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Oh yeah, I have Tricare Prime as well.

And the only thing I've heard that I didn't think was normal is unless something goes seriously wrong, 24 hours after baby comes you are out of there! Most civilians I know have been there for a few days at the least.

My experience was 9.5 years ago but the major thing I'm sure still applies. I loved my ob, hated the pharmacy wait.
I was ok'd to travel from Oregon to Washington a month before my due date, I went into labor while in Oregon. Tricare told the hospital I was at that if they did anything at all to progress labor they wouldn't pay a dime. I spent 5 days in a civilian hospital, dilated to a 4, they wouldn't release me and couldn't induce me. My water finally started to trickle, they "checked" me and it "helped" to finish breaking my waters ;). I bet that was a huge bill, we were there for 7 days!
Don't travel within a month is what I learned, lol!

Pediatrics was great, like I said I loved my OB/Ped

I'll be delivering at RAF Lakenheath in the UK. (USAF base). So far, I'm satisfied with my care through OB. I'm 21 weeks along. My main gripe about the OB appointments is that you don't get one every month. The clinic here does them every 6-8 weeks at first, then every 4 weeks and then every 2 weeks. In the states, it would have been every 4 weeks, then every 2 and then every week.

As for birth, I have not given birth yet (obviously) but I have been working on my birth plan and discussing my wishes with the doctor I have been seeing. I'm not really sure about other branches and I have even heard that Lakenheath is different because it's influenced by the British system, but they have told me that I have tons of options. There are midwives on staff here as well lactation consultants, which is nice.

As for my birth plan, I want a totally natural birth, the ability to follow my body's instincts and undisturbed time with my baby immediately following birth. My birth plan that I have been discussing with my doctor includes things like: hep lock instead of an IV, ability to get out of bed and walk and move, the ability to shower during labor, I want to tear rather than be cut, spontaneous pushing instead of coached, not to be offered drugs at all, baby placed immediately on my chest and left alone for the first hour, etc. The military doctors have assured me that this is all possible and I have talked to a lot of women who have been allowed to give birth their way.

As with any hospital, you are going to have people telling you horror stories. I would take those with a grain of salt.

@navy_mommy- DH's deployment changed. I think it must have happened after your departure from WB. After we got to the UK, we found out that another guy in the shop had volunteered to take the deployment for him because they knew I was pregnant. He now gets to be here when the baby is born, so I'm staying here with him to deliver.

@zippylef: That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard. It's stories like that that make me appreciate the military even more!