What are specific differences between midwives and obstetricians? Do you have appointments as frequently? How is the delivery experience different with a midwife?
Alaskamolly, that's so cool that you had your baby at home! Did you deliver in your bed? Did your bed get messed up? (I mean delivery is, well, bloody) And you also delivered in a tub of water? I've heard of that...does that make you feel less pain, or is it designed to be more comfortable for the baby?
Your appts are just as frequent.
The delivery experience is WAY cooler!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't even even even begin to describe the difference. One is a medical procedure in a hospital. Doesn't matter how sweet the Doc is, it's still a medical procedure in a hospital. How relaxed can you be in an environment like that????
The other is a natural normal occurance in a comfortable environment, where somebody is speaking soothing womanly words to you of encouragement and helping you slowly ease that baby out, rubbing your perenium and massaging it with healthful oils to faciliate stretching, and allowing you to take whatever position you like, whatever feels good, whatever works for you.
Your bed doesn't get messed up--your midwife preps you on how to prepare for a homebirth. It's really fun, actually. You just put a set of sheets on your bed, then a waterproof matress cover over the top, and then another set of sheets (that you don't mind getting stained, possibly). Then, after baby is born, you can whisk off the first set of sheets and the mattress cover, and you've got a nice fresh set waiting for you underneath.
When they come out, they bring lots of pads and stuff too, cover your floor up and all of that, in case you want to deliver out of bed. They'll explain all of that to ya--there's a list of basic things you need to have on hand and prepared.
When I went into labor the first time, one of the things they had my husband do is fill a crock pot with folded wet washcloths and turn it on high. Then, when I was having the baby and the head was coming down, they'd put a hot washcloth on my stretching perenium (when they weren't massaging it, that is) and it felt SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good!
Delivering in the tub was really cool, because I had a lot of scar tissue that time (from a surgery) and was worried about tearing right up that big scar line. Being in the water really helped my perenium stretch, and baby came out with my perenium staying in tact! I think I only had one or two stitches, and considering the huge scar, that's saying something!
The warm water is really comfy--very soothing. My second baby I spent labor in my tub at home (but got out to have her at the end). It was totally PAIN FREE, and I think a big part of that was the fact that I was so at "home" in my own tub, and was able to totally relax. That labor was only an hour and a half, and I longed for it to last LONGER, because it was such an awesome experience!!!! Talk about a total high...being able to feel your body having a baby, and enjoying evey second of it! Just toss a cup of sea salt into the water--that kills any germs that might be in there while laboring, and makes it safe for baby.
But whether it ends up being pain free or not, it really takes the edge off the pain.
The main dif. between a midwife and a doc is that the doc can do C-sections and has hospital privegales, whereas most midwive's do not, unless they parter with a doctor and work under his authority (so as to get his insurance). It's too bad, but it's because of malpractice insurance costs--midwives can't afford that kind of money (heck, doc's barely can!)...
You will find that midwives in general have a WAY better safety record than hospitals and docs. Of course, much of that is probably because the kind of women who go to a midwife are the type who are very active participants in their pregnancies, work to be healthy as possible, and aren't terribly fearful of labor. So that probably helps the stats be so high in the midwives favor, because doc's have to handle everybody--the involved women and the ones who are deathly afraid or have various complications.
I have had nurse-midwives thus far, but this time am going with one who is not a nurse (she's a couple other things, though...naturopath doc or something like that???). I love her, am very satisfied with her record, and her care. She is AWESOME, and I love her partners too!
Nurse-midwives can be great, as they have more medical knowlege, but I've had bad experiences too. Sometimes simply BECAUSE of the medical knowlege, they are more inclined to be more hospital-prone than otherwise. One I knew was a nervous wreck--shipped most of her home births off to the hospital if they went over 12 hours in labor, just because of the fear of getting sued if something was going wrong!
So, as with most things, you want to pick your midwife based on HER, not merely her credentials. Trust me--you will *know* it's her, the one you want to choose, when you meet her. Women's intuition, I think... I have always had a few midwives to choose from, but always just *knew* the one I felt totally comfortable with. That's what you want--one who makes you feel "at home" with her.
As for midwives being more expensive, it's actually the complete opposite. Most hospital births (for a mere 12 hour stay, no drugs, and NO complications of any sort) are going to run you at LEAST $10,000, and that is JUST for the delivery (doesn't count your prenatal appts). A midwife will cost you somewhere between $3,000-4,500, and that is including EVERYTHING, from the first prenatal appt to the very last 2 wk post partum check up.
We paid by cash for our first birth (my awesome man worked THREE jobs while finishing up Bible school!!!), and have been covered for the rest. Our coverage pays for the midwife, but does not pay for the actual midwife birth--whether it's a home birth
or birthing center. So we have to come up with $750 to cover that part, but everything else is covered.
Anyways, hope this helps some!
Blessings,
Molly
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