I had my first appointment on Wednesday to check up on my pregnancy progress. It was more of a pregnancy do’s and don’ts reminder visit, but I felt it was productive. We discussed my morning sickness and I go back on January 8 for them to check the status of my weight gain and nausea.
I have a new care provider this time around, opting for a group of Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) rather than the OBGyn group I went with last time. I know I’m going to get a lot of questions about this decision, so I figured I post the answers to a few frequently asked questions here.
1. Are midwives doctors? Certified Nurse Midwives have a 4 year Registered Nursing degree, a 2 year Masters degree in Midwifery, and finally must pass a national certification exam before becoming licensed by the State. There are other types of midwives (like Direct Entry Midwives) who are not required to undergo the formal education and testing, but this is not the type of midwife I have chosen.
2. Why don’t you want a doctor to deliver your baby? My OB, like most, showed up for the last 5 minutes of my 21 hour labor, got the baby out, then left. The RN on rotation that night in Labor and Delivery was responsible for 99% of my care, including when I experienced complications during labor. A CNM, as part of their code of practice, endeavors to spend as much time as possible with the mother during labor. My CNM aims to be to the hospital within 45 minutes of my arrival and will stay until after my child has been processed and admitted into the nursery. Ryan and I figured if a nurse would really be the one attending to me during labor, it may as well be one with specialized training for the task and one who knows my medical history.
3. What if something goes wrong? The CNM group I have selected is composed of 6 midwifes and 3 OBGyns. The midwifes work closely with the doctors, who can be brought in at any time if the need arises. I can also request to see the OB if I want.
4. Will you get the same quality care with a midwife as you would get with an OB? I feel that I will get better, more personal care. The typical OB appointment last less than 10 minutes; the typical midwife appointment last 30-45 minutes. Midwives tend to take more time discussing concerns with mothers, giving advice, and explaining tests or procedures.
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2 comments:
I found you! So, I guess that answers my question :)
What are the financial differences expected to be going with a CNM group rather than an OB? Are the expected costs higher, lower, or about equal? Are they set up with insurance providers to provide the same insurance benefits as a traditional OB would? (My guess to the last one, at least, is yes. But I hate making assumptions...)
Diana (Aaron's wife) always uses midwives. But, she also does water birthing. Are you planning on having the same kind of birth you did with Caden, and by that I mean a traditional hospital birth? Are you going natural? Epidural? Water birth? Hypnobirth? Birth-in-the-car-on-your-way-to-the-hospital? :)
-Ben
Regarding Cost. Some midwives are cheaper, particularly if you do a home birth. The CNM I have chosen bills through the OBs in their group, so there is no cost savings but it is covered by insurance.
Yes, I'll be having the baby in the hospital. I had an adverse reaction to the epidural last time, though, so I do plan to have a natural birth. About half of the moms who use the CNM group I have chosen go natural and half have epidurals. With my OB, about 95% choose epidurals. That was another factor in choosing a midwife. They are much more experienced at natural childbirth.
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