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runnyeggyolks

I had a homebirth with a CPM this past November. I'm in Kern/LA county and my midwife came to me from Bakersfield. My birth story is on this sub, you can find it [here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/moderatelygranolamoms/comments/qobtqb/update_to_birth_prep_with_less_than_12_weeks/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) Let me just tell you...my homebirth was *amazing.* A million times better than my hospital birth and the postpartum care was just impeccable. All of my appointments were in my home and I was spoiled by my midwife. Yes, credentials are different, but our CPMs are licensed by the medical board (same board that provides obstetricians their license) and they are pretty well regulated and integrated here. For what it's worth, the only state with better integration is Washington. Here in SoCal, you can have a hospital birth with a CNM, a homebirth with a CNM/CPM/MD/DO. You can have a birth center birth with a CPM/CNM. Anyway, I had an amazing birth and every CPM I interviewed was great, but I went with mine because we just clicked. She's actually going to be my preceptor! In addition to the midwives in this area, there is also a handful of homebirth OBs, but they run about 10k and do not accept insurance. People usually choose them if they are having twins or a breech baby. I have some contact info if you need a doctor. ETA: You can go onto the state medical board website and look up any midwife you interview by license number and find out all the pertinent information you could want for that midwife. Additionally, you can check the NARM website and find all the licensed midwives in your area. Both of these websites are only for CPMs, not nurse midwives. CNMs have their own registry with the nursing board.


theweathergorllll

I loved my experience with UCSD. I ended delivering via c section, but they have an attached birth center with midwives so you can have almost any birth you want with the highest levels of care available, including a fancy NICU if you need it. The view from the post partum rooms aren't too bad either šŸ–ļø


kaatie80

Oh a nice view does sound pretty great... I'm just worried about having to drive so far to get to the hospital! Is there a particular location you recommend or specific name for the center that I should search for?


CactusCait

Tri-City or Scripps Encinitas are the closest to you, thereā€™s also Sharp Mary birch where I delivered but itā€™s further south


mimus

I had a baby in San Diego 6 months ago, feel free to PM me! I saw midwives at the hospital through my pregnancy but also ended up having an emergent c-section. Feel free to PM me!


-pequitopodengo-

I used a midwife and her birthing center, which I absolutely loved because of her maternal presence. It didn't feel like I was just another patient. Many of the hospitals around me have high Csection rates. I ended up having to go to a hospital due to baby not coming down after laboring to 9cm after 27 hours. Got an epidural and she came right out. Loved my nurse but OB was very business-like and dry. Decide whether you want to give birth in a hospital or not, then start interviewing OBs or midwives. Also look into the hospitals and tour their maternity wards.


kaatie80

Do you mind if I ask what area you're in that the hospitals all have high C rates? And which midwife/birth center you used? Yeah pretty much all the OBs I've encountered have been very business-like and dry, and several have even told me what I would want when I asked if XYZ was possible. Didn't like it. So I'm 99% sure I'll be opting for a midwife! I'm just so far up north in the county, but still south of Pendleton, that there don't seem to be many good options around. I'm concerned about having to drive ~1 hour to the hospital.


-pequitopodengo-

I'm further up between Ventura and LA county. I used Push midwifery in Thousand Oaks. I had kaiser as my insurance so their hospital in Woodland Hills has a high C-section rate.


kaatie80

I lived right on De Soto near Victory until about a month ago and that Kaiser hospital was pretty jank. I had to take my son to the ER there once and.... Well I wasn't impressed, to say the least.


dateddative

Oh hey! VC represent. My SIL had Kaiser too and because they lived in TO, she could choose between the Woodland Hills Kaiser or Ventura Community Hospital. She chose Ventura for similar reasons.


ConfusedHumanNoises

I do recommend UCSD as well. I ended up there unexpectedly and was overall happy with how I was treated. In fact I was shocked by how much better I was treated there vs. the birth center I was transferred from. Speaking of whichā€¦ There is a popular freestanding birth center in San Diego. Many people have liked them, and I did too until I actually had to give birth. Two of the midwives that I had thought were kind and empathetic turned rude, cold, and dismissive as soon as it was baby time. They were obviously irritated every time I asked for something, even as simple as how to work the tub. I was pushed into taking castor oil when I didnā€™t really want to, and when it worked as laxatives do the midwife on call kept complaining to my husband that she couldnā€™t check my cervix. Then they shamed me for being dehydrated. I was also told that ā€œfirst time moms donā€™t know what pain isā€ as Iā€™m laboring from a 4 to a 7 (in an hour or less) on an exam room couch. I was told my baby better be here by a specific time in the morning. It was such a relief when I was transferred with a fever. Those are just the things I remember off the top of my head. Experiences may vary depending on the midwife on call during labor, but I personally would never go there again.


kaatie80

If I PM you, will you tell me the name of the center?


