Midwife and natural childbirth question ..ETA Location

Hi I am new to these boards (formally from LIW). But I was hoping you guys could help me with a question I had. Note: I am not currently PG or TTC but I will be TTC this summer....I also don't mean to offend anyone who didn't use natuaral childbirth or had c-sections... This is a personal and medical decision and I don't want to offend anyone.

I am looking for a midwife or OB that really believes in Natural Childbirth. I am personally very alarmed at the rate of sections in LI hospitals (my mother is and OB nurse and goes to meetings at local hospitals where they announce 51% section rates, the OB's cheer and talk about how the rate are increasing 2-3% each month and this good!) I really don't want to be pressured to take and epidural, or have a c-section unless it is REALLY needed. I was hoping a midwife would help this process. But I don't know any and I would like to go for a pre-conceptual visit to interview people and understand thier views on Natural childbirth. I am also looking for lamaze recommendations that focus the MAJORITY of the classes on breathing and techniques to get though childbirth medication free. I do plan on waiting until my contractions are 2-3 minutes apart and sever to avoid going to the hospital too soon and getting strapped to montiors that limit my movement and therefore progression of labor... leading to sections.. .but I would love any other advise, recommendations for OB/Midwife that you know feels this way about labor and delivery, or lamaze classes that focus on natural childbirth.
TIA for your help.

ETA: I live in Bellmore.

Message edited 1/31/2007 3:41:32 PM.

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

I am using a midwife but I do not plan on having a natural delivery. I know that I have low tolerance of pain so I will definitely won't be going naturally. My midwife is located in Borough Park , Brooklyn. Where are you located?

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

You should do a search, there are quite a few threads recommending midwives and at least one to avoid.

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

Where are you? I have heard that Stony Brook Midwives might be the type you are looking for, but I have no first hand knowledge of them.


you may also want to look into Bradley method courses rather than Lamaze. I bet if you contact La Leche League they would be a good source of midwives with your philosophy.

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

I did not having any med, Iv's or anything until one hour before I delivered. I delivered at Winthrop, and took hypnobirthing classes. I wasn't continually checked for dialtion . If I would have realized that I was so far along I could have probably done it medication free. My Dr, Dr. Hanauer didn't pressure me and she knew my wishes. I also would recommend Bradley classes also.

Message edited 1/31/2007 9:09:20 AM.

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

I totally respect your decision on natural childbirth but keep in mind that a C-section is not always an elected decision. Sometimes it is just necessary emergency procedure to give birth.

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

I don't know where you are located and looking to go but if you are around the Stony Brook area there is a great practice. I used The Stony Brook Midwives for all 3 of my kids and can't say enough great things about them! Good Luck!

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

Definitely sign up for the Bradley Classes! And I HIGHLY recommned this book if you plan on going the natural way (given to me by my sister who's a La Leche leader)

It's been such an AMAZING read for me

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

I used a midwife (Melanie) at Garden City OB-GYN. She was fantastic. My SIL recommended her to me - she delivered 3 of my nieces/nephews.

I'd also highly recommend taking a hypnobirthing class and/or reading the book. It was a HUGE help throughout my prolonged labor.

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

I use Stony Brook midwives and so far they have been great. Albeit, I've only been to the "Meet the Midwives" session and tour and had one appt, but they are really nice and explained that a C-Section is a last resort.

I have no pain tolerance, so I'll be opting for an epidural, which I sort of feel funny about since most of the literature provided to me is geared toward trying to give birth without drugs.

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

My sister used the Stony Brook midwife practice for her second delivery. I"ll try to find out the name of her midwife from her first at Winthrop. I do think her name was Melanie.

I didn't use a midwife but delivered without any medication (epidural, etc.) I would suggest taking Bradley courses over Lamaze because they do focus more on breathing & natural (unmedicated, I mean) childbirth. I know for me the classes were very helpful.

