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My first pregnancy was unexpected, we were not at all prepared and I did zero research about birth experience. I ended up at the hospital after my due date being induced with pitocin, which makes contractions absolutely unbearable and increases chances of needing an emergency c-section by about 50% - which NO ONE told me. I had to have a c-section because every contraction my baby's heart rate dropped. Then she had to be in the NICU for a week after that. I'd had a totally normal pregnancy and everything was perfect until I went to the hospital. This time around I'm definitely aiming for an all natural birth experience with a midwife, if I can help it I'd like to do it at home. I recommend watching a documentary called The Business of Being Born, if you haven't already. It opened my eyes to the world of giving birth. Everyone thinks if you're having a baby you must go to a hospital, but that documentary taught me you're not sick - you're giving birth, why are you going to a sick house to do it? Obviously there are some instances when medical intervention is necessary, and a midwife will tell you if that's what you need. Hope you have a wonderful experience whatever route you choose, and you enjoy your little one!

I chose an OB for both of my kiddos. My first was induced at 40w3d, laboured for just under 34hrs (slow dilation) and pushed for 2h46m, ended up requiring forcep assistance and an episiotomy (he was stuck), but all was well with both baby and myself. Delivered at 2:46am (40w4d) and home by 4:30pm.
My second was also induced, at 41w1d, laboured for 5hrs with no cervical change, her FHR dropped from 138 to 40 and wouldn't come back up, then the bleeding started. It took less than 2 mins for a team to swarm me, prep/move me and have me open on a table pulling her out. The cord was wrapped around her neck, contractions cut off supply and the placenta started detaching. I will never attempt an at-home delivery. Had I been at home and this happened, even being a 5 min drive to the delivering hospital, she could've died and I wouldve bled out. Both pregnancies were absolutely perfect. OB's and hospitals all the way!!

That's just me tho, at-home births and midwives work out great for others. I prefer to be surrounded with drugs, equipment and doctors so if something does go wrong, I'm where I need to be, not in transport!

Best of luck with ur decision!

I had an OB GYN with my first successful pregnancy. I want to have a Midwife next time. I liked my doctor, but I didn't like my birth experience. The nurses and doctors were super pushy about Pitocin. I ended up getting an epidural that I didn't want, and had an epidural headache for two weeks.

I feel like I might be able to avoid that with a Midwife.

I had midwives for all 3 of my pregnancies and births and I absolutely loved them!! (I am in Canada, just for reference.)

I did have an OB for the first 3 months of my first pregnancy. I had tried to get into the midwives, but they were full, so I went with an OB that a friend recommended. I didn't like him, he didn't even know my name, was always rushed and would only ask if I had any questions as he was on the way out the door. And when he couldn't find the heartbeat at 12 wks with the Doppler, he didn't care. (I have since learned that apparently, for all three of my pregnancies, my placenta was in the front, which makes it hard to find the heartbeat early.) It was my first so I freaked and started crying. Only then did they schedule me for an ultrasound a few days later and baby was fine! Then, I got a call from the midwives. I had apparently been on a waiting list and there was an opening! It was what I had originally wanted, so I said yes! I called to the OB's to tell them, and the secretary was fine with it. Then she said that the OB wanted to talk to me. He SCREAMED at me! Told me that I had taken someone else's spot and a bunch of other stuff. I hung up the phone in tears, but so happy that I had switched! My midwife Care was amazing from the first time that I met her, and she ended up delivering all 3 of my babies! And I put her through a lot! My first ended up being a surprise homebirth because I progressed faster than they thought I would, and by the time she got to our house, I was 10 cm and starting to push! But she was amazing and calm and we had a wonderful homebirth! I had the other two at the hospital, but that was because I was on a medication that could have potentially caused breathing problems, so I wanted to be at the hospital if anything happened. Our midwives have admitting privileges, so you are still with your midwives, and the nurses and doctors only intervene if asked to by the midwives. And the other thing about natural birth? With my second, labour was 3 hours and 16 mins start to finish, and I went home 3 hrs later! Third labour was 7 hrs and I went home 3 hrs later again. I would highly recommend midwives. With my experience, the midwives actually cared about me and my baby, I could ask a million questions, and they were only a phone call away if you were worried about something. Like when at 12 wks again with my 3rd, when two midwives couldn't find the heartbeat, they sent me for an emergency ultrasound right then!! (And he was fine, kicking away! lol) Unless you have a high risk pregnancy, midwives are the way to go.