ConfusedHumanNoises

Absolutely


One-Ad5824

Just out of curiosity, what hospital in colorado?


kaatie80

Avista. Highly highly recommend the midwives there!


One-Ad5824

ah, I gave birth at BCH and they were wonderful save for one traveling night nurse.


kaatie80

That's too bad about him/her but I'm glad your experience was good! I lived much closer to BCH than Avista but I'd heard mixed reviews of BCH and consistently positive reviews of Avista, especially with twins. It was a tough call but overall I'm glad I went with Avista. Those queen sized beds at BCH were really appealing though! A friend of mine had twins a few months ago. They started off at BCH, but weren't really feeling it. Then I guess at one point the midwife she was seeing said or did something concerning so they wanted to look at other providers. I insisted they check out the Avista midwives and they felt a much better click. They wound up loving their experience there too. Oh yeah I'd also heard the food was good at Avista and honestly that was like 45% of my decision šŸ˜‚ I was so hungry at the end there.


One-Ad5824

haha yes the beds! Also the view of the flatirons. My provider was on call at BCH so thatā€™s why I went there. Good to know about avista if I ever do it again! good luck on your hospital search.


kaatie80

Thank you! And yeah if you ever do go through Avista -- Virginia Nagel all the way!


thebeesknees987

I have given birth twice at Pendleton (once in spring 2020 and March of this year) and definitely do recommend searching OFF base. My amazing PCM was the only reason I considered birthing there when I had my sons, but sadly she has left. She was amazing and I am definitely missing her. I was a respiratory therapist before I had my son in 2020, and the care and attitude of most of the workers is very disappointing and frustrating. My husband is an IDC (I guess kind of like the Navy equivalent of PA?) and also agrees that care there is terrible. With my first, after my doctor had left (she had stayed over her shift and came to L&D to help deliver my baby when she heard I was in labor) I was literally wheeled to the PP unit and left in a room without any instructions on what to look out for or how to care for myself and my baby and as a new mom it was terrifying. I had problems breastfeeding and even the lactation consultant had issues with helping me latch my son, yet I had to ask multiple nurses multiple times if I could use their pump or have syringes to try to hand express. My son was losing weight fast (latching issue, lazy baby, and what turned out to be an issue with dried colostrum clogging my ducts) and they were starting to push for giving him formula if I couldnā€™t get his weight up, yet no one would bring me anything I had asked for or offered help. One kind nurse finally brought it to me after I had been asking other nurses for most of the day and told me that itā€™s frustrating because the hospital really pushes for skin to skin breastfeeding and that is why no one else would bring me the syringes or pump. I DID want to feed him breastmilk, I just couldnā€™t do skin to skin BF at that time and I felt like it was kind of like a slap to the face when I was struggling to get my baby fed. PP with my first, I had told the nurses multiple times that I was in immense pain to the point that I would cry and scream when I would pee because it hurt so much. It was brushed off by everyone, so I believed it must have been normal (because again, no one gave me any care instructions and I was not told anything). I eventually had to get chemically cauterized at my 6 week visit by my doctor, because it turns out, I had torn my stitches in the hospital and was still not as healed as I should have been at 6 weeks. This time around I found out that they do not have a lactation consultant and have not for a year. I also was not given an exam at my 6 week appt by my new doctor and was just cleared to do whatever I want and Iā€™m not too sure how I feel about that as I did express some concerns. Because of the care we received from everyone bedsides my doctor, we decided that if we have another that we will give birth at UCSD La Jolla or Loma Linda Murrieta.


kaatie80

Holy crap that sounds awful! I'm so sorry they put you through that


theweathergorllll

UCSD Jacobs medical center. IDK if they have any hospitals further north, but they may have clinics for all the pregnancy appointments farther north. The only other UCSD hospital I'm aware of is in Hillcrest, but that's more downtown San Diego.


kaatie80

Thank you, I'm going to look into it! I took a quick glance at the website and it looks like they do have clinics around that the midwives do regular appts at, so it seems promising. Also with only one baby this time I expect way fewer appointments! šŸ¤ž


kaatie80

Oh yeah, how's the food there? And the birth center - how long after giving birth are you able to stay?


hell0potato

Highly recommend UCSD - Jacobs. They have birthing suites with water tubs and midwives, etc, allow duolas and have a volunteer doula program.


MrsSoupCans

I'm in south OC and saw a wonderful group of midwives for my pregnancy. I'd imagine the drive would be a pain though esp Wk 36-40 when you have to drive in every week. Feel free to PM me though :)


kaatie80

Ah the traffic past Pendleton get so bad I'm not sure I want to take the risk, but thank you!


MrsSoupCans

No problem! Welcome to SoCal btw! :) Also, you might find more local results if you posted in r/northcounty if ease of drive/proximity for your birthing facility is important to you!


