Verified answer

I wouldn't keep using that OBGYN just on principal, whether you use a midwife or not.

He's simply ignorant and bigoted, and trying to threaten you into giving him your business.

Who cares what he thinks! Leave him now.

All that being said, being with a midwife is a great thing, as is having an all natural birth. Our insurance company covered it completely and we used a midwife and a birthing center exclusively. An insurance company, nor an OBGYN do not have the power to include or exclude a type of treatment simply because they don't like it.

Using a midwife and birthing center is very much an accepted alternative to hospital birth, and I whole heartedly recommend it.

I doubt very seriously if your insurance company will care about an angry letter from a doctor who lost your business. Just check with the midwife and see if she deals with insurance companies. I would also look through your policy and see if there are any exclusions or limitations on birth coverage.

Like I said, even if you decide to stay with an OBGYN, don't stay with this one. He is horribly unprofessional and obviously too ignorant for you to trust your and your baby's life to.

Have the natural birth - you won't regret it!

First off, take a breath, there is no need to you to get yourself upset.

Now find the phone # for your health company and contact them, ask them if you can switch from an OB to a midwife and from a hospital to home birth. Some places will not allow you to switch past 16 weeks. I guess they expect us to know it all and make that decision before we get pregnant.

(I had hospital births all 3 times due to being considered high risk with gestational diabetes all 3 times - all boys were good and everything was controlled.)

I know some people who have had home births and loved it. Usually it your own decision that counts. Albeit sometimes people have their kids on the way to the hospital so....

If they dont allow you to switch from OB to Mid-Wife, ask if they have a form you can fill out about your displeasure with your current and about to be past doctor. And ask if they have a refferal service because you woudl not return to him now. (I get surveys on our hospital and doctors all the time.)

(I personally would not be going back to this one, not even if he was the best one in the city. )

I would think that your OB has had some issue with this in the past, maybe some bad situations and he is not willing to be involded and that is why he wants to write a letter to cover himself.( I could have been a bit rude here...) He could also have been having a bad day, but there is no reason to take it out on you and talk to you in that manner and treaten you either. How can he expect you do go back to him now.

Hopefully the Health insurance will still let you swithc, and you can contact the midwife and get back to a serene place.

For the record, midwifes usually work with some doctors so there is a back up and the hospital is aware you are having a home birth and they are ready if the need arise.

I sure hope this helps.

All the best to you and your husband. Enjoy this time, it goes by so fast. You are almost 1/2 way there.

Good Luck

Some insurances won't cover homebirths anyway, but I can't imagine a letter from a doctor carrying weight either way. It is your right to choose a health care provider and also to change providers as desired.

Even if you do choose a midwife, you will need an OB-GYN as back-up. Now you know that it won't be your current doctor. Your midwife can probably make a recommendation. Many are familiar with doctors in the community and may have one they work with already.

I would be angry, too. You tell him that if he writes that letter and sends it to your insurance company that you will report him to the State medical board. That is terrible treatment by a doctor. Anyway, letter or not, the insurance doesn't cover things based on his opinion. They cover what is in your contract.

He is writing the letter so that it is on the record that if anything goes wrong, he can say, "I told you so." You are having the baby, not him! Even if you don't go for a midwife, I would get a new OB. He sounds like a jerk.

Hmmm. He probably is writing a letter because of insurance purposes...if something goes wrong, he doesn't want to be held responsible, because so far he has deemed your pregnancy low risk.

I'm not sure about the submitting to insurance though. I don't think that he would unless the insurance company specifically asked for his opinion.

He sounds like a jerk. It's completely your and your husbands choice and I dont think your insurance will deny you coverage. If you chose to go with an OB though, switch. This guy sounds like a real jerk.

It's totally your personal opinion on why you want a midwife, or to switch doctors. He should respect that. I agree with the first answer...either way you should change your doctor, or in your case see a midwife, especially if you're interested in a water birth. I would not worry about this, I don't know the insurance company's policy, but I highly doubt they're going to discriminate against you in your switch.

I would find a new doctor immediatly. This is your pregnancy, your baby, and your choice. Its a once in a life time experience and its YOUR experience. You should not be bullied out of your decisions and thats what it sounds like.... he is bullying... find and a new doctor that believes in and respects your beliefs.... you won't regret it.

I couldn't have someone on my birth team who was such an *ss!

I hope you find a midwife you love.

Legally I don't think he can. Sounds like he is just in it for the money.

I'd do it anyways.

He sounds like an ***.

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