Seeking OB in South Tampa Area

Hi A.,

I am not sure how far in south Tampa you live, but I was very pleased with The Woman's Group. They have an office on West Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., very close to St. Joseph's Hospital. All of the doctors are excellent and they have a midwife on staff.

Also, if you are not already doing so, you may want to take a prenatal yoga class. I took one with Wendy Correa and was thoroughly satisfied. Wendy also teaches a class called Comfort Measures in Childbirth where you are taught different methods to cope with the pain of childbirth so that you can deliver naturally. Wendy teaches at The Lotus Room on Kennedy Blvd. near downtown and also at Yogani Studio (I believe Yogani is located on Platt Street).

I hope this has been helpful. Take care and congratulations on your pregnancy.

C. Y.

Dear A.,
I too wanted a practice that is accepting and supportive of natural childbirth. I searched high and low and ended switching to a midwife at right about 28 weeks. The only thing is you deliver at a birth center (Labor of Love) not a hospital. I was totally okay with this after visiting and meeting the midwife. It made me wish that I started out there in the first place. They encourage you to eat and drink throughout labor (which you should do for strength). I ended up delivering at UCH by C-section because of certain complications. My son has a large head was face up and his head (called posterior not breech) and he just wasn't going to fit. But I still feel my choice to switch was the right thing to do. Good Luck!!
K.

I just delivered with Tampa Bay Women's Care. I LOVED them. They have a midwife named Ellen Edmonson and she is fabulous. They are also called Partners in OBGYN. Dr. Falliers, Kilbride, Dill etc.

A.,

I have been a patient at the Women's Group on MLK (right near St. Joseph's Hospital) for six years. They were nothing short of wonderful through my pregnancy and through the birth of my son 16 months ago. I have referred several girlfriends to their practice. One of the most appealing aspects of their group was their non-judgemental approach and the freedom they give their patients to make independent decisions. I think you'll be pleased if you check them out...

Best of luck

A., since you are looking for natural childbirth I would highly recommend using a Midwife. There are 2 kinds of Midwifes, those who become nurses first then become a Certified Nurse Midwife, and then the ones who go to midwife school and become a Licensed Midwife.
I'm in St Pete so I can't help with finding someone in your area, but I've heard Labor Of Love is really great.

Not to scare you or tell you what you should do, but I just want to share my experiences. I had an OB for my first baby and was bullied into induction which didn't work and ended in a c-section. Then I used a CNM for my second baby and had a mildly medically altered birth. I used a LM and had a home birth with my third baby. I just really wish I had used a midwife with my first. I know a lot of people are intimidated by the thought of birthing outside of a hospital - I know I was - so for many a good compromise is a midwife in a hospital. But my home birth was by far the least painful and easiest birth. And she was 10 pounds 13 ounces.

Are you willing to deliver at Tampa General? There's a group called Women's Health Care which is a group of Clinical Midwives their number is ###-###-####. Clinical midwives always deliver in a hospital (direct entry midwives do home births are birth center births)

If it needs to be St. Joes then you might try Tampa Bay Women's Care on Virginia Ave ###-###-####. Some in the group are EXCELLENT others are ok. As a doula I have worked with members of this group and the Midwifery group well.

I would advise really making sure you are comfortable with whomever you choose. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful birth!

S. Mills
Touched By An Angel,
Childbirth Services, Inc
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