Hi everyone. My husband and I are planning to try to conceive our second child starting in late summer. In the mean time, I would like to find a midwife. I went to a regular gynecologist my first time through, which was fine, but I would like to use a midwife this time through. Towards the end of my pregnancy my doctor was out delivering during my regular scheduled appointment and I saw the midwife at the clinic and it just felt right. We have since moved and would like to find someone else to be a midwife for my next pregnancy. I am not sure if where to start, at the clinic level? do you find midwives in your hospital network? Any advice would be appreciated. I live in Coon Rapids, MN and work in Roseville, MN, so any good referrals to the north metro would be appreciated too. Thanks!!
I live in Ramsey,mn and have three children. I had a midwife for all three and loved them. I went to the Brooklyn Center
Park Nicollet clinic. There are 3 midwifes there and they are all wonderful. The two that I saw on a regular basis are Dr. Vida Kent, Dr. Patrica Harlison. The other midwifes in the area are down at Methodist hospital in the Meadowbrook Clinic. I hope that helps.
Sunny
R.,
Fairview Riverside Women's Clinic has a wonderful midwife program, one of the largest if not the largest in the state.
I am sure if their location wouldn't be convenient, they could recommend one for you. I've found midwives' approach to be so much more personal and such a better fit for the emotional time that being pregnant and birthing a baby is.
Good luck!
R.,
Since you live in Roseville, I HIGHLY recommend the Generations Women's Clinic in Shoreview. They are just south of 694 on Lexington (near the Super Target and YMCA)
Generations Womens Health Center
Phone: ###-###-####
1030 County Road E W Ste 200
Shoreview MN 55126
I chose them because I wanted to have the option of a water birth, and St. Joseph's downtown St. Paul has a tub for birthing. After touring the hospital (which I did at about 2 months along) I posted on this website for a recommendation for a midwife and for experience with St. Joe's. EVERYONE who posted had positive comments about both.
Generations has 3 midwives (when I delivered they had two), so it is a small practice and you will see all of them during your pregnancy. I felt SO comfortable with both Mary and Edi and knowing that one of them would be with me during my whole labor at the hospital was comforting. My first labor was a "hospital" delivery including all the perks of pitocin, the epidural, and hours and hours of labor. Last time was completely different, and the midwives and staff at St. Joe's made it so much more personal and quiet. My first son was born at a teaching hospital and there were literally 10 people in the room with bright lights and lots of chaos. It all turned out fine, but it was not my idea of a perfect birth. Last time it was Mary (the midwife) the nurse, my husband and me, and we did the water birth which was amazing.
Another thing I loved about the practice was the nurse Joanie. She was great, always remembered my son's name (he was about 14 months when I started going in) and I NEVER had to wait for more than a minute to see her, and rarely had to wait more than a few minutes to see the midwife. ONLY ONCE was my appointment rescheduled due to a birth. It was just so nice to know that going in with my son along I wouldn't have to spend an hour in the waiting room.
Also, they do your ultra sound and all your labs right there, which is also nice. No driving around to other offices to get that stuff done.
Anyway, as I said I couldn't recommend anyone more! I would use them again in a heartbeat if we have a third baby.
Good luck!
J.
Mom to Charlie and Joey (3 in March and 13 months)
I'm sorry if I don't remember the website exactly, but it was either mana.org (midwives alliance of north america) or www.midwife.org (american college of nurse midwives). Come to think of it, maybe it was neither one. I was looking for a direct entry midwife and there was a contact page where they would email you a list of midwives. It sounds like you're looking for one that's associated with a clinic. In that case, I'd try the midwife.org site. Other possible sites of interest include: childbirth.org, Marilyn's midwifery page (www.midwifery2000.org, www.midwiferytoday.com, and Sabrina's Pregnancy Page www.fensende.com/Users/swnymph. I found all these in the appendix of Henci Goer's book, The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth. Highly recommended (but 219 pages of information, not to mention the extra 100 pages of references).
Hi R.: I saw the midwives at Health Center for Women on University in St Paul. I got great care and they were amazing during my delivery. Good Luck.
A.
Try Kathryn at northmetromidwives.com, I really like her.Her office is located in Crystal so maybe a bit of a drive (just off the 169 on the 55) She would have been my midwife for my last pregnancy but we found out we have two on the way and CNM's can't deliver multiples so I was so dissappointed I had to find different care for my twins. I had a CNM in Arizona for my second son and I totally recommend using a CNM. Good luck
K. H
If you are interested in having a home birth, Jeannie Bazille is an amazing midwife. She delivered my second son and the difference between the hospital birth of my first and the home birth of my second was incredible. The labor was shorter and easier, I healed faster and felt better much sooner than with the first and was in general much more comfortable the second time around. She has 25+ years of experience and is mentoring 2 other midwives so you get two for the price of one! She is located in north St Paul so it should be a good fit distance-wise especially if you are working. Her phone number is ###-###-####. Best of luck and good for you. I don't think I would go back to a regular ob if I have another child!
