Thinking of Using a Midwife Instead of My Regular Doctor

My friend delivered both of her daughters at home with a mid wife. And she loved it. No meds nothing.

Dear S.,

I had a midwife when i gave birth to my daughter and actually the midwife was my aunt. But even if we weren't related I would always recommend a midwife instead of a regular doctor. They are certainly more attentive to your needs and spend alot more time answering your questions and concerns. When i had my daughter I didn't have any heath insurance as well and I applyed for medicare and that covered all the expenses for the doctors visits and birth etc. I gave birth in a very nice hospital and was cared for very well. I think with having a midwife as opposed to a doctor they give you more options as to how you want to give birth, where you want to give birth, alternatives to medication (although I still had the epidural). I think what i'm trying to say is basically they give you the option to chose whatever you want to do and they fully support it. Hope I helped!

I loved my midwife, well both of them, i had different ones with my last two kids. from what i understand they are generally more flexible with payments than a regualr doctor and it can save you a bundle. As for a home birth i had all of my kids in a hospital though i would have loved to try a home birth there are very strict laws about that and i'm not sure what they are. The biggest difference i had was just the personal apporach and less medical intervention, we only did one ultrasound, there was no need for any others, when i had migranes she suggests over the counter mediations that were safe rather than forcing a perscription on me, ect and so on. i could ramble about it for hours and my youngest is 5, it was a great experience an i will be doing it again. Call a few and set up a consult, whatever you decide you need to be comfortable in the level of care you recieve, also most work with a real obgyn in case of complications. good luck

You SHOULD qualify (most everyone does because of the risks involved if you don't receive care) for prenatal care through Medicaid. I would highly recommend looking into this before you go into completely uncharted territory as midwifery. Nothing against it, but I'm definitely a fan of doctor's in case something goes wrong. Plus it would depend on your past pregnancies, if you've had any complications during the pregnancy itself or delivery, etc. So I would look into Medicaid for your prenatal care.

I used a midwife with both of my children. However, they were still under the supervision of a doctor in case of emergency. You may try looking into a doula, not sure if there is a difference between them and midwives or not. I have a friend that had her son at home and it was a fantastic experience for her. I will try to get the midwife's name for you that she used. Good luck to you!!

I used a Certified Nurse Midwife, which is what I would recommmend. There is no legislation accrediting midwives outside of that that regulates quality, knowledge, skill, etc. We found our midwife through the OB/GYN (she was an associate) and LOVE HER. If I could use her forever, I would.

We wanted a Bradley birth and she was all for it. She didn't fight us on anything, accepted everything we had to say, and tried to give us as much freedom as possible. I insisted on a hospital birth given previous problems (and so glad I did!) so there were certain hospital/medical guidelines we had to follow, but she gave us every opportunity to do things the way we wanted and knew all the tricks. She also had the medical schooling to recognize danger signs and know when to say "You've lost too much blood, the baby is tranverse, you've been pushing for two hours and still at a -2 station - this baby is not coming out without killing one or both of you." She regrets the Emergency CSection more than I do! LOL.

Our Midwife was amazing to say the least. I would HIGHLY recommend a midwife to anyone.

Hi. I used a midwife for the birth of my daughter and the experience was wonderful. The practice that I go to offers care through either a doctor or a midwife and I picked the midwife because I was told that the experience was much more personal and it really was. I went to the Seven Hills Women's Health Center and they were great.

S.
I have read through all of the replies I had a mid wife for my first child I had actually went through a Dr the whole pregnancy but when it was time to deliver he was out of town and he was in with midwives. Well there were compications that were not expected even thoughtI was in the hospital she let me go to long my baby was too big for me and was stuck for 4 hours and when a Dr was finally called in he had to cut my baby out of the birth canal. I required 4 surgeries to repair the damage my daughter is 9yrs old I still have pain. It almost wrecked my marrige not to mention the medical bills for all of the surgeries. As a result I had to have c- sections for my other 2 children. I undrstand this is 1 instince but you need to think about complications they do happen. When mine came up she did not know what to do she let me go and kept telling me to puch they were on top of me pushing and tring to force her out she was too big and because she let me go to long it was too late for an emergency c-section. If you chose a midwife check references do you homework I did not have a choice. If you want to know the truth I saw the nurse more than the midwife until it was time to push so I did not get more attention then with a dr. I do understand your concern with cost but when you are pregnant you might qualify for healthy start and they will cover you and the baby as soon as you find out you are pregnant you are considered a family of 5 and you will qualify for more than you think. Look into it.

