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 Veteran
Posts: 173
 
Location: Arkansas | You have to do whatever feels right to you.
Both mine were born in a hospital. I toyed with the idea of home birth but decided it was too risky. My first was a drug free water birth. Everything went perfect. Hurt but nothing unbearable. The worst part was how exhausted I was after. I slept the next two days. So tired I barely held my daughter.
For my second I had an epidural. I was rested and it was so easy. I got to enjoy him.
The drug free delivery was empowering but I know I'm tough and I don't need to prove it to myself again. I would rather be rested to enjoy it. I also roomed in with both. Didn't want someone else messing with my babies more necessary! :) | |
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10D Crack Champion
   
| 22Tango - 2014-03-22 5:27 PM You have to do whatever feels right to you. Both mine were born in a hospital. I toyed with the idea of home birth but decided it was too risky. My first was a drug free water birth. Everything went perfect. Hurt but nothing unbearable. The worst part was how exhausted I was after. I slept the next two days. So tired I barely held my daughter. For my second I had an epidural. I was rested and it was so easy. I got to enjoy him. The drug free delivery was empowering but I know I'm tough and I don't need to prove it to myself again. I would rather be rested to enjoy it. I also roomed in with both. Didn't want someone else messing with my babies more necessary! :)
I want to make sure I follow here..... the water birth was at a hospital? I didn't know they did water births at a hospital. I am imagining the movie I saw where the baby was born in a kiddy pool in the living room with a bunch of women in the room..... I can't remember the name of the movie, but maybe Jennifer Lopez was in it...or Jennifer Aniston. | |
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  Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | Before you get way ahead of yourself, seeing that you have 9 months :).....Write down all the reasons why you want a home birth, the concerns you have with a hospital, and take them with you to your doctor. I assure you that if you have a good doctor he/she will have heard this concerns dozens of times and may have some answers to ease your mind.
Also, you can tour some hospitals before you choose them for giving birth, some, but not all. Biggest thing is open communication not only with your doctor but with your spouse/SO and which ever family members you want there during delivery. YOU can choose which drugs they can or can't give you, you can choose how many ppl to have there, and so forth. You will have a certain amount of control. | |
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![](<a href="http://s1191.photobucket.com/albums/z470/alicat0909/?action=view¤t=yellaandcalf.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1191.photobu) Heeler Hater
Posts: 3014
Location: Texas | sodapop - 2014-03-22 6:40 PM
22Tango - 2014-03-22 5:27 PM You have to do whatever feels right to you. Both mine were born in a hospital. I toyed with the idea of home birth but decided it was too risky. My first was a drug free water birth. Everything went perfect. Hurt but nothing unbearable. The worst part was how exhausted I was after. I slept the next two days. So tired I barely held my daughter. For my second I had an epidural. I was rested and it was so easy. I got to enjoy him. The drug free delivery was empowering but I know I'm tough and I don't need to prove it to myself again. I would rather be rested to enjoy it. I also roomed in with both. Didn't want someone else messing with my babies more necessary! :)
I want to make sure I follow here..... the water birth was at a hospital? I didn't know they did water births at a hospital. I am imagining the movie I saw where the baby was born in a kiddy pool in the living room with a bunch of women in the room..... I can't remember the name of the movie, but maybe Jennifer Lopez was in it...or Jennifer Aniston.Â
Wow I didn't know they allowed to birth in the water at a hospital. Ours only lets you labor in the water. | |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | 22Tango - 2014-03-22 5:27 PM
You have to do whatever feels right to you.
Both mine were born in a hospital. I toyed with the idea of home birth but decided it was too risky. My first was a drug free water birth. Everything went perfect. Hurt but nothing unbearable. The worst part was how exhausted I was after. I slept the next two days. So tired I barely held my daughter.
For my second I had an epidural. I was rested and it was so easy. I got to enjoy him.
