Dr. Tham at GWU/MFA

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have opinions/experience on Dr. Michelle Tham at GWU? I am in the market for a new OB/GYN--I'm not yet pregnant with what would be our second, but am due for an OB visit anyway. I'd like to find someone I like now and don't want to switch practices later on. I realize that it's a big practice and whoever's on call would deliver our as-of-now-theoretical second baby, but am looking for an OB who's fairly natural childbirth-friendly and more "holistic"--Dr. Tham seems to fit the bill from the GWU website, but I haven't found any mention of her online.

In the alternative, does anyone know if the midwives at GW are accepting new patients who aren't yet pregnant, just for the GYN side of care? I have to admit, I'm a little put off by the "requirements" listed on their website--they sound awfully strict and somewhat intimidating. I delivered my first with the FHBC midwives, but I no longer have the time to get all the way over to their facility for appointments so GW would be a nice alternative.

[Anonymous]

Don't know about whether the midwives are taking gyn patients (although I'm pretty sure Whitney does gyn care for former patients). I hesitated about signing up with them because the dietary requirements in particular seemed pretty draconian to me. But I really wanted to deliver in a hospital with a provider who was on the same page with me re. natural birth. Basically I have treated the diet as an aspirational one. I have done my best to reduce/eliminate refined flour and sugar, but I'm not going to give up the occasional treat. And I've increased my vegetable consumption, but I certainly don't always get two servings a day of leafy greens. My diet has definitely become healthier, but it's not perfect. And my appointments have not featured any kind of inquisition about what I've been eating. So I feel pretty good about the compromise that I've struck.

[sybersus]

I agree that the dietary requirements of the midwife practice are something to strive for, but not something that patients can realistically hit every day. In particular, the "no simple sugars" requirement is one that I violate when I have a craving -- I just try to make up for it by eating other meals more healthfully. The dietary guidelines are there I think to try to get you to be as healthy as possible.

I think that all the midwives see patients for GYN appointments. You can email Whitney if you have questions. I would suggest seeing Laura rather than Whitney for an appointment, as she has a more gentle personality.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Thanks to you both, it's good to know that those "requirements" are more aspirational than mandatory. Especially when thinking back to how I basically subsisted on Goldfish crackers from week 6 to week 14 of my first pregnancy! Nor do I think I could give up all caffeine.

Sybersus, I already had the impression--based on nothing concrete--that Whitney was not a gentle personality. Would you be at all willing to expand on why you said that? I don't need a whole lot of hand-holding, but I don't particularly want to be lectured, either.

Anyway, somehow I'd missed their email address on the website, so I will get an answer straight from them about whether they're accepting non-pregnant patients. And any thoughts on Dr. Tham, or further insight on the midwives, would still be appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Sigh. I feel like I'm the only sap who did stick to the diet restrictions. I was just about perfect in the third trimester and damn close throughout. I can't complain - a few days Postpartum and I weigh pounds less than i did at conception. Plus, my pregnancy and Recovery from the birth have been super easy, which I partially credit to what great shape I'm in fromthe diet and exercise.

[sybersus]

OP - I think of Whitney as a real advocate for midwifery and for her patients, which is really important for the practice at GW. For example, she got them to change the policy for midwifery patients on being able to hold the baby right after delivery. If you are a midwifery patient, you get to hold the baby right away, skin-to-skin contact (unless of course there is a problem that requires the baby to be whisked away); if you see the MDs, that's not the case, and they take the baby away for a few minutes to do testing. It's great that she's there and an amazing leader for the practice. I do find, however, that she can be a bit brusque in visits, though I will say that she is much less brusque than I would have thought after her presentation at the "meet the midwife" event I attended. She has amazing medical skills and is caring, but she is also opinionated and not afraid to challenge her patients. She is very up-front about the risks that come with pregnancy; at one point, I was worried about spotting and other symptoms that might have indicated a miscarriage (thankfully this did not happen!), and Whitney gave me the stats rather matter-of-factly. Nothing wrong with it, but I would have liked her to be a little more reassuring and maybe feelings-oriented than matter-of-fact about it.

I personally prefer Laura, who has a softer personality. She doesn't handle the administrative side, so she's just about the patients -- and as a result I think she is able to be a bit gentler. I am a FTM, so I do feel I need a little more hand-holding, and Laura begins each one of my appointments with her by answering my questions, and then moves on to asking me her questions and do the exam.

Having said all that, I still see Whitney regularly and feel I get great care from her -- but I think Laura is the person that I will see for my GYN care after the birth, as her personality better meshes with mine. (Two new midwives start there next week, so you could also go with one of them. I obviously haven't met with them, so not sure what they are like. I've heard from Whitney and Laura that they are both top-quality and very caring.)

The midwife practice email is [e-mail].

I haven't seen the docs at GW, so sorry that I can't help with your other question. I've heard great things about the whole practice, though.

[Anonymous]

Thanks very much; I really appreciate your response! And I definitely remember how I also needed some extra reassurance when I was pregnant with my first--that's certainly not a bad thing and some people are better at it than others.

I emailed the midwifery practice yesterday afternoon, so hopefully will hear back from them soon.

[Anonymous]

I'm the 13:42 PP. I agree with the PP's description of Whitney as an advocate. She's very passionate and has strong opinions--I would describe her as having a bit of an edge. But she's always been attentive and thoughtful during my appointments with her and I have total faith in her medical judgment. Laura has a warmer manner and is a bit less intimidating (I confessed to her that I have not been following the diet to the letter and she was understanding, while encouraging me to find healthy alternatives for my sweet tooth cravings). I am looking forward to meeting the new midwives who are joining the practice and expect them to be very good based on what I've heard from Whitney and Laura.

