[newmommaamy]

DH just had an interview that went very well in SW Denver and, while we won't know for a couple of weeks, it looks like we will be uprooting and moving there soon. I am so excited, we really want to be in that area- but I am 7 months pregnant with our first child. So we really have to get settled in fast.<br><br>
Please help with suggestions for:<br><br>
Place to live- we think we will rent for the first year to get our bearings on the area, we are looking online at big apt communities with pools. I would love to hear if anyone has one they like. We definitly want to be able to walk around, and need to be in SW Denver. We are moving from a much more expensive area of the country, so we are OK with slightly expensive places<br><br>
Midwife who delivers at a hospital (DH insists on a hospital delivery)<br><br>
Hospital to deliver at- any chance of a water birh in a Denver hospital?<br><br>
Pediatritian/family Dr.<br><br>
Friends! I know two people in Denver- but they dont have kids. Do you have an active LLL or other parenting group that would be good for meeting others? I will be not working for a company for the first time in my life and would really like to meet some people to do things with during the days. DH and I really like camping and hiking and would love to join a social organization with an outdoors focus.<br><br>
CSA or other organic farm. We are really going to miss the one we have here, we get just a ton of veggies about half the year and they hold social events, like potlucks!<br><br>
Thanks for reading my long post and any help you can provide- I am nervous about trying to get all set up out there with the baby on the way. It will really help to have some local knowledge. Oh, and cross your fingers for us that the job comes through <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> We like the ones we have here, but have been trying to move west for a few years!<br><br>
Amy

 

[smirkingsun]

As far as the midwife/hospital. Alpine Women's Healthcare <a href="http://www.alpinewomenshealthcare.com/" target="_blank">http://www.alpinewomenshealthcare.com/</a>, is located next door to the hospital with a bridge connecting the two. My favorite midwife is Lynn. They are located at Swedish Medical Center.

 

[witchbaby]

you might want to check out <a href="http://www.mountainmidwifery.com/blog/?page_id=5" target="_blank">mountain midwifery</a> for the birth. my best friend has been going there and LOVES tracy and the center.

 

[hellen]

I'm 26 weeks pregnant and using the midwife group at University Hospital. I love them so far. They are the only hospital in the area to do water births. It's located at Colfax and I-225 I think which is in SE Denver. I drive from north Denver and feel like it is completely worth the drive.

 

[hellen]

One more thing. We have a local AP board. You can find the link on this website if you search through some of the older posts. I have a demanding toddler right now so I can't look it up. We've talked about CSAs recently and some of the other things you were interested in on the DenverAP website recently. If you can join you'll get a lot more replies since it is a fairly popular board.

 

[BeckiCNM]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>hellen</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7952277"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I'm 26 weeks pregnant and using the midwife group at University Hospital. I love them so far. They are the only hospital in the area to do water births. It's located at Colfax and I-225 I think which is in SE Denver. I drive from north Denver and feel like it is completely worth the drive.</div>
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<br>
I second this. As far as I know, the Birth Center at the Anschutz Inpatient Pavillion (which is at the new Health Sciences Center campus at 225 and Colfax) is the only hospital in metro Denver to do waterbirths. (Others will let you labor, but not birth in the water). The practice out there now is the Center for Midwifery, and their phone is 720-848-1700. In June, the CU faculty midwifery practice will also start doing births at the AIP.<br><br>
If you wanted to be at Swedish, I love the midwives at the Midwifery Group at Swedish. Their phone is 303-761-8358.<br><br>
You can also do a waterbirth at the Mountain Midwifery birth center, which is right next to Swedish, but she might be booked up. If you can get in, though, it's a great option.<br><br>
I should ask around to see who else might do waterbirths....

 

[Nora'sMommy]

You have a local BirthNetwork chapter in South Denver. You're lucky since there are only a few nationwide. You should go to a meeting. They're really friendly and have all the info and resources you could need about docs, mw's, LLL, etc. They'll especially love you since......it sounds like you are into natural birth. Maybe you'll make a few friends too!<br><br>
Check out <a href="http://www.birthnetwork.org" target="_blank">www.birthnetwork.org</a> for meeting times and location. Call for directions if you need.