The drug free delivery was empowering but I know I'm tough and I don't need to prove it to myself again. I would rather be rested to enjoy it. I also roomed in with both. Didn't want someone else messing with my babies more necessary! :)
My experience was the opposite. I felt awesome after my drug free birth and was hardly sore after. The first one, I lost a ton of blood and hurt for a month. I hated delivering leaned back with my legs hiked up like you have to with an epi. Hated it. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 305
| I think it is up to you. But I would have died with our first even if they would have an ambulance in the drive way, instead of being in the hospital. Our second son would have most likely not been ok if we weren't in the hospital with a well trained staff her he was born. There a lot of hospitals that will give you your wishes in delivery but they are there if something goes wrong. I did both with no drugs and had 22 stitches with the first, and none with the second. Good luck
Remember babies were made to breastfeed. | |
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 Roan On The Range
Posts: 7889
Location: Stephenville, TX | sodapop - 2014-03-22 6:40 PM 22Tango - 2014-03-22 5:27 PM You have to do whatever feels right to you. Both mine were born in a hospital. I toyed with the idea of home birth but decided it was too risky. My first was a drug free water birth. Everything went perfect. Hurt but nothing unbearable. The worst part was how exhausted I was after. I slept the next two days. So tired I barely held my daughter. For my second I had an epidural. I was rested and it was so easy. I got to enjoy him. The drug free delivery was empowering but I know I'm tough and I don't need to prove it to myself again. I would rather be rested to enjoy it. I also roomed in with both. Didn't want someone else messing with my babies more necessary! :) I want to make sure I follow here..... the water birth was at a hospital? I didn't know they did water births at a hospital. I am imagining the movie I saw where the baby was born in a kiddy pool in the living room with a bunch of women in the room..... I can't remember the name of the movie, but maybe Jennifer Lopez was in it...or Jennifer Aniston.
Jennifer Lopez in The Back Up Plan..."you're my focal point".
That's all I can contribute to this thread besides a big congrats to the OP!
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 Expert
Posts: 1617
Location: Oklahoma | kasaj2000 - 2014-03-22 6:40 AM
CanCan - 2014-03-22 2:14 AM Â You get your butt to the hospital and don't let them talk you into any of that rooming in crap. Make 'em keep the baby in the nursery. You'll need your rest. Also, avail yourself of all the luxuries of modern medicine.Â
Love,
Mother of 3
 DITTOÂ
Ditto! My daughter and I both wouldn't have made it had we had a home delivery. God gave doctors the knowledge to know what to do, when. I had an emergency C-section 6 months ago yesterday...I'll never regret trying to be "superwoman" and have that girl on my own. I had a happy, healthy baby with the technology of modern medicine...gimme the drugs and take care of me and that baby!! | |
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 Baby Blue's
Posts: 7306
Location: Texas | I guess I missed why you don't want to deliver at the hospital?
Having a baby "at home" is trendy now. Just like not getting your kids vaccinated. People do things like this because it's seemingly the earthy/organic option and it blows my mind.
No offense but if you were REALLY a control freak, the unknowns that are inherent with pregnancy would make you choose to birth in a hospital hands down. 1. You have absolutely no idea how your delivery will go. I HATED not knowing how my body would handle the process. Would it be 2 hours? 24 hours? Will there be an issue and end up a c-section? 2. you have NO idea how your baby will be. Perfectly healthy (probably)? Minor issues? Major issues?
I'm a prep for the worst kind of person. As out of control as I felt (simply due to the entire process of bringing a child into this world), knowing I had all my bases covered made me feel as good as it was going to get.
And again, i have no idea why people have problems with hospitals.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 316
| Running Roan - 2014-03-23 7:53 PM sodapop - 2014-03-22 6:40 PM 22Tango - 2014-03-22 5:27 PM You have to do whatever feels right to you. Both mine were born in a hospital. I toyed with the idea of home birth but decided it was too risky. My first was a drug free water birth. Everything went perfect. Hurt but nothing unbearable. The worst part was how exhausted I was after. I slept the next two days. So tired I barely held my daughter. For my second I had an epidural. I was rested and it was so easy. I got to enjoy him. The drug free delivery was empowering but I know I'm tough and I don't need to prove it to myself again. I would rather be rested to enjoy it. I also roomed in with both. Didn't want someone else messing with my babies more necessary! :) I want to make sure I follow here..... the water birth was at a hospital? I didn't know they did water births at a hospital. I am imagining the movie I saw where the baby was born in a kiddy pool in the living room with a bunch of women in the room..... I can't remember the name of the movie, but maybe Jennifer Lopez was in it...or Jennifer Aniston.
That's all I can contribute to this thread besides a big congrats to the OP!
