Why? What did you use for #1?
I used a OB mainly because I was more comfortable with it, being my first baby and all. And there's not a lot of options locally. But for a future pregnancy I'm considering using a midwife.
How is the experience different? Is a midwife more involved during L&D?
pear / 1609 posts
IF we have pregnancy 2 I will use a midwife. I used an OB before and started to hate her by the end of my pregnancy.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
I delivered at a hospital attended by midwives, but all of my prenatal appts were done by an OB in his office.
I don't know what an OB would have done differently during delivery, but the midwives were there to help me get into comfortable positions and monitor the baby. They were awesome, I don't know what else to say about them.
grapefruit / 4819 posts
Midwife! Unless you go through the private system here, which is super expensive, all low risk births are handled by a midwife. I didn't see the same midwife at any visit as the midwives managing the antenatal clinic rotate every day but I didn't mind. They were all lovely and I could have called the antenatal clinic any time if I needed something.
During labour, I had one midwife that stayed with me the entire time - she was always in the room and there were no nurses. When our baby's heart rate dropped briefly once I started pushing, the supervising midwife came in to consult, and once we got ready for pushing a second midwife came in to assist, but other than that, it was just our midwife in the room.
As I've said in many previous posts, I loved midwife care because it's very hands off. They don't do extra scans unless there is a medical need, they don't do internal checks, no invasive tests (ie GBS) unless you are high risk.....and yeah, it's a very calm, laid ask experience and I loved every second of it. We're aiming for three kids and I'm actually hoping to have all of them here in Australia before we move back north as I love the care we get here!
ETA: I also had an epidural, which my midwife was totally supportive of, so whilst the stereotype of midwives being anti-epis can be true, it wasn't for me fortunately!
GOLD / apricot / 315 posts
I had an OB for my first pregnancy and a midwife for my second. I really loved my OB, but he moved in the middle of my pregnancy, so I ended up switching.
The midwife was so much more involved during labor and delivery. As much as I liked my OB, he definitely did the stereotypical breezing in and out of the room every hour or so. The midwife was with me the entire time, made lots of suggestions for different coping methods, and was really hands-on. She was an incredible support.
If I have a third pregnancy, I would probably go with a midwife again.
GOLD / papaya / 10206 posts
I had an OB for my first and plan to have a midwife for my next pregnancy.
watermelon / 14206 posts
I have to go to an OB/GYN if I get pregnant again. I went with one for DS, tried for the birth center for this last one, which we all know failed horribly, and given my past and recent history, I'm now at high risk status. At this point, I will feel more comfortable at an OB/GYN, which is weird to say, cause I didn't feel comfortable with one before. I guess it's just cause I don't have a choice, and in the end my only desire is to have a healthy baby. I don't even care about "my birth experience" at this point, as long as I could bring home a healthy baby afterwards.
However...I would hire my midwife as a doula, if I felt it was needed.
pomelo / 5178 posts
I had an OB for both of my pregnancies. I knew I wanted an epidural the second time around, so I wasn't so concerned about having involvement in the delivery room.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@Ree723: @Mrs. Chalk: thanks for explaining! I kinda knew that my OB would be non existent during L&D. But it would have been nice to have the person who knew my pregnancy there during it!
nectarine / 2994 posts
Here in New Zealand your main carer throughout pregnancy/birth is a midwife (for free, yay!) And I'll have the same midwife for the next lo since I loved her so much. I gave birth in hospital and while in labor I had a hospital midwife in the room also and the hospital ob came in maybe 3 times? Midwife was the one who delivered my baby. The ob on the floor at the time was an ass and I'm glad I wasn't stuck with him throughout my induction!
pomelo / 5524 posts
OB for my first and will plan to see the same OB for #2 should we be so blessed. We had a lot of trouble conceiving, and I was a high risk pregnancy. Nothing about pregnancy was easy over here...so I feel more comfortable with a more hands on approach.
GOLD / apricot / 315 posts
@regberadaisy: That was actually the trade-off for me. My OB had been in a solo practice, so I feel like he really got to know us during the pregnancy, and I was totally comfortable with him by the time the delivery rolled around. My midwife was in a group with three others, so I had no way of knowing who would be on call. Also, because I had rotated my appointments amongst them, I didn't feel like any of them really knew me that well.
pomegranate / 3895 posts
My experience with my midwife has been so wonderful during this pregnancy that I'm almost certain I'll go the midwife route again. I like that the experience has been very empowering and I have never once felt like I "had" to do something a certain way. My appointments are always on time and last between 45 minutes to an hour. It's been great to build a relationship with the person who's going to be delivering our child.
In terms of the experience during labour, haven't quite gotten there yet, but my midwife and her student (having the student there is 100% optional, but I really like her and am fine with her being there) will be with me at all times during active labour (no nurses or doctors, unless a transfer of care is necessitated) and when it comes time to push she'll be joined by a second midwife.
pear / 1992 posts
I want to see the same midwife and practice I used for this LO. I had been seeing her for well woman visits prior to getting pregnant for a couple years so I feel like I have a great relationship with her. Only I hope that she will actually be able to deliver the next one! Another midwife in the practice was on call when I went into labor, but I love her too so it was still a great experience.
coconut / 8279 posts
My hospital uses both midwives and OBs for delivery, the hospital birth center has everything. All private rooms, birth tubs in every room, lactation consultants on call.
I went to an OBs office for appointments.
