Midwife

So I am seriously considering switching to a midwife for the rest of my prenatal care, labor, and delivery.

I recently read my cousin's birth story for #2 which not only gave an incredible story about giving birth at home w/ a midwife, but also compared it with her first birth which was in a hospital where she was unaware of all that goes on and had the typical hospital birth. I've planned to go natural in the hospital either way so I know it wouldn't be 100% like that, but I still want our birth to be something special, peaceful, and beautiful - not something I have to "fight" the hospital or my doctor on for every little thing. I told my Ob that I planned on using a Doula and she was fine with that, but I know what is usually recommended and I don't want to have to feel like the outcast.

I found a midwife practice that is actually supposed to be one of the best in the country. It's through another hospital, so I would still give birth in a hospital, but the atmosphere would be totally different and they have things like water tubs for labor which I think is a great idea...

It's Saturday, but I am going to call them Monday and see if they are taking new patients (I hope so!) and if it's OK that I switch to them this late. My problem right now is that there are so many midwives in the practice...how do I choose? I may just be left with going w/ whoever is available right away since they may rotate anyway, which would be fine with me.

I'm not quite brave enough to have a home birth, though that crossed my mind too. My husband was too scared for that and we live pretty far from a hospital so that makes me nervous. I think having a midwife in a hospital that is conducive to that type of labor and delivery is the a good compromise right now.

We have our big ultrasound scheduled for April 1st. I am secretly hoping when I call Monday that they can get me in sometime sooner than April 1st and we could possibly do our big ultrasound with them! I don't think that will happen though so I am guessing I will have my big ultrasound with my current doctor and hopefully move on from there, but we'll see.

Is is totally sad that the thing I am most afraid of leaving at my current Dr. is Shiloh, the amazing nurse who takes my blood? I've written about her before and she is the only person who can take my blood well. She's also going through infertility and trying TCM right now so she has my book on it. I always told her, "keep it as long as you need, I hope I'm around here for awhile". opps! Honestly though, I'd be happy to let her keep it and just buy a new one if I need it again.

I'm not really good with goodbyes so I am not sure what I am going to tell my doctor. I may chicken out so she doesn't feel bad and just call and ask for my medical records to be sent and tell them in the office that it's nothing about them, I've just chosen to go a different route. It sucks though because I really do like my doctor and my nurse there is so sweet. :( But the prenatal stuff that I enjoy right now is not going to make a bit of difference during labor and delivery and that is more important.