So we have decided to switch from our OB/GYN to a Midwife at Alma Birth Center. We were planning of delivery at Legacy Emanuel… and we really like our doctor there… but decided we want to do a water birth.
I have SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction is a mild to severe pelvic joint pain that is experienced by some expecting mothers after the first trimester of pregnancy or after childbirth) and I knew from the onset of the symptoms that water was going to be an extremely important tool for me during labor. When I found out my hospital only had one laboring tub I became a little concerned, but was willing to labor at home longer and use my own bath tub.
After our last hypnobirth session John and I became more confident in my ability to birth naturally, and felt that we should at least explore various birth centers and water birth options.
On Tuesday I met with a midwife at Alma Birthcenter and got a tour of the place. I immediately knew it was right for me. I have my first appointment next Thursday… I can’t wait to start a new chapter in my pregnancy/ childbirth journey.
To read the benefits of a water birth check out this website: http://www.waterbirth.org/mc/page.do
Consider the excellent care provided by the Legacy Midwifery services. My wife and I recently delivered our beautiful little girl (Hazel) with these exceptional midwives. Everything about the experience was picture perfect.
I know many people deliver at home, and midwifery centers claim excellent statistics, but please ask detailed questions of the midwife you select. Are they certified nurse midwives? Who backs them up if things don’t go according to plan? Have they ever lost a baby? Has a baby they delivered ever suffered a disability related to the birth process? Has a baby they delivered ever been admitted to a newborn intensive care unit? Why? What happened to this baby?
The Legacy Midwives deliver at Emanuel hospital and are backed up by the high risk OB group at Emanuel. There is a NICU at Emanuel that responds to any high-risk delivery to provide care exclusively to the baby while the midwife focusses on the moms needs if complications occur.
I work in the NICU at Emanuel…;. I see a lot of very sad situations… it happens several times a year that babies are admitted from home deliveries and birth centers in critical condition. Often this is because the baby was too big and got stuck for too long. This leads to a condition called hypoxic ischemic encephalophy. Babies don’t recover fully from this…many will die in the first week. Those who survive will have life-long disabilities.
It is a very difficult thing to see, especially when is was totally preventable.
Good luck with the decision process and best wishes always,
Jim
I just received this comment. I went ahead and approved it, though I don’t like the “fear tactic” nature of it.
Jim, when I was first pregnant I actually interviewed the Legacy Midwives. I actually chose my OB over them. I felt more of a personal connection with the OB. I did not like that I wasn’t assigned one Midwife, and that there was no guarantee that the Midwife you interviewed with would be the one at your birth. You would end up getting whoever was on call.
If you further read my blog you’d see that I had a beautiful birth at Alma and I felt really connected and bonded with my midwives.
Thank you for sharing your prospective… though I strongly disagree.
p.s. my baby was very large and I pushed for 5 hours… yes 5 hours… I trusted that my midwives knew when or if I needed a hospital transfer, as my heart beat and the babies were constantly monitored… as well as my mental and physical well-being.