2nd Trimester

Anyone planning on having....

A home birth? After watching the documentary "The Business of Being Born", I am seriously contemplating it.

 

I would love to hear everyone's plans and experiences. 

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Re: Anyone planning on having....

  • Not me. My baby isn't healthy and will be needing to go the NICU immediately after birth. Not to mention I may need a C-section because of it.
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  • Nope. I honestly enjoyed being in the hospital.

    ETA: I pretty much agree with what Traycee (sp?) posted. You are worrying about so much already. I would not want to be worrying about not having the proper equipment right there in the event of an emergency.

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  • No way in hell. I won't even give birth in a hospital that doesn't have a Level 3 NICU. In the event of an emergency seconds make a difference... Though the chance might be very small, it's not one I'm willing to take.
    I also thought The Business of Being Born was extremely biased. But to each their own.
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  • nope.  more power to the women that do, but i loved my hospital birth experience. 
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  • Never. Should an emergency arrive--in my case or the baby's--I want to already be where we will receive the best care.

    I loved the hospital that I had DD at (and will have this baby). The staff was great, and I liked having the help and someone caring after me for a few days.

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  • imageTraycee1242:
    No way in hell. I won't even give birth in a hospital that doesn't have a Level 3 NICU. In the event of an emergency seconds make a difference... Though the chance might be very small, it's not one I'm willing to take.
    I also thought The Business of Being Born was extremely biased. But to each their own.

    I <3 you, Traycee. I feel exactly the same. I couldn't even imagine giving birth at home or any desire to do so.

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  • homebirth is not for me. I had a very traumatic birth experience with my DS and am looking forward to my scheduled c-section and take some comfort in the fact that my hospital has a fabulous NICU if it is needed. 
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  • No.  I'm planning for a natural birth in a hospital (which is known for being natural birth friendly).  I wouldn't do a home birth because even if you have a low-risk pregnancy there are some things that can't be predicted, like placenta abruption or cord prolapse.  Also, I am using a midwife but a CNM.  I'm not comfortable with the educational requirements of the CPM and lay midwife certifications. 

    I know lots of people in my area who do have home births.  My mom even had complication-free home births with all four of us kids.  It's just not for me.  You'll find more people who are planning home births on the natural birth board.  

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  • You couldn't pay me.

    I don't have a problem with home birth, I just know I would never like to do it that way. And, honestly, watching the movie more solidified my opinions than anything else. I found the film to be extremely biased; it had an agenda, but sort of pretended it didn't. It's not that it didn't raise some good points, but it relied a lot on ignoring any evidence to the contrary on many issues.

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  • home birth, no.  but as long as baby and I continue to be healthy, we will be giving birth at a birth center with a CNM
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  • I had a wonderful homebirth with DS and am looking forward to another one. 

    I will agree that The Business of Being Born is biased, but I feel it's a side that needed to be addressed, since there is a certain stigma attached to homebirth.  I think it's important for people to know that a planned home birth for a low-risk pregnancy is just as safe for mother and child as a hospital birth, and that home birthers aren't all crazy hippie-types, but are educated parents who are making the decision they are convinced is best for their family based on facts and research.

    I also think that a lot of people are unaware of the interventions that happen at hospitals, so it's vital for a woman who wants a med-free, vaginal birth to be aware of these things and know for herself which things are truly necessary and which things are just being pushed for non-medical reasons.

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  • imageJelliebean1982:
    Also, I am using a midwife but a CNM.  I'm not comfortable with the educational requirements of the CPM and lay midwife certifications.

    Just as an FYI for the OP... these requirements do vary by state, so if you are going to go with a CPM or lay midwife, you may want to do some research on this.

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  • I would love to, but its not allowed where I live.  So I have a MW and a natural birth friendly hospital.  I watched the business of being born after I did my OB rotation in school.  I agree extremely bias but I had my own opinions going in so I was able to take what I needed from the film/book. 
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  • We are doing a home birth, assuming my pregnancy remains healthy. The philosophy of home birth and traditional MWs align to our wants and needs for the birth experience. I not only am attracted to the method of birth, but also the prenatal practices (i.e. natural methods for shifting a breech baby, diet-focused prenatal care, etc.) We are literally 5 minutes from 3 different hospitals, so if anything were to happen we'd probably be able to reach the hospital quicker than one could travel from one floor to another in a busy hospital. 

