I've had two children over here in the US and third is on the way.
Things are very different. You only get a midwife if you choose everyone I know over here uses doctors.
I've chosen midwives for all three of mine. My first the doctors ended up delivering just because he was born at 35 weeks and midwives won't deal with early births.
The 2nd my midwife delivered in the hospital, but jacked me up big time and I still ended up seeing the doctor on call.
This time round has been a pain the butt.
My first two were born in Hawaii. This one we are in CT. I had no idea who I wanted to see or where I wanted to be seen.
A friend told me about the OB/GYN clinic that delivered her babies. So I decided to go with them. Big mistake!! This is how my appointment went, I was already 25 weeks and waited 8 bloody weeks for this appointment.
"He starts oh wow we need to send you off for the Spina Bifida test right away, this week is the last week you can be tested for it. I told him no that's fine I don't need it, neither me or my husband want to know. Plus the chances are pretty slim as neither of us have a history on either side of the families. He tells me that's fine but the doctors like to know what is going on so they know what to deal with when the baby is born. I was like ok, but I don't want to be tested. It has never been an issue before. I have always refused it before and know lots of people who do to.
He then says oh we need to get you in for the Glucose Test too. I said no that's fine I don't need that either. He puts his paper work down and looks at me and says I think you may need to find yourself a new doctor. You obviously have your own idea's and plans and we have are own too. I was like hmm ok. I was very shocked.
He asks me why I didn't want this test and I explained without being rude. I told him I had done a lot of research and spoke to a lot of other doctors and didn't seem it necessary. Also if I was back home I would not be routinely checked for it unless I had symptoms and yet thousands of healthy babies are born everyday over there. Also in New Zealand and Australia.
He told me well sorry your not over there are you and you should live by the laws of the land. I felt like slapping him. I then got a bit pissed and the law student in me rolled out. I told him that was a bit contradictory as not every state in this country practices it routinely anyway. Plus lots of doctors and nurses find the test stupid and unreliable as so many false positives come up everyday.
Basically he told me that if I didn't have the tests done before my next appointment don't bother coming back. I was like what the hell happened to womens right and choosing what I want for me and my baby.
I was so pissed!! My husband was going mad and said he does not want some jack arse delivering our baby. My mother was in complete shock! She said it was like going back in 50 years ago in England when the doctor's made every decision and the mothers made none. She also said being a clinic of all males doctors they probably didn't like a woman walking in there and telling them what she wanted and actually knowing what she was talking about. My mother in law was super pissed and wanted to call him up and give her a piece of her mind, which was kinda funny."
The thing is lots of doctors over here are like that. I've since found myself a very nice clinic of midwives and female doctors. They are very open about letting me choose and being their to support me.
The routinely check you over here for everything. You have blood taken every few months, everyone has a routine glucose test, everyone gets a routine pap smear. Its crazy. Once in hospital they hook yo up to fetal monitors, I've gone natural both times yet they still wanted to stick an IV in me just so I had an open line! I was like no way!
My midwife this time round has said she would recommend I have an open line in the back of my hand when i begin pushing just because I hemorrhaged last time, which is fair enough.
But I do wish I could deliver back home things would be so much easier and less stressful.