Midwife vs OB

one5one

Ok I'm high risk & been seeing the OB. But he does have a midwife in the office as well. I met her in march when OB was on vacation & I was in the hospital for kidney stones. Nice lady. The OB has his own website and on it it says that I can have either or both at my labor & birth. I see the ultrasound tech & midwife on June 1st. I'm going to ask that she be there for the birth too. But my question is what is the difference between the two? I'm trying to go as natural as possible but want the dr around just in case. I don't want a c-section, induction, membrane strip or episiotomy (had that before). I'm not 100% on an epidural yet. I'm trying not to & tried the same with my first but had the epidural anyway....was young, in pain, & labor progressed very quickly.

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Juneduebug

I agree with @HomeBirthAdvocate. OB's are surgeons, whereas midwives are trained to assist in childbirth, not dictate it. No offense to anyone with an OB, your choices are your own. I do recommend some research on the subject though. My midwives have a comparatively much lower rate of c-section than the OB's in the same hospital, which is very reassuring to me. But also, not every OB is the same. so research really is the best route, a simple "what is your rate of c-section?" can answer alot of questions for you.

one5one

Hmm good info. So they basically do the same thing. I'm going to talk to her next time I see her. If I can have her I will but don't mind ob there too. Being high risk & all. Thanks!! @HomeBirthAdvocate

one5one

@Juneduebug I will ask. I sure don't want a c-section if I can help it. I want minimal things done. With my first I didn't have a choice. It was rush rush. I broke water at 3:00am made it to the hospital before 4:00 am. And I don't know why dr ( my reg dr was on vacation) rushed things but he snipped me and she was out at 7:35am. I hardly pushed half an hour. Ridiculous & don't want that again!

Juneduebug

*some*, not all, doctors will do that so they can go home early. the rate of medical intervention nationally spikes on weekends and after 5pm, which makes me very suspicious. i am sorry that happened to you

juliek77

@one5one, may I ask why you are high risk? That could be a big determining factor in it all. If your perinatalogist is saying you can use either of them or both for your delivery, maybe go with the midwife since you seem to really like her but make sure your doc will be there or on call if he is needed.

Summergirl22

At my obgyn office I could choose between a group of midwifes or a group of doctors, I choose midwifes with my first and im so happy I did. my biggest fear about giving birth was tearing or having to be cut, lucky niether happened, and I had a 9lb baby! This time I was told that the midwifes at that office no longer deliver babies so I have to see the doctors and honestly I'm worried they might rush through things when I'm in labor
i would choose the midwife, there will always be a doctor there if u should need them during ur delivery

one5one

Me too @Juneduebug I just don't want things luke that this time.

@juliek77 I'm high risk due to type2 diabetes & chronic hbp. Its controlled well though. But I'm definitely gonna talk the the midwife & ask her wat she thinks.

one5one

@Summergirl22 yes mine was rushed & I didnr get the baby on my chest & hub didn't cut the cord. She was only 6lbs10oz so the episiotomy was unnecessary. Yes I was scared it was my first!! But he cut me & didn't tell me. I screamed & she popped out. This time if I can I'm taking "control".

juliek77

@one5one, I have had type 1 diabetes for 18 years. I also take synthroid for hypothyroidism. I am also considered to be high risk just for the diabetes, but my first has multiple birth defects so it's just another reason for them to follow me that much closer. Just make sure whoever checks your blood sugar alot, it was the last thing on my mind with both of my other births. The nurse had to remind me to take my insulin pump off before I went in for a c/s with my daughter LOL. How are you doing managing your diabetes with pregnancy? Do you take insulin or medication? Sorry if I am being too nosy!

one5one

@juliek77 its ok. I'm nisy too! But I take metformin. I also have pcos which causes infertility & cysts on the ovaries. Which I have. I try to take my sugars in the am. Forgot to since Friday though. Busy weekend. I know now with pregnancy sugars gotta be lower. But 2hrs after eating it was 86. But sometimes in the am (fasting) is like 95. The highest (fasting) lately was 106 I think. Or 105 something like that. That's anothet question for the ob/ midwife. Should I check more often. Last they took of my a1c was February. It was 5.7. Should I have it done again. Its been 3 months. These are more questions to ask.

juliek77

@one5one, a1c of 5.7 is great! They usually do an a1c each trimester. How far along are you? It sounds like your blood sugars are running good. They usually want you to test alot more with pregnancy. The "baby hormones" start taking over at a certain point and change everything up. I check my blood sugar between 12-15 times a day, but I wear an insulin pump so it is really important for me to know where I am at before meals and 2 hours after and any time I am feeling low or high. Today I have checked my blood sugar 18 times (not a type LOL) and I will probably check another 2 times before I go to bed. I have to get up a few nights a week between 2-3AM to check to see where I am at. It is second nature to me because I have been doing this so long. I am hoping to get the CGM (continous glucose monitor) which is a little sensor that is inserted into the skin in your belly and it checks your blood sugar like every 5 minutes. It then will communicate with my insulin pump and give recommendations. Ah the joys of being a diabetic, especially a pregnant diabetic!

one5one

@juliek77 I know that having to do the tests & insulin like you do would scare me. It seems so.much. but you're doing it & well!! I hate even testing myself. I make my hub or daughter press the button for me. Cgm sounds great though. It'd free up some time & it does it for you & keeps your levels steady. Great invention! Lol do you know when the baby hormones take over? I'm 20w3d. How far are you?

juliek77

@one5one, I am 18w4d and I started noticing a change in my blood sugars a couple weeks ago. They say it happens between 14-18 weeks but I am not sure if it is different for a type 2 diabetic. I don't enjoy being a diabetic but I suppose after 18 years of having it, I have gotten used to it. Most everything that has to do with my diabetes comes second nature to me now because I have been dealing with it for so long.

one5one

Well whatever life throws at you, you've got to.get used to. So we are kinda close in gestation! Nice. But see I need to be a bit more educated with type2 especially now. I kind of slacked before because my sugars are well maintained. But I'm going to ask them to take blood for a1c and ask all types of things that have been popping up in my mind lately. @juliek77

juliek77

@one5one, it is always a good idea to ask questions and just be as informed as possible. I have tried to stay informed since I was diagnosed at age 15. You can always ask you doc to see a diabetes educator that specializes in pregnancy. They should be able to help alot too!

one5one

@juliek77 hey that's a great idea!! An educator. But I usually always ask questions & like to be informed as much as possible. So these are all thing to do for my next appt next week. I really do thank you for your help!

juliek77

@one5one, you're welcome!