Open Minded OBGYN at Presby Dallas

I don't know his opinion on the matter, but Dr. Walter Evans at Presby is my OB/GYN, and I just love him. Small practice, wonderful people. If he is not open to the idea of a doula, maybe he can recommend someone. Avoid Dr. Lombardi (in a different office at Presby)--he was my OB/GYN my first trimester and was COMPLETELY unsupportive and uncaring...very condescending.

My doctor, Dr. Smith, is in the practice with Drs. Freeman and Perugini (sp?) mentioned a couple of times. I didn't find Dr. Smith to be at all interested in my thoughts about a birth plan. When I brought it up, she pretty much blew me off. When I was in early labor and went in to the office to see if that's what it was (first time, huh?), Dr. Freeman put me in triage and left me there long enough to guarantee checking me in. Fine, but I was starving and stuck in the hospital and ended up on drugs to speed the labor anyways. Should have stayed/gone home, I think! So not very open to a natural approach, is my experience. I'm also considering switching to Baylor if I have a second in Dallas. My feeling is they're also better with breast feeding support, though I think Presby is making a point of working on that. Thanks for putting this question out there - I'm glad to see the answers! Good luck and enjoy that new baby girl!

If you are at all open to Baylor--then by all means deliver there. There are wonderful doulas on staff (I just met with one today)--nurse midwives in the Women's Health Alliance practice (if you want to go that route) and all of the doctors in the WHA practice are open and encourage natural childbirth. I have had one delivered with epidural and one naturally and Dr. Norwood was supportive and wonderful with both choices (you don't rotate through doctors at this practice and unless one is just out of town/truly unavailable--your doctor or midwife will be at your delivery). Every room has squatting bars and chairs, birthing balls, bathtubs, showers, cd players, tvs--and once a base line is established they will only hook you and the baby up for monitoring if necessary or if you request it. Not only that, the 7th floor/maternity floor of Truett is going to be completely remodeled into a "spa feeling" hotel/hospital wing by the end of the year. I saw many of the changes today and they are breath-taking. Unfortunately I won't be able to take advantage of them.

Hi there!

I used Dr. Francesca Perugini at Presby Dallas. There are I think 8 doctors, but only in her office I think there are 3. Someone once told me she collaborated with 8 doctors in the hospital. I saw her for every visit while I was pregnant and I chose to see her partner Dr. Jennifer Freeman in case something happened and she couldn't deliver the baby. This way I would know one of the other doctors. I'm glad I did, I ended up going in early and Dr. Freeman was the one on call early that morning. The stopped the contractions with medication. Dr. Perugini walked us through everything and we ended up inducing when she was on a 12 hour shift so she could be there the entire time. She has 4 children of her own, is wonderful and I think pretty open-minded. Just call and talk to her. I think she is wonderful and just hope she is still doing this when we have our next one! Good luck!

Have you ever considered a nurse midwife? I had my son at The Birth & Women's Center across the street from Baylor Dallas. It was the most wonderful day of my life and the best part was, I had the same people there the entire delivery. There were no shift changes in nurses, no chance that my doctor may not be there, the midwife was there the whole time. I could walk in the room, in the park next door, I could eat, drink, get in the shower, get in the tub, whatever I wanted and felt comfortable with. My husband even got to catch him! I gave birth in a beautiful four-poster antique bed with candles glowing and the music I wanted playing. I never had to wait for my appts and she was covered under my insurance. My portion through my entire pregnancy with deductible and all was $500. If I didn't have insurance it would have cost under $5000. That's from the beginning to the end, all appts and the delivery. In a normal, uncomplicated birth at the hospital, just the delivery would cost that or sometimes twice that!! If you truly want a natural birth that welcomes a doula (and anyone else you want in the room), I would definitely suggest www.birthcenter.net. You won't be disappointed. Good luck!

Try Frances Crites she is in a practice of her own. I have always found her to be very down to earth. I do not know what her posotion on a doula is as my pregnancy was very high risk, but it would be worth checking on. Her number is ###-###-####

AVOID Dr. Lombardi if you are having a baby in Dallas TX!

He was not a good doctor for me and I would not recommend him to ANYONE. He was my doc the first trimester.... and wow that was so hard.

I went to his office many times and told him I had SEVERE body pain. He didn't do anything but try to placate me.

I switched to another doc. The new doc realized IMMEDIATELY what was wrong. He did the blood work that confirmed it quickly. It literally took the new doc 1.5 minutes to figure out what Dr. Lombardi didn't in almost 3 months.

New doc gave me a medicine and within 4 days I was PAIN FREE.

Thanks to the new doc and no thanks to Dr. Lombardi I had a great 2nd and 3rd trimester and a healthy baby! I suffered so much because of Dr. Lombardi's for 3 whole months NEEDLESSLY!

I am not sure it was because he wasn't smart enough to realize something was wrong, or make the appropriate diagnosis or that he really just didn't care.