    I'm not sure I'd say the film was biased, but it definitely has an angle....like everything else we read or watch.  

    It's definitely not for everyone, but I wish more people had information about it or an opportunity to birth this way. I think there's beauty in choice, and I am thankful that I am able to choose from hospital or birth center or home, and between doctor or midwife, and natural or medicated, and all the other choices that are available for women and babies. This is not the case in all parts of the country.  

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  • EnamiEnami member
    Not planning on it. But I'm also not planning on going to the hospital until the very last moment, so if I end up giving birth at home, it happens. My OB was very cool with this. He said if I get to the point where I really feel the need to push, and there's no way I can get into the car for the less than 5 minute drive to the hospital, get comfy at home and call the ambulance. But, like I said, the hospital is literally less than 5 minutes away (maybe 2 miles). No birthing centers within 45 miles, so those aren't an option for me this time around.
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  • SFAug07SFAug07 member
    I hated Business of Being Born. It really scared me and made homebirth look even less appealing than they already are for me. I'll have a hospital birth, same as with DD1 which was amazing.
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  • I gave it serious thought, my cousin did recently, she had a perfectly healthy pregnancy and perfectly healthy baby up until delivery, during delivery they had some severe complications, and couldn't get her and the baby to the hospital in a good amount  of time, she recovered, but the baby has severe and permanant handicaps now. It was really a sad experience
  • i have thought about  it but i want to enjoy my birthing experience... with DS i was in so much pain i couldn't have survived with out the epi...
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  • No.  I wouldn't risk it. I have had healthy pregnancies, no complications what so ever.  But I would never because you just never know what could come up.  I'm sure those midwives are good, but I can't put that much trust in a home birth to feel comfortable.  Besides, I like being in the hospital and the enviroment. Never had a bad experience with it. : )
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  • imagekatieapple0825:
    I gave it serious thought, my cousin did recently, she had a perfectly healthy pregnancy and perfectly healthy baby up until delivery, during delivery they had some severe complications, and couldn't get her and the baby to the hospital in a good amount  of time, she recovered, but the baby has severe and permanant handicaps now. It was really a sad experience

    I see this on a near daily basis.  Completely healthy women, completely healthy babies, completely healthy pregnancies.  Unfortunately the baby cases I see are only the ones that go bad, so my experience is a little skewed.  But when they go bad, they go bad SO quickly.  Most of the issues literally arise in the area of "if something had been done 2 minutes earlier...."

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  • I think that Ina May writes in her books, that there should be a "30 minute decision to incision" time limit for emergencies.  I would risk out of a home birth because I live 25 minutes away from the hospital (in no traffic).  Interestingly, this time limit is not always possible in small, rural hospitals that don't have OBs and anesthesiologists on call 24/7.  The hospital I will deliver at has a Level III NICU.  It is the only one that my OB will deliver at, so it really is my only choice.  Had a good experience there last time. 
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  • No way.  Even if I wasn't have twins/repeat c section I'd still plant by butt at the hospital.  

    I thought my hospital experience was great.  Besides the whole safety/emergency scenario, there are just so many resources there that you don't have at home.  There are postpartum nurses for you, nursery nurses/aides for the baby, lactation consultants, nutritionists/cafeteria for your meals, etc.  Plus, I don't have to have all sorts of crap and people cluttering and dirtying my house.  I know a lot of people who have home births have the help of family to do a lot of these things, but I like that my family can relax and enjoy the new child(ren) without have a "job."

