Finding a Midwife in the Boonies

I thought it was hard to find a midwife for my last pregnancy. I lived in the greater Phoenix area and there were so many out there that it was hard to narrow down the choices. I have since moved to a very rural area and this time its hard because I can barely find ANY to choose from. I've called all the places listed on the internet and in my insurance provider directory. I've even tried going through the hospital. After researching all the information, I found that I had three midwives to contact. The first wasn't taking any new patients, the second referred me to the third, and by that process I landed an appointment for this Friday with a nice lady named Cindy.

I talked to her for a bit on the phone and asked some standard questions. I found that she's been delivering babies for a while, but is not a certified midwife. That made me a little nervous at first, but I was soon comforted when she told me that she is currently working to get certified under the supervision of the certified midwife that referred me to her. Then I realized that I'm not necessarily interested in actual certification anyway, just experience. I wouldn't be trying to get together with a midwife if I was. We'll go ahead with our first appointment to get a better feel for her in person and to see if I actually qualify as a candidate for home birth.

Probably the biggest concern is that my first birth was a c-section. This will make a vaginal birth a little more challenging the second time around. I am fully willing to do whatever it takes to make a home birth happen. I feel so robbed from my first experience. It was everything I didn't want. I know, I know. I should just be happy that I ended up with a healthy and happy baby. Don't get me wrong. I am completely happy with that and I appreciate what the doctors and anesthesiologists did for me in that circumstance. What I am unhappy with is the sense of experience and reality that I worked so hard to achieve over the course of 36 weeks and it just completely disintegrated for me within minutes.

The factors that got me to the hospital were out of my control and I realize that it could happen all over again, but I just want to give it the best try I can for the reality that I want to create for myself. Having a vision and a say in the birth process is my right and responsibility as a woman and I dare not let go of that for anything. If I let go of my principals in situations that involve my life and the life of my child, I have lost the battle against submitting to the way things are. I want to help create the way things should be for me. This is my ultimate chance to do work on inspiration and I am ready!