Pregnancy For The Control Freak: Part One

*I am not a medical professional. All of this information has come from my own experience and research. If you have any serious questions please, consult a physician.*

 

OBGYN/ Midwife – Facts/ Questions/ To know

• Level of Education- this is the major difference between the two. Midwives are typically a NP with around 6 years of school, whereas OBGYN’s have their PHD’s and have had somewhere around 10 years. They are trained on different things, and have different methods of doing thing. Read more on the difference of education here.

• Birth Experience- What do you want your baby’s birthday to look like? It might end up completely opposite of what you planned, but are you a “Give me the drugs” woman or are you a “Lets breathe through this” woman? 
  •  Midwives are known for “Low tech High Touch”
  • OBGYN’s can intervene in the birth. {C-section, forceps, vacuum etc.} AND they are more likely to intervene sooner.

 

• Pain Management – Do you want drugs? How are you planning to deal with the pain? Do you want someone to administer drugs or propose some other techniques first? Chances are an OBGYN isn’t going to massage your back during contractions.

 

• Do you want to move around, or do you want to stay in bed? – Midwives are more apt to let you go without consistent monitoring. 

 

• Are you high risk? – High blood pressure, epilepsy, heart disease, diabetes, thyroid disease, etc. If you are high risk chances are you want a doc present 24/7

 

• Do you already have a doctor that you love, and have been going to since you were 16? – If you do then they know you pretty well, and will no doubt give you a great birth experience.

  

 

• Appointments – CNM’s (certified mid wife) tend to have more time allotted for their appointments to chat, get to know you, and answer questions, but most importantly ASK the questions that are important!

 

• Go with your gut! – If you are scared to death of needles, and have zero pain tolerance than chances are you aren’t going to want a natural birth and a midwife. But, if you want to have a natural birth, or even a medicated birth, but want someone there to help you and support you through it the whole time, then a midwife is perfect for you.

 

 

 

Why I chose a midwife…….

I wanted a natural birth, completely un-medicated. “I can do this, I was made for this” was my typical answer when people asked me why!

Vaginal birth was a priority! There is a high percentage that you will have a c-section with OBGYN. This article has a lot of great comparisons!

I wanted a care giver, not someone who was going to get pulled to another room while I was in the middle of intense labor. It depends on your practice, and midwife, but my midwife was able to stay with me (or near my room….she left for bathroom breaks, food, paperwork etc) during my entire labor! There was no “Don’t push we are waiting for the doctor”!

I did NOT want medication or any type of IV. I had all the tools I needed to manage my pain, my baby and I were healthy, I was eating and drinking up until I got the hospital, and I had a water bottle that I was continually drinking from after…..there was no need for an immediate IV for fluids, Pitocin, or anything else! My midwife supported me in my decision and never encouraged me otherwise. She was always looking out for my best interest! We went over my birth plan well before labor was a possibility and she knew what I wanted. She was running the show, but on MY terms! If anything was medically necessary then it happened, but otherwise it was my body and I getting my baby into the world!

A midwife gave me the ability to have the birth I wanted, but I was in the safety of a hospital in case something went wrong. AND she worked alongside my OBGYN! I met with him a few times during my pregnancy to monitor my thyroid function’s effects on my baby.

~Amanda

 

…Pregnancy For the Control Freak will be continued…..