My Ideal Birth Scenario

In an ideal world this is what I would choose:

Try a homebirth with a midwife who I've seen throughout my pregnancy and a doula who I've also had time to get to know.

If I need to go to hospital, have my ob on call who I would also have seen for some of my pregnancy so is not a complete stranger. This would make me more comfortable if I needed interventions such as forceps/ventouse/caesarean.

But as far as I know, this just isn't possible. We can choose midwife care which means we don't get to see an ob, or at least not the same one each time. Or we can choose a private ob which means we don't know the midwives from a bar of soap.

All a bit stuffed isn't it?

caseload models allow you to know the same 1 or 2 midwives throught the whole pregnancy and post partum period.

Yes, I know I can choose to see midwives but I can't choose to see midwives AND an ob should I need an ob at the birth. So I have to choose one or the other and I don't like that.

The only way I could do both is if I get a private midwife and a private ob and see them separately. Then try a homebirth with the private midwife and if that goes to pot, tell my private ob that I'm on my way to the private hospital. So if I'm prepared to pay two lots of fees (and fees for a doula), then no problem.

that would be one very expensive birth plan fionas!

which way do you think you will go?

Yes, that's exactly what I mean ... way too expensive to get my ideal birth scenario.

And I'm way ahead of myself cos not even pregnant with no.2.

I think the best compromise is doula and obstetrician.

If I have to have a forceps delivery again I sure as hell want someone I trust doing it not some blow-in that I've met for two minutes beforehand.

If you have an OB and a doula the doula will be there to advocate for you if the midwives wanted you to do something that you dindt want to. The ob will also have your trust for what you want and dont want.

If you went into a caseload model the midwves you have bonded with and trust will stand up to the OB and only let them do what is necessary for you and your babies safety.

I LOVE my ob. He is excellent. I wouldn't trade him for the world. I don't need someone to stand up to the ob.

It was the midwives I had the problem with because I didn't know any of them and they were not much help to me and had me pushing for two hours in a the worst possible position for my unstable pelvis which has caused me six months of pain post-birth. I need someone to stand up to the midwives, not the ob.

I would like to get to know the midwives beforehand ... but that means I couldn't have my ob.

Fiona, I agree. I too love my OB, he is very caring and gentle. But I ended up getting induced and 'jagged' getting the lovely MW we had met the day before when I had gone in for monitoring. I no doubt would not have had the birth experience I had if I had gotten another particular MW. DH and I were pleased we had already established a relationship with our MW, even if it was the day before.

SG
xo

Why don't you ask your ob if he would be a 'back up' for you? It's not unheard of. Then if it all goes to pot at home (which is unlikely), you could transfer into him. If this happens then it's obviously a genuine emergency, in which case it won't matter so much about the midwives at the hospital, iykwim? You would also be better off, in a scenario like this, to go to a public hospital (if you're ob has admitting rights there). If your Ob is reluctant to go down this road, then that would probably leave me with a few questions about his philosophy of care anyway.