I don't want to turn you away from a midwife by any means but do your homework with who ever you choose. The Dr. who came in to finally deliver my daughter had 24 mal practice suits pending agains him at the time. So who ever you choose do your homework please.

I delivered my third child at home with a midwife and loved it! You can also deliver in a hospital with a CNM. Way better than a mainstream OB/GYN.

I used a midwife for my second child, and would never ever use a doctor again! My experience with my midwife was superior to that of my experience with the OB/GYN (and my OB was great), but the midwifes focus on you as a whole, not just a patient. Midwifes can be found in lots of large practices, working hand in hand with the doctors. I still only see midwifes for all my annuals and anything in between. They spend more time with you, they are so much more attentive to all the silly, little things. They typically practice under the licensed OB/GYN, which is nice because there is a doctor available if it becomes necessary, but the midwives do almost everything the doctors do....with just a few small exceptions such as certain surgeries.
My first delivery (with OB) was with a 7lb baby and I received an epesiotomy, which ended up tearing me in the third degree...took almost 5 months to heal. My second delivery (with midwife) was with a 9lb baby (2 lbs more than the first), and I had 2 stitches. This had nothing to do with it being a second delivery, it had everything to do with the midwife stretching, massaging, and preparing the perineum prior to delivery. They stay with you during much of your labor, unlike the OB who comes in periodically and only for the delivery. Cost wise, I saw no difference. I have insurance, but the out of pocket was close to the same. But the service and personability with a midwife FAR FAR FAR exceeded that of the doctor. Seriously consider using a midwife, I can guarantee that you will wish you had explored the midwives a long time ago! I also bet you will never go back to an OB/GYN again unless it's medically necessary. Best of luck!

I have 3 kids and used a midwife for my last 2 (ages 6 & 3). She was AWESOME!! She was so relaxed about everything, but if there were any concerns she always discussed with one of the OBs in her office or had me see one of them. The deliveries were super calm and relaxed. (I do have quick & easy labors, my 1st was only 3 1/2 hours long with no meds at all). I think one of the best things about having a midwife was that she knew different positions to help ease the labor, move it along and help you position to push more effectively. I delivered in the hospital, she didn't do home births. I think if you have relatively easy, normal pregnancies that it is completely fine to go with a mid wife. Mine didn't push alot of homeopathic medicine or natural alternatives or anything like that. I always felt I was getting great care from her. Delivered 2 healthy full term babies with no complications. I don't have any advice on the difference in cost as my insurance covered it. Good Luck!!

Hi S.! My sisters in law had midwives for all of their babies. I'm pretty sure a midwife is cheaper. Although this probably depends on the midwife and what area you are from. the one sister in law had a midwife that just accepted donations. I think they paid her like 400 or 500 dollars. They had all their babies at home. I had both of my girls in the hospital. The first experience was not good. The second was fine. And this was the same hospital both times. I think I was more relaxed the second time around. But I do definately support homebirths. I think it's totally great! You should do it. Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure you can "interview" for a midwife.

S.,
I have had three of my four children at home and used a midwife for all three of them. As far as I'm concerned, there is no better birth than a homebirth, if you are open to new ideas, are willing to follow your midwife's advice to the letter and are willing to birth 100% naturally. It is an amazing experience to say the least. My last baby weighed 10lb. 3oz. and I had him with no problems (he actually came so fast that my midwife missed his birth by 5 minutes) and he was definitely my easiest birth of all four. My midwife cost $1500.00, which we paid out of pocket, of course. Are you thinking of only using a midwife because you have no maternity insurance since it's cheaper than a hospital birth? I will be happy to answer all of your questions.... E.

S.,
I used a midwife for both of my deliveries. It was the best experience ever! It was when I was living in Tennessee though.
The hospital there has a C.N.M (certified nurse midwife) center. I delivered in the hospital but was attended by a midwife, Along with all my prenatal visits. My sister followed my lead after having her first with an OB had her second with a midwife and was very happy with her experience as well! I may be able to help with the insurance thing if you want to contact me.
T.
www.livetotalwellness.com/T.
www.findhometome.com/T.

