies are on that. Pam and Louise are primarily homebirth midwives (but do have hospital priviledges) so they are used to allowing birth to "happen."

 

[mom2Jordan]

I second Pam and Louise. We just had our consultation with them, I am going for my first "official" prenatal visit this week. Louise seems awesome (haven't met Pam yet). She spent close to 2 hours with us. I am going for a VBAC and was looking for a totally different experience than previously. I am really looking forward to a minimal-intervention birth so am willing to give up the sparkliness of my previous hospital (Virtua Mt Holly) to go to Capital Health.
The only thing is you said you are not sure you want to go all natural and I am pretty sure Pam and Louise are all about natural birth...

 

[bgrippa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lfranz I am new to this... So hang in there... I am about 19 weeks pregnant. Have a 4 year old adorable girl born in the water with no drugs in San Diego, CA. It was great but I had to go to the hospital because my placenta retained and I tore really bad with the fast birth. Not sure if I am going all natural this time. New Jersey is different. No water births, only in your own house (not going that route...) Going to a midwife at delvalobgyn right now, but not happy with the midwifery service there. Too impersonal... 15 min, you are out... Plus, dont even know my gestational age there, the records are always missing. Ok, so I dont mind going to a doc or midwife, as long as they care and are personable and agree with a more natural birth (laobring at home, walking around drinking, no shots to the baby, no feet test, no taking away from me etc). I heard docs only show up to pick up your baby... I want to feel connected to the caregivers... For me pregnancy is such a great event! I only have once a month to really talk to someone knowleadgeable about it, and I dont want to be rushed. I want to be cheered and guided! Yes, the birth is the climax of the pregnancy but hey we are talking almost 10 months here! There is so much to talk about and remember... Anybody out there with high standards about reproductive care that could recommend a doc or a midwife (or both?) close to the princeton area. I heard that the mercer hospital is better (more holistic) than Princeton, is it truth? Thank you for reading. Your suggestions will be greatly apprecciated!

That makes two moms looking for a good OB/GYN in the Princeton area...thanks so much!!!

 

[dlm194]

Oh, gosh - I didn't read closely enough the first time! I was reading about your water birth and assumed you wanted everything completely natural again. I don't think Pam and Louise really "do" epidurals but I never specifically asked since i wasn't planning one. You will not need one with them though. Even with my marathon labor, Pam never thought I needed an epidural. I still highly recommend them but they are very much about natural birth.

I think the Del Val midwives are fine with an epidural. Based on talking to couples that have used them, I don't get the impression that they will try to talk you out of one.

 

[lfranz]

HI Moms!

I am so pleased with all the responses! I have never used such system and it turned out to be great, thanks to your recommendations!

I had a free interveiw with the midwifes in Pennigton, I liked them both a lot! But it seems like they are more comfortable with home births, and because of my retained placenta I would have to go to the hospital. At this point I am tending to go all natural again, in the water, if my pregnancy progresses well.
I have to confess that I am deadly scared of the pain, since when I riped it hurt terribly... So I still have to work that out... Any suggestions there from experienced moms?

So I went to Hackettstown and saw the hospital where they deliver and talked to Lisa. I had a really good impression and am planning on going there for a formal consultation in January. She addressed my fears just right!

Thank you a bunch for all the good ideas you send my way, and dont shy out if you have more...