Midwives, obstetricians and post natal experiences

[valentia]

I may use some responses in my extended project essay, but I was wondering what you guys look for when choosing your midwife/obstetrician? Also what makes an obstetrician/midwife good or bad and how would you like/how did you like and what was your post natal experience really like (experiences greatly appreciated thanks!)

I think you'd be better with an American site tbh. Most people in the UK don't choose their own, and most never see an obstetrician at all.

I agree - unless you pay for private health care there in the UK you are allocated your team of Midwives who cover your area and only see Obs if High Risk or problems. Some people may chose to have an Independant Midwife, but again this is a service you'd pay for.

Choose???? Not where I live. First child in london - never saw the same midwife twice. Second now in south east, same experience. Never needed to see an obs or consultant as I am low risk. The care has always been good and I have not really been bothered by it.

This info is actually very helpful ladies thank you! Sorry to keep bothering you, but are you happy with being allocated the local midwifery team or would you rather see the same midwife/obs throughout your pregnancy?

I feel very comfortable and safe knowing there is a whole team to look after me if I need it! I'm under "shared care" as I have weird chronic condition that might (no one really knows) cause complications. There are a couple key people: I have "my" community midwife, although I've only had one appointment with her. She was out on holiday when my pregnancy started, so I saw other midwives, then I keep getting sent to the hospital for consultant appointments, and a couple other things and I wonder if how much I'll see her until after the baby is born! But even so, she was at one of our antenatal classes and knew and recongised me even though we'd only met the once. I also have a consultant, who I see about once a month since the second trimester, and it looks like maybe more frequently nearer the birth (they told me I'd be to the hospital for the checkups in weeks 36 and 38).

Then there are a lot of others "on my case". The consultant contacted a cardiologist, so that there was one who already knew about my condition. I've never met him but he ordered some tests and sent back letters about the results. The consultant has also referred me to an anaesthesiologist, who I'll meet soon and will be around in case my heart needs to be slowed down during labour. Plus, I have SPD and carpal tunnel, so I've been to see the community physiotherapist.

I'm original from the States and my MIL and mother both keep asking have I seen my obstetrician and will he deliver my baby. At least I do have a consultant, so I've just started answering his name instead of trying to explain how everything works, but say I hope he doesn't deliver the baby because that means something went wrong! Hopefully there will be no problems and it will just be with the hospital midwives.

I really like that there are all these people about who have access to my notes and who will be capable of caring for me if I need. I feel a lot safer than I think I would in the States, where I've had friends who had to do things like change hospitals in the last weeks because the practice she was seeing had some falling out with them and her obs wouldn't be allowed there!

I'm non UK so not sure whether you'd be interested but I could choose my MW and OB, though not who actually did the delivering or for PN care. Place marking so
I can give a fuller response later should you want it.

I think whether the more usual lack of choice on nhs works for you is dependent on you, and also the circumstances of your pregnancy. I have never seen the same people, but I am low risk, have never had any complications, and have a sister on hand who has recently had kids so always had my own 'help' on hand for random queries/worries. If I was more nervous or had problems, maybe I would have felt less assured.

I chose to go private in the uk with an obstetrician precisely so that I could have choice over who oversaw my pregnancy. I am lucky that my foreign insurance covers this as it is an expensive option if paying out of pocket.

I would have been very nervous at the idea of seeing a different midwife at every appointment and having no idea who would deliver my baby (especially if there were complications and I had some junior consultant coming at me with forceps!). There are enough birth trauma threads on mumsnet to make me very happy with my decision to deliver privately. Plus, if I am really honest, I come from a country where midwives act more as nurses alongside obstetricians and do not have the experience to deliver babies. Therefore my cultural bias has me feeling more confident in an OB's hands (but this is purely cultural and I recognise that many Uk women would feel exactly the opposite!).

What I looked for in an obstetrician was experience, excellent bedside manner and references from friends and fellow mumsnetters. I love the fact that when I go to my antenatal appointments I am never rushed, no question is left unanswered and I can speak directly to my consultant if I have any worries or questions in between.

My first birth experience was magical and I was very well looked after. Post natal care was also very good but I received nowehere near the amount of breastfeeding support I thought I would in a private ward.

I hope that helps!

Your resonses are very helpful thank you ladies! It's fantastic seeing all your thoughts on the topic and your responses arequite surprising! It seems to be that in the UK, obstetricians tend to intervene when there's complications, and people are seen by a group of midwives whereas in the US you choose your consultant who looks after you through your pregnancy (correct me if I'm wrong) @Fraktal if you could elaborate that would be wonderful!

Just to throw my opinion in, when I have a baby I want to have the same midwife and consultant (I want both for comfort reasons) throughout my pregnancy (that is if I'm low risk and give birth in hospital) because IMO I prefer being able to build a relationship with the people who will be delivering my baby.