This is exactly what I think of when I think of home births or water deliveries.
Congrats to the OP!! I'm 13 weeks today. I know for sure I will deliver in a hospital with drugs if I can. I'm too far from a good hospital and hearing some stories of what some women have gone through just makes me want to be in a hospital with the best medical treatment available to myself and the baby. I don't care if there's one or several medical professionals in my room when I deliver, either way it's going to be awkward. I think deliver is the biggest part I'm most scared of...pain and I'm so modest I can't imagine all that's going to be going on down there. Anyway, congrats and good luck with your decision. | |
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 Road Rash Expert
Posts: 5501
Location: Near San Antonio, TX | bocephus's mama - 2014-03-24 8:26 AM I guess I missed why you don't want to deliver at the hospital?
Having a baby "at home" is trendy now. Just like not getting your kids vaccinated. People do things like this because it's seemingly the earthy/organic option and it blows my mind.
No offense but if you were REALLY a control freak, the unknowns that are inherent with pregnancy would make you choose to birth in a hospital hands down. 1. You have absolutely no idea how your delivery will go. I HATED not knowing how my body would handle the process. Would it be 2 hours? 24 hours? Will there be an issue and end up a c-section? 2. you have NO idea how your baby will be. Perfectly healthy (probably)? Minor issues? Major issues?
I'm a prep for the worst kind of person. As out of control as I felt (simply due to the entire process of bringing a child into this world), knowing I had all my bases covered made me feel as good as it was going to get.
And again, i have no idea why people have problems with hospitals.
What she said.  | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 550
| For my third, I went to a practice with a dr & 2 midwives, and was a birthing center. I could have chosen to have my baby there if I had not had 2 prior C-Sections. I also had the option to hire either midwife to act as a doula if I wanted to. I had a drug free birth in the hospital, but mostly labored at home. Laboring at home gives you a lot of freedom, even if you give birth in the hospital. I was able to get in the tub a few times, went out to lunch, walked around the field, and wasn't hooked up to all the monitors. We went to the hospital when the contractions got closer together & more painful. It does hurt, but it is doable.
I didn’t tell anyone I planned to go drug free except my husband because I didn’t want to hear the horror stories about how it would be too hard, and I wouldn’t be able to do it. I was at the hospital for about 2.5 hours before the baby arrived. I also didn’t do any of the pain management techniques (Lamaze, Bradley, Hypno-babies). I read up on them, and none seemed to be right for me, so I just figured millions of women have done this before me, I can do it too. I know a few people who really liked Bradley, and my Dr suggested the hypnobabies, so those may be something that would work for you.
I also chose to have my babies with me in the room, as I agree nursing goes better when there is lots of skin to skin contact. You can google skin to skin and kangaroo care for info on that. I also just wanted to look at them, and touch them –even with number 3! I think if I had a dozen it would be the same.
In the end, you know you. Do what makes you feel comfortable, and don’t beat yourself up if things don’t go exactly the way you planned. Don’t let other people talk you out of what you feel is right, and carry that over into being a parent.
Congrats!!
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Member
Posts: 24
Location: FL | From the perspective of a current nursing student, there are far too may risks involved with home-birth, and even the most ideal pregnancy can end in a traumatic birth process. In fact, while I was doing my OB clinicals, one of the patients that we had was a mother being brought in from a home-birth. Mom had hemorrhaged and apparently baby had been in bad shape for some time, but it all went undetected until it was nearly too late. That could have easily been avoided. In a hospital setting, nurses and doctors could have intervened far sooner thanks to the monitoring devices we have available to us.
You can have your cake and eat it too. MANY hospitals will allow you to have as close to the 'granola', home-birth experience as possible while still affording yourself the safety of being under the watchful eye of trained nurses and doctors with access to medical supplies. I will admit, I thought I was going to be one of those 'super-moms' who does everything as natural as possible. I had an uncomplicated pregnancy and was ready to rock this whole child birth thing. WRONG. I'll spare you the gory details but had I not been in a hospital, my daughter and I both would be dead.
Find a facility and a physician who is willing to work with you and what you want for your pregnancy/birth process. You can relax in a jacuzzi, roll around on a birthing ball, whatever. But you also need to be aware that at any given time, you will need to let the powers that be interceed in case of emergency and the best place to be in that event is in a hospital. You owe it to yourself and your baby. | |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
| Any mom having difficulties I think would advise being in a hospital. I do understand the romance behind the idea of home birth, but one small flaw in the process and things can go downhill very, very fast.
