Fantastic Midwives in Montgomery County

[Anonymous]

Hi. We just had our first. We had a great experience with the midwives in Rockville (http://www.midwiferycareassociates.com/) and really recommend them.

We talked to several OBs. We just wanted someone who was going to deal with us like people, listening to our concerns and sharing the options, not just telling us what we had to do or treating us like machines. We wanted a doctor who was in a small enough practice that we could get to know, and be known by, our doctor or doctors. We needed someone who would try to give us some small measure of personal attention and a bit of actual concern about our situation. We couldn't find anyone like that who was accepting patients anywhere near our home in Silver Spring despite several recommendations from friends.

Someone on one of these sites or lists recommended Midwifery Care Associates. At first I've got to admit that I didn't take it seriously. After all, I'd always assumed that people who lived in the modern world and had the resources would, should and can get what I thought was the best care, the care of a doctor. I'm not sure now, but I think I thought that any other caregivers were somehow backward or less able or something. Little did I know!

So when we went in to an orientation with the midwives we were flabbergasted. They were knowledgeable. They seemed to care. They took questions and actually had a conversation with us. They were registered nurses with advanced training and hundreds of births each under their belts. They were affiliated with a doctors practice and patients would give birth at a modern hospital with modern medicine, technology, and care at hand.

We went for a few visits and were sold. Modern medicine, machines and training. Caring people who knew their stuff and actually would talk with us. And a promise that, unlike the practice of many OBs, we would regularly see the midwives for the whole of our prenatal visits and could expect that they would be with us the whole time we were laboring in the hospital. We were very positive throughout the pre-natal period.

Then we were blown away by the birth. Chris, the midwife on duty, counseled us through pre-term labor, through lots of contractions that didn't lead anywhere, then guided us all of the way home. She was incredibly supportive, capable, and knowledgeable. We always felt like we were getting the best care.

And we got to be part of the process. She encouraged us, guided us toward good choices, but always let us make the choices. She enabled and encouraged us to be mobile, to labor in a variety of positions, to try a variety of methods of dealing with the pain. And it was painful (yeah, natural childbirth will have to be covered in another post, pain meds were always an option), but somehow, we managed it with Chris' help. She was brilliant and she stayed with us.

And when things got challenging, she handled it with poise, skill born of experience, confidence and incredible ability. All the while she had nurses assisting and the best medicines and technology available when needed, but did a great job of making this as non-invasive a birth as possible (our preference).

We feel we got the best of all worlds - first class medical care in a modern hospital, with a caring, capable, patient-focused medical practitioner/caregiver who included us completely in the process.

I don't think we've ever posted a review of a product, service or professional online before, but this is the exception.

Chris and the whole team at Midwifery Care Associates (http://www.midwiferycareassociates.com) is absolutely worth checking into. We can't recommend it highly enough and would be happy to answer questions (kh3kh3kh3 at hotmail dot com).

Korey

[Anonymous]

Congratulations! I'm a patient of theirs as well, and I'm glad that you were so happy with the whole experience. Enjoy your baby!

[Anonymous]

Yay! I'm so glad you tried it out and then had such a great experience. I post here sometimes about what a great experience I had there, so I like to think maybe it was one of my posts that sent you their way. Congratulations!

[Anonymous]

This sounds like exactly what I'm looking for! However, I'm in Takoma Park
and the practice doesn't seem super convenient to get to for appointments

Also, since they deliver at Shady Grove hospital, I'm worried that that would be too
far for me to travel for the delivery. I can just imagine being stuck on 270 at 4:30pm
on a Friday afternoon while I'm in labor! Double agony!

Question for those of you who have used this practice and delivered at Shady Grove: where
do you live? How far is too far to travel for delivery??

[Anonymous]

OP, so glad to hear you had a good birth experience! Chris attended my labor as well. Although there were complications and it ended in a C-section, I was so glad to have her there every step of the way. I always appreciated the time she and the other midwives took to talk through things with us and make us feel that we had choices and that we had all the information we needed to make the best decision for me and the baby. Chris also took a lot of time talking with me at my post-natal check-ups, about both physical and emotional needs. Having an unplanned C-section was hard on me emotionally, as it is for many women, particularly as I had planned for an all natural birth. To the PP concerned about the distance from Takoma Park to Bethesda (for prenatal visits) or Rockville (for the birth), I really don't think it's that far. In my opinion, the care I received far outweighed the distance I had to travel. Plus, until the third trimester, you normally only have monthly visits. As far as making it to the hospital in time, especially for a first labor, you will likely have several hours of early labor (which, for a normal pregnancy, most midwives will encourage you to spend at home). It's unlikely you'll be rushing to the hospital like they do in the movies.

[Anonymous]

I live all the way in Landover, Maryland and I still decided to use MCA. While both their office and Shady Grove hospital is far for me, I decided to it very much worth it.

[Anonymous]

As a mom who had my baby with the midwives at the Shady Grove Hospital, and as a HypnoBirthing childbirth educator and doula, I whole-heartedly agree with you! They are so supportive, caring, competent, just unbelievable! I know I'm in the best hands when I'm with them.

[Anonymous]

I too had a very difficult and long labor and was only saved from a c-section because of Midwifery Care Associates. To the OP, we lived in University Park in PG County and went to every visit and had no trouble getting to the hospital in time. Labor lasts much longer then you would ever think or want to know. I highly recommend them and still use them now for my annual exams and will use them when we decide to have our second. They are truly wonderful.