I have had 1 child so far, and it was a midwife-assisted birth in a hospital. Why didn't I go with an OB? Many reasons...... Ob/Gyns are great at what they do and I'm grateful they exist, but they are first and foremost trained to "diagnose and treat", which is not what a *normal* pregnancy is all about. Also, they are very expensive. For the vast majority of women to be using Ob/Gyns for routine pregnancies and births instead of a general family practitioner or a midwife is one of the many, many reasons why healthcare costs and insurance premiums have spiraled out of control.
The statistics speak for themself. Take a look at WHO's website and articles comparing the U.S. to other industrialized nations where midwives are the norm, not the exception. You will be surprised--and perhaps horrified--at where the U.S. comes in with c-sections, infant mortality, and maternal mortality.
Our prenatal visits (my husband came to all but one) were 1 hour long, and they were "conversations"--we sat in cozy chairs and drank tea and talked. At the end of each visit, we would listen to the baby's heartbeat, weigh me, and measure my belly. When my husband and I made the decision to forego the "standard" 20-week ultrasound, we were not berated or scared into it. However, medical intervention was always there when we needed it--I had 2 blood sugar tests during my pregnancy because diabetes runs in my family.
My delivery was more complicated than I had wished. My water broke but I did not have contractions. Instead of being told to rush to the hospital for an induction, my midwife and I kept in contact over the phone. I took my temperature periodically (to check for infection) and made sure I could feel the baby move. When a woman's water breaks, 90% of them are already having contractions OR will have contractions start within 24 hours. I was allowed the time to see if my body could do this. I did brisk walking and used the breast pump to encourage contractions, but sadly, I had none. After 26 hours, I was given a low dose of Pitocin via IV. I had my son 9 hours later.
My labor and delivery were great. I have heard horror stories--even TODAY--about women not being allowed to eat and having "routine" episiotomies. I was allowed to walk around, I took a bath, I ate buffalo wings. My husband caught our son.
I would encourage you to do 3 things: go ahead and watch "The Business of Being Born"; read "Ina Mae's Guide to Childbirth" by Ina Mae Gaskin; and research statistics on childbirth around the world. If after that you still feel like you need an Ob/Gyn, then you have at least made an educated decision and made the best choice for you and your family. Good luck.