I went into it thinking I was going to try for natural childbirth & if I needed the epi, I would get it. I know many women who were adament about not getting an epidural & needed one. I hated that my friends, after giving birth to a healthy happy baby, considered themselves "failures" for opting for pain medication. I wouldn't want the same for you.

Good luck with everything!

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

I am using the Stonybrook Midwives and so far they have been great. There are seven women and so far I have had appts with 5 of them. They totally believe that pregnancy and labor are natural parts of life and they treat them as such. They have a really low C-section rate as well as epidural rate.

I also took a Bradley class and found it to be very informative not just about natural childbirth but about preparing for labor and things to expect AFTER labor.

I am due any day now, so I will let you all know how it goes.

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

I live in the UK, but I recommend going down the midwife route! I never once saw a doctor during my pregnancy and it was all done really wonderfully and sort of hands off. I had the choice of tests and did not do any glucose tests, blood tests etc...It was all led by women who had had babies themselves, they were wonderful, supportive and never once were we pressured into making any choices. And best of all, thanks to the NHS, it was all FREE!!! We have lots of choices as to where we would like to have our babies, what kind of labour scheme we want (ie Domino, which is where you labour at home like you mentioned) and home births are really popular! The C-Section rate here is only 17%, its quite rare that they happen. One wonderful service that the NHS offers is that for up to 28 days after you have had your baby, a community midwife visits you at home to make sure everything is okay, and after that you get a health visitor who visits you every 2 weeks for a month or so to make sure that you are well and the baby is thriving.

I had a really wonderful experience here and can't wait to do it all again! I rate midwifery (the oldest profession in the world!) highly!! Good Luck!

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

I have the same views as you... I haven't used a midwife though so I can't help you there.... I just make sure that I make my opinion heard with my OB and with the nurses while in the hospital, which at times can be rather difficult because they are very quick to give you drugs and/or an epidural...I can however suggest that you look into Hypnobirthing as a good way to learn relaxation techniques...it helped me tremendously with my the birth of my dd...it helps you understand what your body is meant to do naturally and that alot of the "pain" in childbirth comes from the fear and tension associated with it.Hypnobirthing

eta - I wanted to add that laboring at home like you said is an EXCELLENT thing to do.. I went to the hospital too soon with my ds and it really really slowed my labor because I was out of my environment and I was strapped to monitors.. I waited till the last minute with my dd and it was a very fast and relaxed labor... I am laboring at home with this baby as long as possible also

Message edited 1/31/2007 3:25:35 PM.

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question

OMG! I totally know that. C-Sections are definitly a medical nessisity at times. I don't think most people elect to have sections... I just think that a lot of dr's today are opting for sections in situations that maybe are not needed. And of course there are situation that sections are the only answer for safe birth. Also the methods of birthing are contributing to alarmingly high section rates.. including the almost continuous fetal monitoring that restricts you to a bed for the majority of the delivery. If you are alble to walk for the majority of the labor process studies have shown the labor will move along quicker thereby reducing section rates. Please don't think that I was saying that most people elect for sections or that they are not ever needed. That wasn't my message and I apologize if you thought that was I meant

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question ..ETA Location

I totally agree with you about C-sections being more common as they are more "comfortable" for the Dr - not in cases when it is medically necessary.

Thanks for this post -- I just looked at the Hyponbirthing web site and there is a practitioner in Levittown - I just emailed her. I would prefer to go naturally too if possible.

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question ..ETA Location

If you're having your baby in the city, I'd recommend St. Luke's Roosevelt hospital on the west side - they are supposed to have a really top notch midwife facility in addition to their maternity ward and neonatal unit. I dont know too much about it - but it's generally considered to be the best in the city.

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question ..ETA Location

My hope is that I dont't have to use an epidural but that if I really can't do I will get one and not beat myself up over it. I realize that I have NO idea what I am getting myself into so I can't make rules for myself that I might not be able to follow through on. Thanks for the advice

Re: Midwife and natural childbirth question ..ETA Location

My hypnobirthing teacher was in Rockville centre and my wonderful doctor is in Garden City and delivers at Winthrop.