*Doh! I had my title reversed. Silly brain. Thanks for pointing that out, Steff!
I switched from my OB to a midwife practice today! I’m happy with this decision. The practice consists of five midwives, and I’ll meet each one. One of them will be the lucky lady who catches my behbeh!
In case of any complications, they’re backed by a group of 15 high-risk specialist OBs. I am in good hands.
The midwife practice has a c-section rate of less than 10 percent. I dunno what my old OBs was, but I guarantee it’s more than that. The midwives have a 5 percent episiotomy rate, compared with a 50 percent one with my old OB. Don’t know what an episiotomy is? It’s where they cut your lady parts during the final stages of pushing your baby out. No thanks!
I switched to a midwife practice because I’m young, healthy, and I’m having a run-of-the-mill pregnancy. I’m not sick. I don’t need a doctor. I’m gearing up for a natural childbirth, and I’m much more likely to have success with that if I have midwife who is familiar with the natural birthing process.
Many OBs, believe it or not, aren’t as familiar. Some (not all, of course) like to do all sorts of things so they are in control of your labor.
If a midwife tells me that I need a c-section, I’m going to trust her. She doesn’t want me to have a c-section, so it truly would be a last-resort sort of thing. That’s one heck of a major surgery, and I’m going to do all I can to avoid that. I know that when I’m in labor, I won’t be anxious over what my health care provider might do to me.
So, yay! Even though it was a bit late in the game, I’m glad I’ve switched.
—–
I guess I’m still not obviously pregnant to people who don’t already know the news, or who haven’t seen me in a pre-pregnant state. Even the receptionist at the hospital was surprised I was 25 weeks along.
Just a few minutes before that encounter, the midwife measured me and told me that my belly was “textbook perfect” in size. Ya hear that, people? I’m just as big as I’m supposed to be!
For the past few weeks, I’ve told several people that I’m having a little boy around the end of the year.
They either wonder if I’m adopting, or say something like “I couldn’t even tell!” and stare at my stomach with eyes wide.
What?
I know I don’t look fat. But my waist is at least 10 inches bigger than it was just a few months ago. Do I just look like I’m a little thick around the middle? Or do people expect pregnant ladies at all stages to just have a huge beach ball of a belly? I have no idea.
The average height of an average white American woman is 5′4.6″. I’m 5′10.5″. I’m no giant, but pretty much everywhere I go, I’m the tallest lady (and oftentimes, tallest person) around.
Pregnant bellies on short ladies are bound to look different than pregnant bellies on taller ladies.
Remember when Nicole Kidman was pregnant? Gossip magazines started nasty rumors that she wasn’t really pregnant, since she was carrying so small. Well guess what, paparazzi? She’s 5′10.5″ just like me! When you’re six inches taller than average height, your torso is also longer. There’s much more room for the baby to stretch up instead of just plain out.
So there. For all of those people out there who think I’m carrying small. I’m carrying just fine, thank you very much. 
And ya know what? It’s not polite to tell a pregnant lady that she’s huge, say she has a fat belly, or “Wow, you must be having twins!” or “You’re due in a few months? Wow! You look like you’re about to pop!” Yeah, she’s about ready to pop you in the face, clown. It’s not appropriate to tell her that she’s tiny, either.
To review:
Q: When is it OK to make a comment about a woman’s size?
A. NEVER.
If you don’t know what to say about a pregnant lady’s body, say this: “You look great!” and leave it at that. Seriously. Kthxbai.
Awesome! I’m excited to read about your experiences with the midwife in the coming months!
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Congrats on your decision to go with a midwife! My sister made the same decision and she was very happy with it.
Will you have him in the hospital or at the midwife practice? I’m confused about how that works, but I know one of the big controversies about midwives is that you’re not at a hospital when your baby’s born. My sister was able to have both of her children at the hospital with the midwife in charge of the birth. If something would have gone wrong that was over the midwife’s head, they were right there in the hospital and a doctor could have stepped in. How is it going to work for you?
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My midwife’s practice is actually within the hospital, and I’ll deliver in the same birthing suite within the hospital as I would have with my OB.
I really like how that works out!
I don’t think I’d feel as comfortable being off-site, especially with my first.
Yay, it sounds like you definitely made the best decision for yourself. I dig the 5% episiotomy rate — that is a HUGE difference from the OB, and I’m sure a HUGE difference in comfort! Midwives definitely sound like a more relaxing and personal way of giving birth. I’ve heard great things about it.
And yes, it’s annoying that some people are so insensitive to the fact that we all have different body types and carry weight (and babies) differently and make comments about weight, whether it’s because we look big or small. Oy gavolt!
Is your headline right? You switched from an ob to a midwife, yes?
Congrats!!
I’m also nearly 5′11″ and that height is such a blessing. Also, I birthed my first son in water at home, and he weighed a whopping 10lb 14 oz. No tears, thank you very much … it was the water and my perineum-supporting midwife. Second son also birthed in water at home, a diminutive 8lb 8oz. You can do it!
Midwives rock! Your body rocks!
I’m happy for you! I think a midwife practice in conjunction with an OB group is the very best choice for healthy moms.
And believe me, those of us 5′4″ and under would KILL for a few extra inches of torso right about now : )
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Wow, I didn’t realize you’re that tall. I’m short and my family thinks I’m farther along because of my big belly. I have to keep telling them that the baby has no room to grow but out. I don’t care about other people being rude, it’s my own family members that I want to strangle sometimes.
Congrats on switching to a midwife. You’re definitely not late in the game. You have a few more months to go.
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i’m so glad for you!! i hope everything goes well with your midwife, but the fact that you’re already feeling more comfortable with her than your OB will help things go better.
i am an inch shorter than you. Everyone thought David would be 6 lbs, and he was 9 lbs. 9 oz! And it’s because when you’re tall, your weight proportions out differently.
And hey, you look great!
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Hey Kacie! It’s me Kelsie Newberry (used to be Mamuzic. I just started reading your blog..it’s really cool. I know exactly what you mean about “seeming” to carry small. When I was pregnant, I was so worried that something was wrong with Karoline because everyone kept telling me I was so small (and to be honest, I felt like I had a tiny stomach for being pregnant) Besides height, I know that most first time moms look smaller because their ab muscles are so tight and haven’t been previously stretched. I agree that it is rude when people comment on the size of pregnant women’s bellies…I know it hurt my feelings when people told me I was so tiny and I was going to have a small baby (even if they were saying it in a nice way) Anyway, keep up the great blog and good luck in your pregnancy!
Thanks for the encouragement, Kelsie!
I only saw one preggo pic of you on Facebook, and I thought you looked great!
I think what you’ve said about the ab muscles is true. Our years as runners has probably helped our abs a ton!
I’ve gotten a lot of the “you seem too small” comments lately — I think maybe you’re right that everyone expects pregnant women to have huge beach ball bellies.
I’m more of a soccer ball at this point, haha. I’ll be curious to see how much bigger I get in the next couple of months though! (I’m an inch or more shorter than you.)
I’m glad you found a midwife practice you liked, you seemed unhappy with the OB. Good luck, you already seem to have made the right call for you.
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