Midwifery at GWU

[Anonymous]

Hi, I registered with Whitney at GWU and I like her very much.
I would like to ask you about your feelings about other CNM in her team, and labor and delivery experience with them.
I met only Whitney and Laura so far and I feel like they have a little different expectations.
Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, I registered with Whitney at GWU and I like her very much.
I would like to ask you about your feelings about other CNM in her team, and labor and delivery experience with them.
I met only Whitney and Laura so far and I feel like they have a little different expectations.
Thank you.

You know, I normally never say this, but search the archives. This comes up like clockwork once or twice a month.

[Anonymous]

Thanks - I think new midwives have joined Whitney`s Team just recently, so I would be surprised, if somebody rated them few month ago.

[Anonymous]

I'll be delivering with them in a couple of months. Have not met the new midwives, but I've done my checkups with both Whitney and Laura througout this pregnancy (and have appts scheduled with Nora and Marsha, the new midwives, in the next month). While Whitney and Laura have different styles, I haven't gotten the sense that they have different expectations. I've been very happy with the care I've gotten from both of them and am confident that, barring any unusual complications, they will help me to have the natural birth I am aiming for.

[Anonymous]

Nora's a great midwife. She was one of my favorites when she was at FHBC.

[Anonymous]

I have met with Erika, and I know she is not delivering yet, but I thought she was pretty much on board with Whitney's expectations, although also very amenable all of the medical testing you would get with a doctor. She also did not have the same rushed feeling I have gotten (understandably!) from Whitney.

[Anonymous]

I just delivered with Whitney and Nora and Marcia were there. While they let Whitney take the lead they helped where they could. I really liked Nora. In terms of expectations, I would say they are all in line and arent going to let you cave into an epidural or something where you don't need it. It was a beautiful birth.

[Anonymous]

I ended up really loving Laura. I had Whitney, Laura and Erika all at my delivery & Laura was a true source of support and comfort for me in a way that Whitney and Erika weren't. I don't know why exactly, but she gave me exactly the kind of help I needed to get through. I ended up not wanting any "cheerleading" or "you can do it" kind of stuff and she really really respected that I wanted quiet/to be in myself.

Love them all (I delivered before the new ones joined). You'll be well taken care of. I'm so happy to hear GW has been so on board with this!

[Anonymous]

Something happened to Whitney when she moved from WHC to GWU. She's so nervous about any possibility of a less than perfect birth, that she's freaking out and pressuring women to test more and accept more medical interventions when there's the slightest issue (one bad BP reading, measuring big or small, unusual weight gain). She's not the midwife she used to be. Laura has been apologizing for her but it doesn't stop her from derailing some women's births.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Something happened to Whitney when she moved from WHC to GWU. She's so nervous about any possibility of a less than perfect birth, that she's freaking out and pressuring women to test more and accept more medical interventions when there's the slightest issue (one bad BP reading, measuring big or small, unusual weight gain). She's not the midwife she used to be. Laura has been apologizing for her but it doesn't stop her from derailing some women's births.

Yes, I have heard about this as well. I am very curious about the latest c/s rate at WISDOM, counting all women who begin their care with the practice.

[Anonymous]

"derailing" womens' births? Hilarious. Last i checked, only a miscarriage or abortion could "derail" a woman's birth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Something happened to Whitney when she moved from WHC to GWU. She's so nervous about any possibility of a less than perfect birth, that she's freaking out and pressuring women to test more and accept more medical interventions when there's the slightest issue (one bad BP reading, measuring big or small, unusual weight gain). She's not the midwife she used to be. Laura has been apologizing for her but it doesn't stop her from derailing some women's births.

I delivered with Whitney at WHC with #2 and am with her now with #3 at GW. While it's still early in my pregnancy, she's the same Whit so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Something happened to Whitney when she moved from WHC to GWU. She's so nervous about any possibility of a less than perfect birth, that she's freaking out and pressuring women to test more and accept more medical interventions when there's the slightest issue (one bad BP reading, measuring big or small, unusual weight gain). She's not the midwife she used to be. Laura has been apologizing for her but it doesn't stop her from derailing some women's births.

I would love to hear more about this. This doesn't fit with the impression I got of Whitney at their Meet the Midwives function. She stressed that there are risks inherent in childbirth, and she asks that you accept this if you're going to go with them. That doesn't sound to me like someone who has become pro-intervention.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thank you for all the responses.

Something happened to Whitney when she moved from WHC to GWU. She's so nervous about any possibility of a less than perfect birth, that she's freaking out and pressuring women to test more and accept more medical interventions when there's the slightest issue (one bad BP reading, measuring big or small, unusual weight gain). She's not the midwife she used to be. Laura has been apologizing for her but it doesn't stop her from derailing some women's births.

I think Whitney is very concerned with the weight gain and nutrition during the pregnancy. She keeps asking if I keep her nutrition directions each time I meet her. But she has her nutrition and exercise during pregnancy clearly stated on her web site, so every pregnant women must be ready for this. And in the end, there is no way how they can really check on your diet, it is just a matter of honesty. I understood, that she is so concerned with that because she doesn`t want the baby to grow huge, what would make my VBAC more complicated. So far I did not feel any push into any medical intervention. In contrary, she asked me, if I want to have my pap test done at the beginnig of the pregnancy, assuring me, that she usually doesn`t do the test, and she is asking me just because it has been quite long time since my last test. Another think is, that I told her, I do not have any medical records from my C-Section nor my VBAC and she said she is fine with that, trusting me, that cut on my uterus in lower transverse (while Laura said she would prefer to have the CS records, but if Whitney said it is not required, she is fine with that). That doesn`t sound to me like any pressure to me.

I just delivered with Whitney and Nora and Marcia were there. While they let Whitney take the lead they helped where they could. I really liked Nora. In terms of expectations, I would say they are all in line and arent going to let you cave into an epidural or something where you don't need it. It was a beautiful birth.

More of you mentioning more midwifes at the delivery. Is that so in all the cases? Shall I expect, that more than one midwife will be present at the delivery? Are also hospital nurses in the L&D room present during labor&delivery?

[Anonymous]

I used to see Nora at Capitol Women's Care awhile back. She's awesome!! Can't say enough good things about her.