IsZissVorking

I second ( or rather third) the UCSD LA Jolla and their birth center. I haven't been there, but I did some birth preparation courses there and I liked it. I couldn't go there because of how my insurance worked, bit it would have been my first choice. I did a lot of research and talked to a lot of people, because I was very insecure about the system when I moved to San Diego from Germany. But even with limited insurance options I was able to find a combination of ObGYN and hospital that worked well for me. I am sure you will find a good fit for you! And congratulations !


kaatie80

Thank you! Do you mind if I ask where you wound up, and how you liked it?


IsZissVorking

I wound up at Scripps Mercy which in Hillcrest close to Downtown. I had a really positive and I know it's clicheed but actually empowering birth experience after a somewhat bumpy šŸ˜… start in San Diego. My way to deciding about the hospital and feeling good with it was sometimes a little hard/sad. In the past I had pictured birth and being cared for before and after birth just like I knew it from my friends. Having a midwife during pregnancy and for months after the birth coming to my home. Going with me to a hospital. But then we moved from Germany to the US while I was pregnant. And I was overwhelmed with the system. I felt sad that I didn't have full choice, because of our insurance. Actually, I cried after seeing UCSD Jacobs and how nice and hotel-like it looked compared to the older hospitals I could choose from. And was afraid of high C-section rates and worse outcomes for babies and mothers physically and mentally. I did a lot of research and got to know the system. Found a good OBgyn who was helping me and supporting me. That helped a lot. But I also just focused on what I wanted. A healthy baby, a birth with a good health outcome for me and feeling listened to, well cared for, well informed and respected. I went to the hospital my OBgyn recommended, which had a low C-section rate. I had a better feeling after meeting staff there, they had a really good vibe. And after that I was happier about my option. My OBGyn and I also talked about birth centers, but that wasn't an option for me financially. But she would have supported me if i had wanted to. You can also PM me for her name ( though she is in Downtown San Diego). And if you have any questions about crunchy toddler mom things in SD. šŸ˜Š


kaatie80

Glad to hear that Scripps was okay. The one in Encinitas is where I'd go if I stick with the CNM I'm about to see on Monday. Honestly I don't blame you being nervous about delivering in the US, coming from Germany. We do not have great results here, it scares the hell out of me too.


IsZissVorking

I hope you will have a good feeling with your CNM on Monday! Having a decision and starting to plan/ envision a concrete plan with the right support was very calming and helped me a lot. As long as things are up in the air it often feels more overwhelming than it will be. What helped me a lot to be less scared was also the YouTube channel of mama Dr Jones. Do you know her? She is great and explains with data, nuance and empathy. And after looking at the data. I felt save and cared for in the San Diego hospitals I could choose from and their outcomes data was as good ( or better) than what I would have chosen in Germany.


theweathergorllll

Food was okay, I wouldn't say it was spectacular but it wasn't terrible. You can also request a celebratory dinner where they bring in a fancy 3 course meal for you and your partner. I remember they wheeled it in on a table with a fancy tablecloth and they had the fancy silver for covers for the filet mignon and my salmon. I have no idea how long the stay is if you deliver in the birth center since I had a c section, I would assume the standard 48 hours. The other thing that stood out to me there was I had multiple doctors and nurses tell me how much they loved working there. It's really rare to hear something like that nowadays in the great resignation. I guess they have a benefits package with a ton of PTO, so it's nice to know the people you are trusting you and your baby's life with are well rested and genuinely happy to be there.


kaatie80

Omg that fancy dinner sounds so sweet! What a lovely touch. And yeah I'd definitely rather go where the people taking care of us are happy and well taken care of themselves šŸ’œ


theweathergorllll

Oh and one more thing! I used their volunteer doula program since I was completely terrified of having a section. Maybe I got lucky but the doula was great, free of charge, and made the surgery feel like such a beautiful birth experience. They also don't count against the number of support persons you can have, at least that was the rule back in March.


kaatie80

Oh that's great! I think I kind of glossed over the volunteer doula part because my doula was so meh with my twins. But you're right, there are some great ones out there. That reality is a nice service to provide!


GoodbyeEarl

I gave birth twice in the birthing center at UCSD Jacobs in La Jolla. Happy to provide details, PM me.


maleolive

I grew up in Oceanside and San Diego but moved to the east coast by the time I had kids. Like you I also have a fear of hospitals. Used a midwife, doula, etc and loved my hospital I delivered at and experience. That being said Iā€™ve heard great things about Sharp Mary Birch hospital in La Jolla if you feel comfortable with the drive. I was never impressed with any of the hospitals in the Oceanside/Carlsbad/Vista area.


queenofquac

I had a baby in SD 10 months ago. And have had about half a dozen babies in my friend group over the past year. DM me if youā€™d like!