I had my 1st at Presby D and my 2nd at Baylor. I went to Baylor for the reason you are writing and I wanted a VBAC. So, if you're no opposed to going to Baylor (which I LOVED), I HIGHLY recommend Dr Crochet. There is only 1-2 other women in the practice and Dr Crochet will cancel all appts to aid you in a natural birth. She is AMAZING and I had a successful VBAC, which NO ONE at Presby would have considered!

I have heard from many people that Baylor is the most natural childbirth friendly hospital--and to go there if you can.

My obgyn is at Baylor, and there are only 3 docs in his practice.
I am using him, having natural childbirth, and I hired a doula.
Ehmer, Dale R MD - Obstetrics & Gynecology Association
###-###-####
712 N Washington Ave, #250, Dallas, TX 75246

If you are really serious about natural childbirth and using a Doula, I would not deliver at Presby. Baylor Dallas is a great hospital to deliver drug-free and there are many doctors at Baylor that hold this philosophy. If you need any recommendations, email me. Also, consider childbirth classes with Linda Worzer. She is the best! For more information, visit her website: http://naturalbeginningsonline.com

Have your baby at The Birth and Women's Center. Cheri is the midwife and the staff is awesome!!!!!! As soon as you have your baby, you will want to have another one, because you will miss the process so much. The birthing center is down on Swiss Avenue in Dallas. Good luck!

Hi A.,

You can find ob/gyns in a hospital setting that are "open" to natural childbirth. The problem is, they don't know anything about it or how to actually accomplish it. Their idea of natural childbirth is to stand around and watch you try to give birth by yourself, using your own resources. If/when you begin to falter (because after all you've never done it before and you have no guidance), they will ride in on their white horses and "save the day" with drugs or surgery. It never occurs to them, or the countless women that they do this to, that it was their lack of support that led to your difficulty in the first place.

When you are interviewing, ask them how many women in their practice ACTUALLY HAD a natural birth in the last five years. Or, what percentage of women who intend a natural birth actually end up with one? It is probably not that high. Having said that, a doula is a MUST in a hospital. Even then, natural birth in a hospital will not be impossible, but will be a challenge.

The better place to be is in a birth center. You can try Birth and Women's Center near Baylor Dallas or Allen Birthing Center in Allen. It's a much better bet. You can try a midwife with hospital privileges, but you still have all the hospital restrictions and they may not give the same high level support of a birth center. Women's Health Alliance at Baylor Dallas have a few midwives with hospital privileges. There is another practice in McKinney with a staff midwife - North Centeral Women's Health Partners, LP.

Good luck.

My OB/GYN is at Presby Dallas and I have always considered her to be very open minded. She is part of a larger practice, but I always saw her for my prenatal appts. She is so kind, so smart, and just a great person to be around. I know she would be totally open to the conversation. She delivered my third child (my first two were born in different cities) via csection. He (the baby) was in distress due to the cord being around his neck. Texas is a bit behind the rest of the country with respect to less invasive deliveries...but a doula is a birth coach..she/he will not be delivering the baby.

Felicia Tillman
http://www.healthcentralobgyn.com/felicia_tillman.htm

Dr. Jennifer Freeman is great. There are only 3 doctors in the practice and you do not have to rotate through. She does share call with a total of 8 doctors though- all female- so you would really need to talk to her about if she could accomadate your requests. I would suggest calling and setting up a time to just talk to her. She is very nice.

I had a doula and aimed for a natural birth (but got an epidural after 24 hours of an induction), and I used Dr. Julie Hagood ###-###-####) of Walnut Hill OB/GYN. No matter what you choose to do--natural, epidural, c-section, hanging from the ceiling :)--Dr. Hagood is a wonderful and very laid back OB/GYN. She, too, is a new mom and is very supportive of whatever crazy or not-so-crazy requests you have during your labor. I cannot say enough great things about her.

Steer clear of Dr. Watts and associates. She in particular was very negative about natural childbirth. At 36 weeks when I discussed my birth plan with her, she said that she felt that Natural Childbirth classes were setting me up for failure, and that I wouldn't want to move around during labor, I would be on my back screaming for an epidural. I didn't want to change doctors that late in the game, and I haven't been back to see her. Fortunately, she was not on call when I delivered.

On the other hand, the nurses I had were very supportive, and for the most part, worked well with my doula.

I would highly recommend the Birth and Womens center in Dallas across from Baylor. I have 3 kids. The first was born at Baylor Grapevine, I wanted natural childbirth and I was too scared too go to the birth center. But I visited a friend after she had her baby at the birth center, and I knew I had found the place that the rest of my children would be born. I had my other 2 kids at the Birth center and it is the greatest thing in the world, not only can your husband catch the baby, he can also give the baby it's first bath!! You baby is not taken to some cold nursery behind glass screaming while they scrub him. It's all calm and relaxing and however you want it. And you also have the safety of being right there at Baylor should you or your baby need care at the hospital. In my opinion it is hands down the way to go. You won't regret it.