I was terrified of falling into a system that was likely to lead to a C Section and horrified by the priorities at hopkins. This lead me to an obgyn i was thrilled with, Michelle Morganti at Union, a Dr. willing to give me a natural water birth. But in my 3rd trimester Union gave 30 days notice it was closing down its birthing wing days before I was due and that everyone was to be reassigned elsewhere. Unfortunately my Dr. had no priviledges anywhere but Union and I had to switch again.
Dr. Morganti recommended Kathy Slone. Kathy and Julie were very attentive and kind, while Kathy was clear and firm, a characteristic I learned is extremely important during labor. I was so pleased with my experience that Kathy also delivered my daughter 2 years later. By then she had two partners. I learned how Kathy had been fighting for midwifery in Maryland for decades and that the prevailing laws and medical establishments made it so difficult for midwives to work legitimately that she was the only solo midwifery practice in Maryland (many others worked within Dr's practice or on a casual basis), but Kathy fought the system to exist. This made her extremely popular to almost a cult status among expectant mothers wanting less medical intervention. While the partners were deeply attentive not only to my 24/7 well being (in the 3rd trimester) but to me personally. I felt special.
In the end I had two successful water births by Kathy and was grateful that she visibly navigated the system, and when she introduced herself to the nursing staff she'd never worked with she said politely but firmly said ""we do things a little different, I think you're going to like it."" Afterward I found I had an amazed audience also deeply impressed with my water birth. Afterward my second water birth, and I was no longer an expectant priority, it was even more clear how overworked they were and I learned that the partners left.
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