[Anonymous]

I am a patient of the OB practice at GWU. I saw Dr.Tahm for an appointment a couple of weeks ago and really liked her (I usually see Dr. Macri but scheduling was off). She's very friendly and answered all of my questions in a reassuring but confident manner. I would be happy if she ends up delivering me this summer. All of the doctors seem very open to natural childbirth as well.

As for the midwife practice, I considered it too and have heard great things, but in the end decided it wasn't for me. I actually planned on using their dietary requirements as a goal even though I was seeing a doctor (however giving up everything "white" - pasta, sugar, potatoes - did not last very long). I also take prenatal vitamins; at the Meet the Midwifes session, Whitney said that she didn't think they were necessary as they are just something "capitalist society created and convinced us we need to buy." A liiitttle much for me...to each his own though!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sigh. I feel like I'm the only sap who did stick to the diet restrictions. I was just about perfect in the third trimester and damn close throughout. I can't complain - a few days Postpartum and I weigh pounds less than i did at conception. Plus, my pregnancy and Recovery from the birth have been super easy, which I partially credit to what great shape I'm in fromthe diet and exercise.

Thanks for posting this. I'm TTC and hoping to go with Wisdom Midwifery for OB/GYN care. It's good to see the perspective of someone who did the diet, and who saw a benefit, because I know it must not be easy to stick with it throughout pregnancy.

To the OP, you may also want to consider Dr. Sarah Obican. I saw her for follow-up for a miscarriage, and I really liked her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a patient of the OB practice at GWU. I saw Dr.Tahm for an appointment a couple of weeks ago and really liked her (I usually see Dr. Macri but scheduling was off). She's very friendly and answered all of my questions in a reassuring but confident manner. I would be happy if she ends up delivering me this summer. All of the doctors seem very open to natural childbirth as well.

As for the midwife practice, I considered it too and have heard great things, but in the end decided it wasn't for me. I actually planned on using their dietary requirements as a goal even though I was seeing a doctor (however giving up everything "white" - pasta, sugar, potatoes - did not last very long). I also take prenatal vitamins; at the Meet the Midwifes session, Whitney said that she didn't think they were necessary as they are just something "capitalist society created and convinced us we need to buy." A liiitttle much for me...to each his own though!

I love Whitney!

[Anonymous]

OP again - thanks everyone for your input! For what it's worth, I emailed and Whitney definitely will take new patients who are not yet pregnant.

17:02, I think that might be a little much for me, as well.

[Anonymous]

Re the vitamins thing, I think Whitney's position is not so much that vitamins are pointless, but more that you're better off getting your folate, etc., from foods than from a vitamin. I'm sure I would get all the vitamins I need if I ate every serving of everything on her diet every day - honestly with her diet the prohibitions are tough but equally tough is trying to eat ALL those servings of ALL those food groups - if I were to succeed I honestly think that I would never stop eating (or food shopping)! Anyhow, I do my best with the diet, but I also live in the real world so I take a vitamin.

OP, sorry this post has nothing to do with Dr. Tham.

[Anonymous]

For example, she got them to change the policy for midwifery patients on being able to hold the baby right after delivery. If you are a midwifery patient, you get to hold the baby right away, skin-to-skin contact (unless of course there is a problem that requires the baby to be whisked away); if you see the MDs, that's not the case, and they take the baby away for a few minutes to do testing.

Not true. I had an OB delivery (unmedicated) at GWU in January and got to hold DS skin to skin immediately, even though there was meconium in the water. They did take him over to the warmer briefly to check over but not until we'd had a good chunk of time together to try breastfeeding, etc.

Dr. Tham was the OB on call when I delivered. She was completely supportive of my wishes, but really I rarely saw her. Two residents did the actual delivery. She came in after DS was already out to check on how things were going. In fact, I didn't even know her name--just googled her from your question and the photo matches.

The more I read about other delivery experiences, and compare with my own, the less difference I see between the midwifery and the OB practices at MFA, if you really want an unmedicated labor. I would definitely not rule out MFA just because the midwives are booked.

[sybersus]

Anonymous wrote:

For example, she got them to change the policy for midwifery patients on being able to hold the baby right after delivery. If you are a midwifery patient, you get to hold the baby right away, skin-to-skin contact (unless of course there is a problem that requires the baby to be whisked away); if you see the MDs, that's not the case, and they take the baby away for a few minutes to do testing.

Not true. I had an OB delivery (unmedicated) at GWU in January and got to hold DS skin to skin immediately, even though there was meconium in the water. They did take him over to the warmer briefly to check over but not until we'd had a good chunk of time together to try breastfeeding, etc.

Dr. Tham was the OB on call when I delivered. She was completely supportive of my wishes, but really I rarely saw her. Two residents did the actual delivery. She came in after DS was already out to check on how things were going. In fact, I didn't even know her name--just googled her from your question and the photo matches.

The more I read about other delivery experiences, and compare with my own, the less difference I see between the midwifery and the OB practices at MFA, if you really want an unmedicated labor. I would definitely not rule out MFA just because the midwives are booked.

You are lucky. Several doctors I met with who deliver at GW said that it is standard for the nurses to take the baby away before baby is handed to mom.