 

[Doula Gina]

I'm in west Denver <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">. I love the midwives at Fitz with University, but it is a large practice and is more or less NW Denver (Denver, proper - not inc. suburbs). The midwives at Westside Women's care at Lutheran are wonderful, and I would second the Mountain Midwifery Birth Center. It is just a building or two away from Swedish. I have issues with the newborn routines at Swedish (it's the only hospital in Denver with a mandatory nursery stay - they can't technically force you to let your baby go, but it is a pita to deal with there). If you don't mind traveling to downtown to have the baby, P/SL is my favorite place to attend births and was my hospital of choice when I was giving birth in hospitals. The staff has a great culture of support for informed choices, and it is the most natural-friendly hospital in or around the city IME. Colorado Nurse-Midwives (that's the name of the practice) attend births there, and there are actually a couple of OBs there whom I love to work with.<br><br>
I know a local midwife who is moving away in June who will be renting out her house in Littleton (very SW - depends if you meant you want to live in the city or the suburbs) and I can probably get you more information about that if you would like. There is a community pool down the street from the house.<br><br>
There are several great LLL groups here. I go up to Wheat Ridge, but there are good ones everywhere. I second the birthNETWORK meetings as well.

 

[Samjm]

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<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">One more thing. We have a local AP board. You can find the link on this website if you search through some of the older posts. I have a demanding toddler right now so I can't look it up. We've talked about CSAs recently and some of the other things you were interested in on the DenverAP website recently. If you can join you'll get a lot more replies since it is a fairly popular board.</td>
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Here's the thread:<br><br><a href="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=565125" target="_blank">http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=565125</a><br><br>
It is a GREAT group of people!

 

[klpepper]

I 2nd Doula Gina! I delivered at P/SL with Colorado Nurse-Midwives and thank G-d it was great. I really didn't want to deliver at a hospital and I was pleasantly surprised with the nurses at P/SL. They were very supportive of my desires for a natural labor and strongly encourage mama's to keep their babies with them all during postpartum. Actually its rare to see a baby in the nursery there-they even let me co-sleep with our DS the night we were there.<br><br>
Good luck!

 

[Midwife Kris]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>witchbaby</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7950744"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">you might want to check out <a href="http://www.mountainmidwifery.com/blog/?page_id=5" target="_blank">mountain midwifery</a> for the birth. my best friend has been going there and LOVES tracy and the center.</div>
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Tracy's birth center is also next door to Swedish Hospital and she has 24 hour back up coverage by a group of OBs. Tracy was my midwifery school preceptor. I love her to death.<br><br>
I live in Littleton; SW Denver and am the midwife Gina knows who is moving to California. I have a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house on a really quiet street with a yard ready for the planting if you want to do your own gardening <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> I need a renter for about a year before we sell.

 

[witchbaby]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>metromidwife</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7965895"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Tracy's birth center is also next door to Swedish Hospital and she has 24 hour back up coverage by a group of OBs. Tracy was my midwifery school preceptor. I love her to death.<br><br>
I live in Littleton; SW Denver and am the midwife Gina knows who is moving to California. I have a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house on a really quiet street with a yard ready for the planting if you want to do your own gardening <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> I need a renter for about a year before we sell.</div>
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yup! my husband works at swedish, it's just down the road! apparently tracy knows of me (jan lapetino was my midwife), denver is such a small town!

 

[Midwife Kris]

Well who are you?! LOL <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"> If Tracy knows you, you must be famous 'cause she lives under a rock, er in her office <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/wink1.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="wink1"> (I tease her!) I love Jan! I wish I were sticking around longer in Colorado because she is one of the many women I enjoy spending time with here.