I have three wonderful children and delivered them all with midwives. I have had great experiences and would never go any different. They are so caring and the whole birth is more personal and it's all about you and your family and it doesn't feel medical at all. I don't know where you live but I delivered at the birthing center at Miami Valley and they were wonderful. They have a huge tub that I never used but my other children loved playing in it and the nurses were so fun with them. They encourage your other kids to be such a big part of everything. In the birthing center they have a queen size bed that you, your husband and your new little one can sleep together. They also do everything in your room so your baby never leaves your side for a minute. Also the birth itself is phenominal. They work really hard to make you comfortable and you have no restrictions. You can walk around, take a bath or bounce on a ball if you want. When you are ready to push they try their hardest to get the baby to come out easily so there is no ripping or tearing. I have been successfull in this area with all three of my children and my children weren't that small. I owe it to my midwives and their dedication of my well being that I never had to get stitches. I hope this information helps and if you have any other questions or concerns write me again. Also my sister-n-law who is a nurse used to think I was crazy using a midwife until they lost their insurance and found out she was pregnant and decided to do a home birth. This was her fourth child and she said there was no comparisons with her experiences and if they decide to have any more she will always use a midwife. Good Luck and I hope my information is helpful.

You go for it!!!!I had 4 out of our 7 children at home and every one was a true blessing and great experience. My 1st I had in hospital and no knowledge of midwives then the next 4 were at home with all family present including children then the next two were in hospital because of lazy uterus. Too many hours of labor. I could go on and on of all the positive points of home births. Midwives are not advertised in any telephone book, but go online and google midwives in your area.

good luck on your decisions you won't regret it!!

Midwifes are awesome. They are with you most of the time and do alot more for you to help you have a positive birth. They are cheaper the ob's. Also you might want to think about homebirth.
Please check out the new movie the business of being born. Or any of Ina May Gaskin books. Feel free to email me.

You can apply for maternity insurance through Healthy Start. Check it out on the web for more info. It is through medicaid, but everything will be paid for 100%. I don't think you can apply until you are pregnant though.

My daughter had a mid-wife for her first child and her thought is she would not use a mid-wife for her second child!!! If you are all about natural child birth then use a mid-wife. The mid-wife gave my daughter an epidoral during some of her labor and then had the epidoral machine stopped hours before delivery. It was not a pleasant experience watching my daughter go through the pain of child birth. I just wanted to cry.

M. D.

I have a different opinion about doctors vs. midwives, but I will just say that you should definitely go with someone who is licensed, and IMO, you should choose one who is affiliated with a medical practice. Yes, childbirth is a natural experience, but you might want medicine, and there's nothing wrong with that. There might be complications that require medical intervention. The time it takes to wait for an ambulance or drive to a hospital could be more time than you and your baby have to spare.

...L

I used Beth Barry at Clark Memorial for my second delivery. She is a mid-wife that uses a hospital setting. I was a VBAC, so the additional risk only allowed me to use her because she works with a group of doctors called Woman Care in Clarksville, IN. I loved her. It was such a better experience than the doctor I had previously. She allowed me to labor at my own pace and was a great support. Our insurance covered her because she worked in the group of OB/GYNs, so I'm not sure of the cost. But I highly recommend it!

i did not do this, but a friend of mine in florida did it. if you want to provide me your email address, i can ask her to email you about it. i think her birth journal is still online somewhere, but i am not for sure.

In the state of Ohio unless done for religous reasons (like the Amish) it is againist the law to have a home birth. Some friends of ours did that because they had no insurance. Well they didn't have a midwife with them but the husband was trained by the midwife who was a friend and did work at a hospital (That's where they work or in a birthing center and we do not have any in Cincinnati).They ran into trouble with the after birth. They called 911 and he should have been arrested but the squad members were understanding of their reasons. So they got off. They had a clean sterile room. Everything had been cleaned and draped with clean sheets.
I think it may be somewhat cheaper but since your still at a hospital they still charge for that.
My sister in law had a midwife for the birth of her youngest and had no trouble. That was at University Hospital in Cincinnati.
It's a good hospital by the way. My husband and I would not be alive if not for them and god. Truly! I should never have left the hospital. My sugar levels peaked at 1000. No one survives that.

I am a homebirth midwife, so I'm biased for homebirth. You can have a midwife in the hospital, but it would need to be a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM). Some CNMs are just as medically oriented as doctors though. Homebirth is great for low risk women, but requires a higher level of responsibility for staying healthy and low risk. You have to be on top of eating right and exercising and reading and educating yourself. A good midwife should help with the educating part. It is cheaper if you are paying out of pocket, but that shouldn't be your primary reason for choosing a homebirth. Most midwives in my area of Ohio charge any where from $2000-$3000.

