Midwife in Fredericksburg, VA

Hi Heather--

Sorry I can't help you with a midwife, but I grew up in f'burg and actually chose to return to MWH to have my last two children. (my dd was born at Fairfax--horrible experience). My ob in f'burg had to perform a c-section with ds1 and told me at the time that I would need a c-section with any subsequent babies because of something happening in the pelvic area while I pushed; when I returned to her with my third pregnancy and mentioned needing a c-section, she questioned why I couldn't do a VBAC and examined the old records thoroughly before determining that it just wasn't possible. My ob was Dr. Barbara Mercado; she was great--incredibly supportive and would no doubt have supported a VBAC if it had been a option. I also found that the nurses and the LCs were my best allies as far as making sure that my boys stayed with me and that the staff, including the peds, understood that they were not to supplement with anything. In the meantime, however, if I hear about a midwife who's open to homebirth, I'll let you know--maybe I'll ask at LLLI up here in Woodbridge--I think a couple of the moms had homebirths.

Where do you work in the hospital? My dad works there, too.

Missy

Heather--

Just thought you'd like to know that tomorrow's API meeting in No. VA is about VBAC. I wasn't able to attend the meetings last year, so I have no idea what the group's like, but I am planning on becoming at least semi-active this year and may drive up tomorrow.

I'm glad you connected with a group; I've heard from other moms that f'burg is not the easiest place to find a good "non-medical" delivery.

I'm sure that some of my positive experience with MWH came from my very negative experience with Fairfax--I was pretty determined not to put up with the c*** I had gone through before.

My dad works over in the offices across from Carl's--you know, the old George Washington hotel building. He's been with the hospital for, um, 25 years, I think. Wow. Hadn't realized it had been that long. Since before the old hospital (across from Jayem) went through it's first big renovation. I remember going to some ceremony and eating a very hard cake that had been decorated to look like the building.

Missy