The freestanding birth center/home birth thread
lovesclimbing
member
Please keep in mind that this thread is specifically for discussions and support surrounding birth at home and at freestanding birth centers (birth centers that are not part of or connected to a hospital.) Delivering outside the hospital has significantly different rules, restrictions and considerations from hospitals or hospital-adjacent birth centers, and this thread is intended for the discussion of that. This is not the med-free/natural birth thread. While that will likely come up and be discussed because it's an intrinsic part of out-of-hospital births in the US, this thread is not intended for general discussion of med-free or natural births in any setting or in the hospital. We can make a different thread for that!
Some questions to get us started!
-Why are you choosing to deliver at home/at a freestanding birth center?
-Any fears?
-What excites you about birthing this way?
-Birth plan details? What will your birth likely look like?
Re: The freestanding birth center/home birth thread
-Why are you choosing to deliver at home/at a freestanding birth center?
I had my first at a freestanding birth center, and we LOVED it. For me, giving birth outside the hospital is normal. Giving birth in a hospital would be unusual. A lot of my friends and family members have had home or freestanding birth center births. I was born at a freestanding birth center. In general, I want to avoid the "cascade of interventions" that can happen in the hospital. I also like the atmosphere and the philosophy of midwives that birth is not a medical problem. While problems can develop, birth itself is not a medical problem and does not require a hospital stay.
-Any fears?
I, of course, knew that labor and birth would be painful, but I didn't realize it would be as painful as it was! It was so so so hard! I'm not really fearful of that, I did it once and I can do it again, but, yea, not looking forward to that!
-What excites you about birthing this way?
I know that I have a much higher chance of avoiding interventions! That's what excites me the most.
-Birth plan details? What will your birth likely look like?
Related to the fears answer, I will hopefully stay home a little longer. I wasn't in active labor when I went in, which is what they usually say to wait for. I plan to try a waterbirth again. Last time, I labored in the tub for an hour or two, and then I didn't like it. It was uncomfortable kneeling and sitting in the tub. I'd love a birthing center that was like an actual pool where I could stand up in it with water to my waist. So we'll see what happens with that. I gave birth on the stool. That's where my pushes were most effective. I really liked that, and I'd do that again. They had me grab her as she came out and help lift her against/onto my stomach, which was cool. They do delayed cord clamping, which I like. It wasn't delayed for very long, though, because my uterus didn't clamp down right away, and they had to give me a shot of pitocin. Hopefully, that won't happen this time!
Why are you choosing to deliver at home/at a freestanding birth center?
I want to have an intervention free birth, and it’s not possible to do so in a hospital when you are a VBAC mom. My first was a planned natural birth at a hospital, and I’m positive that it could have been achieved if I had just stayed home. My problems all began after checking in, and I will not do that again unless it becomes absolutely necessary.
-Any fears?
Not really. My biggest fear is that it will be too fast and I won’t get to enjoy it very long. I actually really love being in labor.
-What excites you about birthing this way?
I will most likely catch my own baby again. I love being able to nest by getting my birth space all set up, I’ve already been planning how I’m going to rearrange my room so that there will be more space and so I can have a wall of fairy lights and affirmations. My two older girls will get to be involved. I don’t have to worry about leaving on time, it’s everyone else’s job to get to me. I mean, what’s not exciting about home birth?
-Birth plan details? What will your birth likely look like?
Last time I had no intention of birthing in water (I wanted to squat, and that’s exactly what happened). This time I might do water, or maybe push on my side to protect my pelvic floor better this time. Last time, my midwife was totally hands off, at my request, and so I trust that she will be so that way again. I will be using Hypnobabies again, the last time my midwife was convince that I would take a lot longer due to how I was acting, but it went pretty quick. I had signs of transition (transformation) at 6 cm, but panicked and “checked out” by taking a nap. I had only 2 contractions (pressure waves) in that hour. When I woke, I told her I was ready, which she made a “okey-dokey” face at me, but within the hour baby came. Her assistant almost missed it. The only thing that would be nice, that I can’t control, is that I really want to do delayed cord clamping (tried twice but didn’t happen with cs, and the cord broke on the way out of my last one), so third times a charm? I want a cute picture of the baby and placenta still attached. Oh, which reminds me, I will have a professional photographer there this time. Undecided on a Doula, I’ve had two and loved them, but thinking about not having one so there is more space in my room during birth. Stupid reason, I know. But I also have a ton of Doula friends, I might see if someone will be willing to have me on stand-by, just in case I change my mind. My good friend would say yes in a second, but she’s going for her 4th embryo transfer for surrogacy tomorrow, so we will be due only a week apart if this one takes, and she always has her babies early.