I also want to add that it is not illegal in Ohio to have a homebirth. There is no law recognizing homebirth in Ohio, so it is considered an 'alegal' state. Midwives are still at risk here, but not the family. A midwife can be charged with another crime, such as if there was a bad outcome. Hopefully, there will be licensing in Ohio for homebirth midwives in the next few years. It would go a long way to protect the midwife. CNMs are unable to do homebirth in Ohio.

I had my first child in a natural homebirth with a mid wife. I would never do it any other way. Many of the complications women run into during child birth is due to the interventions of doctors.

Child birth is a natural thing not a medical emergency. Of course, your state of mind is a very important component. So, you need to find your comfort level and go with that. Mine was at home. I had 3 hours of hard labor, and a beautiful birth with my daughter. I had a little trouble passing my afterbirth, but even that turned out fine.

Giving birth is a spiritual experience. Yes, the mother and baby could both die, that stays the same weather your in a hospital, at home, or in a taxi cab! I trust God's plan and wisdom over man's modern medicine fiasco. C sections, epostomies, drugs, ultrasounds, emnios, inductions, and forcepts and suctions are not something I trust around a precious little baby or my precious body!!

I had A WONDERFUL midwife and a wonderful, wonderful birth! What a terrific idea! My midwife was thru Lakewood Midwifery and I delivered at Lakewood Hospital -- don't know where you are. But, by all means - try it! You won't regret it.... BUT .... check out the midwife first - make sure you feel very comfortable with her/the group. I went to one OB/GYN who had two midwives on staff, but I wasn't comfortable with either of them, so I asked a friend who I knew had had one & what her experience was like, then I called, talked for a while & checked them out - I was completely satisfied!! It was wonderful!!!!!!!!
-- M. :)

I too don't have maternity insurance....but there are several companies that offer maternity insurance...one is called MaternityCard...in case you are interested. C-sections are more and more common now a days........so in my opinion, I feel as though a midwife could be scary delivering your child at home in case there is a complication.....because your health and your childs health are the most important.....best of luck to you!!

I used a midwife with my first pregnancy. She was at my regular OBGYN. They had several there (prfessionals for womens health). If you weren't a high risk pregnancy, they actually suggested that you use a midwife instead of a doc. I loved my midwife and will continue to use her until I don't have any more babies or until she quits practicing! I don't know about the pricing, or if it's different from a doc. I delivered at the hospital. Good luck with your situation. Maybe you could try to get medicaid. That's what I used because I had the same situation. :)

First of all good for you for thinking about all this before you get pregnant! It's so much harder to think about and plan this when you are already pregnant and feeling the time crunch. You'll have lots of time now to interview as many Midwives (and OBs if you'd like) to find just the right fit.

A midwife is a great idea! If you decide to use a CNM through a practice it won't really be any cheaper as they bill exactly like a OBGYN (though it could end up a little cheaper if they don't insist on as many interventions and tests throughout your pregnancy and birth) also you will have all the same hospital charges. You will also have to watch out for CNMs that practice just like OBGYNs as they will be just as quick to use the same interventions. ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS.

With a homebirth midwife you will be charged a flat fee for all your prenatel appointments and the delivery. Most HB midwives do ask that you buy a birth kit (don't worry they tell you exactly what to buy) but that normally costs less than $50 so it's not a huge expence. You'll probably be charged something around $1000 (which is what I am paying for my current midwife) - $2500. I think it just depends on the midwife. They will most likely allow you to make payments in what ever quantity you can afford and some may even offer barter options if you can't afford the full amount.

I would suggest that you go and interview both CNMs in a practice and HB midwives to see which would be a better fit for you. Like I said before "ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS". Write down exactly what you want out of your prenatel care and your birth and bring that with you. Beware of ANY care provider that refuses to read your plan or a CP that just starts changing it to fit their needs (this just happened to me at a large Midwife practice and I ran away from them as fast as I could).

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Also, if you need help finding a HB midwife to interview let me know and I will give you a few links to help you in your search.

Good luck in your journey through conception, pregnancy and birth!

T.

I have three children. The first two were delivered by an OB. I had a midwife with the last. It was by far the best experience. She was with me from the time I got to the hospital until the baby was born. She even stuck around a little after to make sure everything was fine. She was there to explain everything to me and make sure I was as comfortable as you can be in that situation. The anesthesiologist took was at an emergency surgery and the nurses had no luck getting her to come give me an epidural. My midwife went and brought the anesthesiologist to my rescue. I wish I had used a midwife for all three.