Thread: update on the provider search

The number of homebirth midwives in all of the Golan Heights: 0

The one I had spoken to, who doesn't actually live in the Golan, confirmed that she will not be available to attend my birth. What is up with no midwives???? Why is every woman who gives birth in the Golan content to hire a male dr.?? Please don't get me wrong, I have heard he is very gentle and that he is very laid back due to his complete belief in a woman's natural ability to birth - and that's wonderful. But I want choices!!! I want to be able to choose a female birth attendant if I prefer that - but there aren't any!

That being said, I plan on calling him next week when my moving saga is finally over (please God!!) and meet with him. But seriously... why aren't there any midwives here???

Oh wait, it gets worse... I called to make a general prenatal appt through the health clinic. i said I prefer to see a woman. There are two, both in Tzfat (not the Golan) and neither have appointments open until july. Of the two men here in Katzrin, I have been told not to go to one of them, well, the other one also has no appointments. So I have no mw, and I have nowhere to go for prenatal care.

So here's my plan. Apparently i can go the pee in a cup at the nurses station without an appointment if I wait on line for a minimum of an hour. So I'll be ordering a jar of pee sticks, Yoram will be taking my bp (starting after we move when the reading will actually be meaningful!) not sure what I'll do about measuring the baby and stuff, but the activity level in there is definitely indicative of a live baby! So what do I need anyone else for??

I'll probably hire the dr to be at the birth as a bystander, but in the meantime I've started asking specific women if they would be with me at my birth.

And then I'm going to nursing school to become a midwife - the end.

I like your plan. Sounds like you could use a good MW there that's a woman and I'm sure others would appriciate it as well

I'm very sorry for all your trouble finding a care provider.

Sounds like you've got a reasonable plan for keeping on top of things yourself in the meantime though.

Measuring fundal height is easy. You just need a metric tape measure (like a sewing one). Laying down with your legs straight, measure from the centre of your pubic bone up to the top of your fundus (uterus). The number is cm should roughly match the number of weeks (give or take a few). Remember though that the number is less important than steady growth.

thanks kris, I was thinking that I could just use a sewing tape measure. also, now that I can clearly feel the fundus I'm not as concerned, a few weeks ago I was digging around and wasn't sure I was finding it, but now I can feel it right at my navel, which is on target for 20 weeks.

I just got an email from a Hebrew speaking doula about a doula gathering at her house in a couple of weeks. I'm going to try to go, maybe there are options out there that we English speakers just aren't hearing about.

I hope you can get more info at the meeting

Goodness, you really have to jump through hoops, don't you? I hope everything works out perfectly in the end and that you do become a MW.

(((HUGS)))

Originally Posted by tanismom

thanks kris, I was thinking that I could just use a sewing tape measure. also, now that I can clearly feel the fundus I'm not as concerned, a few weeks ago I was digging around and wasn't sure I was finding it, but now I can feel it right at my navel, which is on target for 20 weeks.

Glad I could help! Fundal height is only accurate from 20 weeks on anyways, so don't be concerned about not being able to do it earlier