I'd do the same thing if I were to do it again. I would definitely try to make use of the birth tub and midwives services.
cantaloupe / 6397 posts
I haven't gotten to the labor/delivery part yet, but I already know I will go with a midwife again for our next pregnancy. I love my midwife, and I love that I have longer appointments and that I am kept well informed of all decisions!
pomelo / 5720 posts
I had a male OB with my first. He wasn't present for my delivery (which I was grateful for because I didn't really like him). I had a wonderful female OB for my 6 week pp check up and I think I will use her if she's still there for LO#2. I would love a midwife but DH is too nervous and wants an OB.
kiwi / 613 posts
OB..Even if their bedside manner is not as great as a midwife, I just (personally) feel more comfortable with an OB.
pomegranate / 3917 posts
Family doctor.
Will hope to have her again for LO #2. My family doc doesn't go pasy 20w, I switched to her for appts and was guaranteed to have her for L&D which did! Had there been complications, I would have been referred to OB and fam doc would assist!
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
We had sort of a weird set-up where we got all of our prenatal care from a midwife and CNP at a satellite clinic for our hospital. They were wonderful, but midwives do not have delivery privileges at the hospital where we delivered. We were delivered by the OB on call.
They do have an OB at that clinic but she only handled high-risk pregnancies. Had I ended up with a scheduled induction I would have met her beforehand and they would have scheduled me when she was on-call.
I would have preferred my midwife deliver, but we ended up being very happy with the OB who did, even if we hadn't met him beforehand. He was friendly, extremely competent, honored my wishes to not be cut as long as he could (he did ultimately end up doing it but given the situation I was okay with it), and was cute with a great accent to boot 
What we do with a second LO is up in the air. We don't live up the street from that clinic anymore. Ideally I think we'd find a midwife that did have delivery practices at a different hospital, but it really depends on where we'll be living at that point.
grapefruit / 4800 posts
Similar to @FutureMrsMcK.
I'll see RNs/midwives/OBs for appointments but the hospital I'm delivering at only lets OBs deliver for some reason. So I'm going to try and meet some of the OBs during the appointments so I might know who's delivering but so far I've seen RNs.
pomelo / 5093 posts
Midwife forever. I see mine for my well woman care as well as for my initial infertility stuff. If I cycle on clomid again, I'll do it with her this time.
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
OB for both. I had the option for a midwife for #1 but I didn't want to drive a lot farther to a sister hospital.
nectarine / 2217 posts
i loooooovvved our ob, but we moved across the city and it wouldn't have been a good idea to drive 1 hr to see her anymore. I'm at a midwives type practice now (with nurse practitioners seeing me most of the time, and one ob on staff) and although it's fine, i prefer my former ob's small intimate office. i also liked that i saw her every single visit. oh well! 
persimmon / 1472 posts
I would love to go with a midwife again but DH has vetoed that option out. I'm still [fighting] discussing this with DH but that is a whole other issue.
I had a midwife with #1 and planned for a natural unmedicated birth. I labored at home for early labor, labored in the tub at the birthing center until fully dilated, then pushed for 3 hours with a posterior baby "looking out" (yes, exactly as it sounds...) so ended up with an emergency c-section. After the fact, DH expressed how scared he was when the midwife and nurse left the room while I was pushing and how he would not have know what to do if the baby flew out. I told him babies do not just FLY out and I liked that they gave me room to do my thing. They also left us alone during most of my laboring, which is exactly what I expected - I was in a dim room in a tub and worked through contractions at my own pace with only intermittent fetal doppler monitoring while in the tub. DH had thought that a nurse or our midwife would stay the entire time I was laboring. I think I need to explain to him that even if I had an OB and was in a normal L&D situation, a nurse isn't going to be there 24/7 during my entire laboring time.
Ideally I'd like a midwife again and this time, I'd also hire a doula... but we shall see...
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
I don't think midwives can deliver in hospitals in my state. I'll be seeing my OB again and her NP's. I've been really happy with them all!
kiwi / 706 posts
I had a csection so ill be sticking with my OB but I would have anyway. She is awesome...very supportive of her patient's choices and responsive to concerns. For those who have to have OBs again and are dreading it bc of the first one, don't give up! There are some great ones out there !!
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@prettylizy: now that you're KU are you still thinking of using a midwife?
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
I used the same ob for #2. If we had a third, I'd use him again.
We're done, but I still go to see him for my annual!
pomegranate / 3895 posts
This is a big giant 'if' as we're strongly considering being one and done, but if we were to have a second we would absolutely, without question go with a midwife again with the goal of having a VBAC.
The midwifery care model is quite different and I appreciated feeling like I had a personal relationship with my midwife. All my appointments were 45 minutes to one hour in length, which left tons of time for asking questions and chatting.
Due to my induction, I ended up being transferred into an OB's care, but my midwife stayed with me throughout labour as labour support, and she was in the OR when I ultimately ended up with a csection. My experience was so positive with my midwife, and pretty negative with the attending OB. So while I'm sure there are excellent, compassionate OBs out there, I would feel much more comfortable working with a midwife again.
My midwife made me feel empowered!
ETA: Oops! Just realized this was an old thread that got revived and that I'd already responded above. Oh well, I guess I'm just super enthusiastic about midwives!
GOLD / papaya / 10206 posts
@locavore_mama: YESS!!! I'm actually leaving work early today to have our first meeting with her. I"m super stoked, she's the same MW that delivered my Doula's baby so they have a great rapport. Will come back this evening to give a full review of first impression.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@prettylizy: yay!! Please do.
@hergreenapples: you hit the nail on the head. Those are all the reason why I'm considering a mw. I want some at l&d that has been there from the start. I don't like feeling rushed at the appointments.
watermelon / 14467 posts
I'm still on my first, but if we have a second and are living in this area, I will not hesitate to go the midwife route again. I've seen both an OB and a midwife in this pregnancy, and my experience has been far better with the midwives. They really seem to care instead of getting in and out and moving me through. They always encourage questions and don't make me feel dumb for asking certain ones.
grapefruit / 4823 posts
Used the same OB for both and would again if we had other children
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