Is it unusual to have an OB AND a Midwife?

Question

I plan on keeping the gynecologist I had before I found out I was pregnant as my OB to deliver my baby (she's an OB-GYN).  I love her and I think she's a great doctor.  While being a super smart clinical professional she's still always helped me heir towards the side of natural, non-invasive treatment first.  She delivers in the hospital I want to have my baby at but the problem is that this hospital is also where her office is and it's 35 miles from where I live.  I live North of Portland and there are no hospitals in my town so I have to drive to Portland to deliver no matter what but if I can, it would be nice to have someone in town to see for some of the more routine visits.

I've always liked the idea of a midwife.  If not for Dr. Williams being as awesome as she is I would not have an OB at all, just a midwife.  But, Dr. Williams and Emanuel (the hospital) are a part of Legacy Medical Group and we have a Legacy clinic here in our little town that has Legacy midwives available two days a week for appointments!  I've heard AWESOME things about these midwives.

So I've been wondering...is it crazy to think I could have both?  I could see a Legacy midwife for some of the more routine prenatal visits and I could keep seeing Dr. Williams too but with less frequency.  My girlfriend has this really awesome story about how when she was delivering her doctor had this nurse and while he delivered the baby, the nurse's almost exclusive job was to help my friend.  Help her position, talk her through it, make her smile.  Like a doula!  I want that!  Is it crazy to think that with this Legacy partnership I could have Dr. Williams deliver and then also have a midwife who knows me and has been my helper my whole pregnancy be there for the birth to help coach me?  I know then people are going to say, then why not get a doula?  The answer to that is A) my insurance doesn't cover it that way and B) I do want the continued care from the midwife as well during the pregnancy, not just the birth help.

Am I being super high maintenance here??  I just can't think of a better team for my personal birthing desires.  I'm hoping to find another momma who's done something like this before to tell me I'm not crazy haha

Answer

I don't think it sounds crazy at all. on the contrary, it sounds like you have a very strong sense of what you want your birth to be like, and that is great. always, always follow your instincts as a mother.. if your gut is telling you that this is the ideal way to birth your baby, then make it happen.. or at least get as close as you can. talk to doc williams, and see if she's down. I didn't see an ob/gyn at all during my pregnancy, but my midwife up here happens to be married to an ob/gyn, and he sometimes acts as her "back up midwife" during home births, so he was at the birth of my son as an observer (it was kinda funny when I met him, I was at about 7-8cm, and completely naked, and I had been laboring in my bedroom when he arrived, so I walked out into my living room where the birth tub was, saw him and was like "oh, hey.. nice to meet you, glen." hopefully the first and only time I'll meet a stranger naked lol...😅).. another thing worth considering is that you could see your midwife(s) for your post partum care too, so you wouldn't be making the drive all the way to portland for your post birth appointments. good luck! :)

Is it unusual to have an OB AND a Midwife?

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