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  • imagekatieapple0825:
    I gave it serious thought, my cousin did recently, she had a perfectly healthy pregnancy and perfectly healthy baby up until delivery, during delivery they had some severe complications, and couldn't get her and the baby to the hospital in a good amount  of time, she recovered, but the baby has severe and permanant handicaps now. It was really a sad experience

     

    This same thing happened to my neighbor and we lived 5 minutes from 3 hospitals, but they still weren't able to get there in time.  Yes, bad things could happen at a hospital also but I want to know that specialists are there in case something does go wrong.

     

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  • Not for me.  I'm technically high risk so that certainly influences my decision.  As others have said, to each their own.  I'm more comfortable in the hospital.  Yes, many hospitals do interventions you may not be happy with.  You need to make sure you are willing to say yes or no to certain things and have your DH back you up.  And yes, things can go wrong whether you are at home or in the hospital.  It's about comfort level.  I want access to a large number of doctors and a NICU just in case.  I had a forceps delivery with DD that went wonderfully - she came out perfectly, I didn't tear much, AND she had no bruising.  Love my OB.

     

  • No but I will be using a MW and my goal is a minimally invasive hospital birth. Their c-section rate if 6% and will only be requesting intervention, if there is a medical emergency.

    You have to option to be pretty much left alone, unless something should arise. 

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  • Not for me.  I am interested in a natural birth and would like the option to give birth at home.  However, in our rural setting, we can not quickly make it to the hospital should something go wrong.  Our Hospital is 40 minutes away in no traffic; but right now the most direct route is closed due to flooding.  If we lived closer, our answer may have been different.
  • absolutely no way in hell.

    i have multiple friends that work in one of the NICU's here in town who have seen too many babies die due to complications that could have been easily avoidable/fixed if they had been birthed at the hospital.

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  • The Business of Being Born is extremely biased.  If you do decide to have a home birth, please don't base your decision solely on that!
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  • I would suggest reading Young House Love's birth story if you are considering home birth. She was prefectly healthy and had a perfectly fine pregnancy until she actually started giving birth. If she had been at home, both she and her baby probably wouldn't have made it. For that risk alone, I would never consider a home birth... 

    Here is the link to her story.

     https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/04/claras-birth-story/ 

  • We considered it after watching TBOBB, but elected to go with an out-of-hospital birth center for our first.  When we're ready for #2, we're going to reconsider, but for now are happy with the intervention-free, natural-focused care we're getting from our midwives at the birth center.  Please keep us posted if you decide to go for it--I'd love to hear about your experience!  Also, the natural birth board has many ladies who have had a HB who might be able to give you some good insights.
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  • Nope. I am high risk and need a NICU on stand by.

    Not to mention, I like that I can leave the hospital and not have to clean up a mess. Cleaning out a pool of lovely water/amniotic fluid/blood. No thanks. I'm think home births are great for those that want them. My cousin had 3 of them and is no a MW. It's just not for me. I like the comfort of a hospital and a NICU at my fingertips.

  • I should also add that our birth center is less than 5 minutes by ambulance from a hospital with a Level 4 NICU, which is also the supervising hospital for the birth center.  Awesome women's hospital, awesome NICU/children's hospital, plus two other hospitals in the same complex.  
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  • We watched this documentary as well, and I liked it. It gave lots of useful information. However, we decided on a hospital birth this time. I would consider a home birth or a birthing center the next time around
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  • imageSkibunny07:

    I would suggest reading Young House Love's birth story if you are considering home birth. She was prefectly healthy and had a perfectly fine pregnancy until she actually started giving birth. If she had been at home, both she and her baby probably wouldn't have made it. For that risk alone, I would never consider a home birth... 

    Here is the link to her story.

     https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/04/claras-birth-story/ 

     This. Just because you have had a low-risk, problem-free pregnancy doesn't mean labour is guaranteed to go smoothly.

    To me, it isn't worth the risk. However small that risk may be, it's there-- and the extra time it would take you to get to the hospital, be admitted, figure out what is actually going on (since your midwife may not even know) is a possibility I could not in good conscience live with.

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  • No way.  Especially with having twins, even though I wouldn't have considered it with a singleton either.  For me, the risk is too great.  The health of myself and my babies is more important than the route/way/place of the birth. 
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