Midwife or OB?

Question

I want a midwife & home birth...my husband would rather I have an OB & give birth in a hospital. I have done research but am looking for others opinions on the matter. Has anyone done both (home / hospital) & prefer one over the other? Is anyone else in the same predicament I'm in? How did you decide one over the other?

Answer

I had an OB with my first two. He didn't deliver either of my babies. I was sent home with both babies because the doc's checks did not confirm, in their eyes, that I was actually in labor. Both boys were born within two hours of being sent home. My second was born at home on the floor of my hallway. This on top of the fact that I was being pushed to induce both of them before my due date because they were "big babies" ( both ended up being less than six pounds at birth) led me to switch to a midwife this time around.

Answer

My SO is very against homebirth. He is afraid that if something goes wrong we won't have the help we need. I talked to a nurse that did a year of clinicals with a midwife and she said she saw one hundred good homebirth's but she saw one bad one that made her change her opinion completely. I would look at hospitals that allow you to labor how you want, water tubs or birthing balls, my hospital offers massage therapy and aroma therapy as well as tubs and balls. That way you still get the labor and birth you want with the comfort of knowing the staff is fully trained for the worst (God forbid.) As far as a midwife or OB, my nurse suggested I get a family doctor that can deliver so when the baby has appointments, she will already know us and can stay with us as baby love grows, but I also got the number of a doula to know my plan speak for me delivery day so everything does the way I plan. Depending on where you live, doulas are pretty affordable! And they can teach you labor tips that you would need to take a class for, as well as the home visits through your pregnancy! Wow, worry that's such a long post! Hope it helps!

Answer

Don't forget about family doctors.  Choose one that delivers.  They'll be less likely to push for an c-section and more likely to be there when you deliver.  And then for your life and babies after.  Look for one that specializes in birth and pediatrics. Mine runs a birth center.

Answer

My doctor recommended hospital birth. They say things can go wrong pretty fast so you want to make sure you are in proper care. Other than that do what you feel comfortable with.

Answer

I've had two ob births and was planning to go midwife on this pregnancy just for a different experience. I went to see my ob though and it just felt right, so I canceled my appt with my midwife (who I know would have been amazing too). Maybe make appointments with both and see what feels right.

Also at first my husband was wary of a midwife because he had a weird idea of what it would be like (even though his mom had two home births)
I think maybe your husband going to the midwife appointment might help.

Also could midwife birthing center birth be a compromise? Or midwife group that has an ob on staff?)

Answer

I have a midwife, but I'll be delivering in a birthing center.

Answer

I'm doing a midwife at a birthing center and I think that's a good compromise!

Answer

I'm a nurse and I had a couple with this same problem.  They opted for a home birth but because of complications wound up at the hospital anyways.  I know this doesn't always happen, and many go fine, but with this couple things didn't.  There was a lot of contention between the husband and wife because he thought they should have been in th hospital to begin with. Reach a happy compromise like the previously suggested midwife in a birthing center so you're going into it both being happy with what you decided.

Answer

I have done home, hospital and birth center. I feel safe at home, it's mine I know I'm safe.

Answer

I'm going with a midwife, but will give both in hospital. It feels like the best of both worlds. I'll hopefully have the support I need/want for a natural labor and the safety of having an obgyn there if something goes wrong.

Midwife or OB?

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