My advise is to check out both your doctor and facilities thoroughly. Make sure you are comfortable with both. Most doctors have admitting priviledges at more than one hospital or birthing center.
My bad experience had everything to do with a poor doc and antiquitated hospital. I so wanted to change facilities. And seriously, my anesthesiologist was watching a Broncos game while inserting the needle into my spine. I wonder if that had anything to do with me crashing (bp 40/0) when they put the meds in?? Yet another reason I don't agree with Catholic Charities -- they send the women giving up their babies for adoption to the cheapest, dirtiest hospitals possible.
But that's what I mean. Make sure you talk to as many people on the ward or center as you can. | |
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Location: Choctaw, OK | I so wish I could go back and have both of mine at home, naturally. If I do ever have another I plan a home birth with a midwife. If you are healthy and able I say definatley look into it more! Read the Birth Book by Dr Sears. So much GREAT info! I am also pro delaying cord clamping, delaying the first bath, extended breastfeeding, immediate skin to skin contact after birth (no being whisked away) and anti vaccine. | |
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Member
Posts: 24
Location: FL | RoughstockKennel - 2014-03-24 12:18 PM
I so wish I could go back and have both of mine at home, naturally. If I do ever have another I plan a home birth with a midwife. If you are healthy and able I say definatley look into it more! Read the Birth Book by Dr Sears. So much GREAT info! I am also pro delaying cord clamping, delaying the first bath, extended breastfeeding, immediate skin to skin contact after birth (no being whisked away) and anti vaccine.
I totally respect anyone who feels this way, and honestly, it makes my heart happy to see parents who believe in doing things the natural way in regards to skin to skin and breastfeeding. So many good things to be said about that. I just encourage you to be at least at a birthing center, if not at a hospital.
I worry so much about parents who think ''Oh well, I'm healthy, this baby is healthy and everything should be fine". I was one of them. I did the research, read the books, learned all there was to learn about natural child birth. I had a fantastic pregnancy and a healthy baby, totally ready to do things the good 'ol fashioned way. Within a second things went south quickly. I crashed twice, my daughter, 3 times. Family was shoved out in the hallway and codes were being called. It was not pretty. And I was supposed to have been an ideal candidate for natural birth.
Now, I know that everyone has a different story, and many, many people have beautiful home birth experiences. I envy them! But I have seen both sides, as a patient and a student nurse. Please choose wisely and allow yourself to have the best of both worlds. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 550
| RoughstockKennel - 2014-03-24 1:18 PM I so wish I could go back and have both of mine at home, naturally. If I do ever have another I plan a home birth with a midwife. If you are healthy and able I say definatley look into it more! Read the Birth Book by Dr Sears. So much GREAT info! I am also pro delaying cord clamping, delaying the first bath, extended breastfeeding, immediate skin to skin contact after birth (no being whisked away) and anti vaccine.
I had mine in a hospital, and had all of this - it doesn't have to be a bad experience at a hospital, you just have to really do you homework.
I caught my baby, laid her on my chest, the nurse did a quick exam while she was laying on my chest, and the dr & nurse left the room.
I agree on Dr. Sears, he has several books with lots of great information. | |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| RoughstockKennel - 2014-03-24 12:18 PM
I so wish I could go back and have both of mine at home, naturally. If I do ever have another I plan a home birth with a midwife. If you are healthy and able I say definatley look into it more! Read the Birth Book by Dr Sears. So much GREAT info! I am also pro delaying cord clamping, delaying the first bath, extended breastfeeding, immediate skin to skin contact after birth (no being whisked away) and anti vaccine.
Sorry my like went to dislike.
I am glad women are feeling empowered to have the choice midwife or doctor.
Midwives also have tools and instruments to measure fetal heart rate, and they also have the experience to identify if things are going wrong.
To the person who wants drugs while delivering. Please read up on drug use during labor and delivery, as the drugs you do take negatively impact your child in some way.
I am not saying no to all drugs, but don't make the decision without reading the literature first.
Iv narcotics cause initial problems with the child, and also affect the sucking reflex. One thinks the doctors can give narcan to reverse the effects, but narcan has a very short half life, so the baby can still have complications after the narcan administration.
