Does Pender county have a CNM practice? I didn't think Pender Memorial had a maternity departmemt. It is such a shame that women are losing choices in healthcare. To me this is proof that the midwife movement is gaining steam and the AMA is scared. The midwife model of care is head and shoulders above standard maternity care. These women deserve to birth with the midwives with which they have established relationships. That is the primary reason they chose this particular practice! My first birth was in hospital w/ a CNM. My second in hospital w/ an OB. I used a CPM and doula at home for my last birth. Beautiful experience - I wish I'd made the same choice with the first two. My recovery time was days instead of weeks. My midwife developed a relationship with my whole family and was better able to care for me because of that. Our visits were a minimum of 45 minutes each. With an OB you are lucky to get 5 minutes of individual time per visit. Carolina OBGYN needs to step up and give their existing patients the care that they deserve and expect. I don't think they realized the backlash this was going to cause - Take a lesson from nature, don't mess with a mama and her babies!