 

[witchbaby]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>metromidwife</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7986165"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Well who are you?! LOL <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"> If Tracy knows you, you must be famous 'cause she lives under a rock, er in her office <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/wink1.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="wink1"> (I tease her!) I love Jan! I wish I were sticking around longer in Colorado because she is one of the many women I enjoy spending time with here.</div>
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hahahahaa! i'm no one special, i was surprised to hear that tracy knew my name! (my friend mentioned me during their first appointment and tracy said she's heard about me from jan) i was going to observe a birth with her (of a sweet mdc mama who unfortunatly lost her baby), i think that's probably where it came in.<br>
why are you leaving colorado, if i may ask?

 

[Drummer's Wife]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>BeckiCNM</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7952629"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I second this. As far as I know, the Birth Center at the Anschutz Inpatient Pavillion (which is at the new Health Sciences Center campus at 225 and Colfax) is the only hospital in metro Denver to do waterbirths. (Others will let you labor, but not birth in the water). The practice out there now is the Center for Midwifery, and their phone is 720-848-1700. In June, the CU faculty midwifery practice will also start doing births at the AIP.<br></div>
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I also recommend the Center for Midwifery. My mom is a midwife there <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"> It's also a really new and nice hospital and shouldn't be a far drive if you live anywhere around Denver.<br><br>
Good luck with the move, I know how stressful it can be at the end of a pregnancy.

 

[Midwife Kris]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>witchbaby</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7986235"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">why are you leaving colorado, if i may ask?</div>
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I am following my heart, er, my dh. We came here originally for a change of scenery and so I could attend school, which turned out to be midwifery school (DEM) rather than the long-haul path to CNM (which I am now slowly doing while a CPM). My husband prefers Southern Calfiornia, where he was raised, to any other spot on Earth. He left to restart the business he left behind in December! I really enjoy Colorado, but not enough to stay here without a husband, alone with four kids! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/dizzy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Dizzy">:

 

[Midwife Kris]

BeckiCNM... where are you working?

 

[BeckiCNM]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>metromidwife</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7995956"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">BeckiCNM... where are you working?</div>
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Right now, I'm teaching while I get my licensure and credentialing all done for my new job, which is unfortunately not in Colorado. Hopefully, I'll be done with that and moving sometime next month.<br><br>
But, my DH is hoping we'll be back here in CO at some point. We'll see where life takes us.

 

[cupofjojo]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>newmommaamy</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7946152"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Place to live- we think we will rent for the first year to get our bearings on the area, we are looking online at big apt communities with pools. I would love to hear if anyone has one they like. We definitly want to be able to walk around, and need to be in SW Denver. We are moving from a much more expensive area of the country, so we are OK with slightly expensive places<br><br>
Friends! I know two people in Denver- but they dont have kids. Do you have an active LLL or other parenting group that would be good for meeting others? I will be not working for a company for the first time in my life and would really like to meet some people to do things with during the days. DH and I really like camping and hiking and would love to join a social organization with an outdoors focus.<br></div>
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Amy:<br><br>
I can so relate to this, we moved when I was just about 7 months expecting our first as well. We are North of Denver.<br><br>
I TOTALLY agree with the renting for a year. We bought and moved within a 18 months because we didn't like our location/price of home. We moved from a fairly pricey area outside of Philly and were still surpised at our expenses in Colorado. We came from a state where we did not pay tax on food and clothes and CO is taxed so we were surprised at the 8% increase. We were also surprised at the increase cost of produce and such. So renting a year will give you a great idea on how other expenses will fair your first year.<br><br>
As far as a pool, there are a ton of great rec. centers out here. Depending upon where you are living you can join a rec center very inexpensively. They have great pools, fitness classes, etc. So renting somewhere with a pool may not need to be an option. We came from an area that rec centers were not really in the culture and the rec. center concept was new to us.<br><br>
Not sure where in SW Denver you will be looking, if you are not going to be in the city of Denver places like Conifer and Evergreen are more in the foothills but further from Denver.

 

[newmommaamy]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I am getting a bit worried about this possible move. The job offer (if it comes) will not be for another week or so. I will be 30 weeks then! It helps to know there are some people out there already.