"LSU Grad of '89" wrote in message
...
OK, this really bothered me so I will share it in hopes that I am just too
used to the "modern" way.

Maybe where you are! Here in New Zealand most Mums I know have a midwife or
shred care with a midwife and a GP.

A woman at work is having hr first child, she's
~5months and has had no visits to an OB or Doctor. She is completely
relying
on a midwife.

Same here, I am 35 weeks pregnant and haven't seen a doctor once.

She will have a natural birth at home with the midwife and
husband in attendance.

I just can't identify with it. I LIKE knowing I've done tests and
ultrasounds and stuff to make sure - with modern technology - that my baby
is progressing fine. I just don't believe that a midwife can catch
everything - right ?

With a midwife I have had blood tests at 12, 28 and 36 weeks. I have been
tested for GD, I have the option of a nuchal fold ultrasound, amnio, etc...
I had a morphology scan by choice at twenty weeks. I see my midwife four
weekly (then two weekly and from 36 weeks, weekly) for urine test, BP,
doppler and a really good chat all in my home. Any time ANYTHING is a
problem my midwife will refer me to an OB who I would see within a day or
two (sooner if urgent). When I had problems with baby's movements I went
staright to hospital for monitoring, done by my midwife.

She has had three years university training and several supervised years on
the job and works with two back up midwives. So yes I think a midwife does
has as much or more chance of catching any problems.

Hope this isn't a flame starter, I just cannot identify with the natural
at
home no doctors thing. Give me an epidural, no problem...Mother hood is
demanding enough without being a hero when you don't need to. Vicki is
right - no one hands you a medal after labor and says "you get a gold
medal
for having the most pain !"

It's about recovery and how you feel afterwards. I would rather put up with
hours of pain witha purpose than weeks of recovery.

However, I completely understand that each person has a right to their own
method, and just because I cannot identify with this, it doesn't mean it's
wrong. I just have this nagging feeling that if it were me, I'd be
concerned
that I wasn't doing the best I could do for my baby.

That's because you beleive what you have been told is "the best" for your
baby. The lady at work obviously disagrees.


I can't help worrying
for her but I don't know why...I guess I can't imagine going through an
entire pregnancy without ever seeing a doctor when one has insurance and
access (can mid wives write prescriptions for prenatal tablets ?)

Here they can, and they can write prescriptions for a lot more as well. I
have that choice, I could see an OB if I wanted to from day one but there's
nothing wrong with me so I don't.

Judy