Epidurals also have a negative impact on the child as well, the research has proven epidurals negatively impact the sucking reflex for up to 30 days post partum.
C section the research is also showing reduces the woman's life by 5 years.
General anesthetic give in c sections can actually cause the heart to stop in the child post delivery.
The point is not to scare anyone, but do your research make the decision with your eyes wide open.
I just retread you are anti vaccine, this I do disagree with you as the only way small pox was eradicated world wide was vaccination.
Due to anti vaccinationers in Alberta we have had 2 measles outbreaks within the last 6 months.
All deadly diseases are one flight away, one classroom away, one table away. Tetanus will never be eradicated as it lives in the soil, people still die every year from the disease.
I could go on and on, but to the people who refuse vaccines are not only putting their children at risk but all immunosupressed, cancer fighters and survivors.
IMHO if people who don't vaccinate cause a death of someone who cannot receive the vaccine should be charged with murder.
Edited by cheryl makofka 2014-03-24 4:40 PM
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Heeler Hater
Posts: 3014
Location: Texas | Before this turns into a total debate and everything is lost.
OP A good thing to read was The Business of Being Born by Ricki Lake
I havent had the chance to get it yet but it has come highly recommended. My best friend had her baby in a hospital with drugs. She said she wished she would have read that first because she would have done everything differently.
Not sure what she meant exactly but I cant wait to read it.
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The Resident Destroyer of Liberal Logic
Location: PNW | bocephus's mama - 2014-03-24 8:26 AM
I guess I missed why you don't want to deliver at the hospital?Â
Having a baby "at home" is trendy now. Just like not getting your kids vaccinated. People do things like this because it's seemingly the earthy/organic option and it blows my mind.
No offense but if you were REALLY a control freak, the unknowns that are inherent with pregnancy would make you choose to birth in a hospital hands down. 1. You have absolutely no idea how your delivery will go. I HATED not knowing how my body would handle the process. Would it be 2 hours? 24 hours? Will there be an issue and end up a c-section? 2. you have NO idea how your baby will be. Perfectly healthy (probably)? Minor issues? Major issues?
I'm a prep for the worst kind of person. As out of control as I felt (simply due to the entire process of bringing a child into this world), knowing I had all my bases covered made me feel as good as it was going to get.
And again, i have no idea why people have problems with hospitals.
Â
This. Especially the bit about people wanting to be earthy and organic.
Also, your info that the US has a high rate of C-sections - is also tied to the fact that we have a lot of inductions too.
I went into my first pregnancy with plans of a drug-free natural birth whenever my son was ready. Ha.
At 28 weeks he went into total heart failure (HR of 300+ and hydropic)we were rushed three hours by ambulance to a hospital that could handle the situation. I spent the rest of my pregnancy on hospital bed rest, my son got several IM shots of heart medication (yes, in utero, through my belly), I was kept on essentially lethal doses of the same medication to make sure enough went through the placenta to keep his heart rate down. He was born at 36 weeks, 3 days via cesarean.
I thank God every day for a healthy heart that allowed me to be medicated like that, for guiding the doctors responsible for our care, and for THAT HOSPITAL - where he spent two weeks in the NICU after he was born while his doctors got his medications dialed in.
We were HOURS away from losing our son at 28 weeks. He's here, he's PERFECTLY healthy and wild - just like an 18 month old should be.
The important thing is getting your baby here safely - your way of doing that: hospital, home, drugs, no drugs, vaginal, cesarean, in a tub, on a bed, standing on your head, whatever - DOES NOT DEFINE YOU AS A WOMAN OR AS A MOTHER. AND DONT LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE.
I'm 18 weeks with my second, and we will be delivering at that same hospital, three hours from home, via a repeat cesarean. After two months in the L&D ICU and then two weeks in the NICU... There is a MUCH longer list of life-threatening "what-ifs" than most people realize. Talk to your doctor AND the L&D department about your birth plan. They will try their best! Heck, I got to listen to Dave Stamey songs during my cesarean - the only part of my birth plan that WAS salvageable.
Yes, women in Africa and South America give birth at home - BUT THIS IS AMERICA - Take advantage of our science and all the blessings it has made possible for so many families. | |
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