@peacebubblebaby many doulas also do birth photography, you might be able to get both in one.
-Why are you choosing to deliver at home/at a freestanding birth center?
In all honestly I’m not totally sure yet which direction I’m going in. With my son (2.5yo), I had an non-medicated vaginal birth at a birthing center that is attached to a hospital. It was a great experience. I got to do my own thing all day. Walk around, float in the tub, push in the dark (aside from a little night light). My midwife was literally shining a flashlight up THERE!!! LOL. Soooooo I’m considering going that route again and also considering home birth. There is a hospital only ten min from my house if required.
-Any fears?
Not really. Just want to get this baby to term. After my son I had several losses. All early on. Very happy to be where I am at (almost) 9 weeks. Sooooo close to getting out of that first tri.
-What excites you about birthing this way?
The idea of a new experience. Being in the comfort of my own home, setting it up exactly how I would like it. But also, If I’m reallllllly being honest.... the only thing that doesn’t excite me is that there are no nurses!!! LOL. They were SO HELPFUL. Especially since jack was my first. Even just taking him for a couple hours once so peter and I could get a few minutes to rest.
-Birth plan details? What will your birth likely look like?
Don’t know yet as I’m still up in the air. Just know it will be non medicated and either at a birthing center or home. Also will have a Doula.
-Why are you choosing to deliver at home/at a freestanding birth center?
We are considering homebirth bc of flexibility and not under hospital watch/timeline. Additionally, I hated recovery....I got no rest and it was $$$$ for 3 nights (I was in labor 48 hrs, 24 hrs in hospital....). Nearest birth center is onr hour away as well as home birth providers, however, 1 has second office in our city which makes appts convenient.
-Any fears?
I just do not know what to expect and it makes me nervous since it will barely be spring and last winter waa brutual in my area of Indiana. I worry about midwife being available/able to get here. I actually know someone who planned homebirth abd delivered baby herself bc she did not call in time (& roads were bad, first snow).
Also, the communication this far has not been good. I'm trying to attend info session and it is pulling teeth to get call back. This does not make me hopeful as potential patient
-What excites you about birthing this way?
I like that it'll be more intimate, homey and not so many people. I get to be at my house and my bed after. And rest. That surprisingly stressed me out last time...all the people. Also, no dr popping in over my midwifes shoulder to ask how i am doing as i am pushing. I was told it is good I labored at home first 24 hrs bc i otherwise would've ended up c section(he was posyerior and nuchal hamd/arm...which us why i labored so long). Midwives were great, we were very pleased with our birth and it was hands off a lot but at end of day we were still in hospital.
-Birth plan details? What will your birth likely look like?
Last time the water relaxed me too much so i could not birth in it so i hope for water birth this time. I'd have to dig up my plan but all was honored at hospital last time it was very simple, easy to read, clean. The midwives actually provide checklist at appt and i just typed up my own
For example, my placenta didn't come out right away. In my state, if the placenta doesn't deliver within one hour of the birth, you have to go to the hospital. So it was 45 minutes into that hour, and it still hadn't delivered, so they had me get up, go to the bathroom, sit on the toilet and push. At the birth center, I got up and they helped me and held pads under me and held the cord and such to the bathroom about five feet from the bed. At my house, I would have had to get up, go through our bedroom door, down a standard-sized carpeted hallway (which isn't really wide enough for two people to easily walk next to each other) and through another door into the bathroom. And the birth center toilet was about three feet into the bathroom, whereas at my house, it was about 8 feet in, so just even further to walk.
My birth center also has a great bed setup where it's actually two beds attached together that can be split apart. Which was so nice for my husband! They split them apart, and he laid on one and got a little nap holding our daughter while they stitched me up.
So just things like that with setup and also the whole not feeling like I need to clean my house before and just leaving the whole mess behind really appeals to me about the birth center.
EDIT. I quoted/repliee to wrong person and could not edit it
I private messaged you
I’m a first time mom and also a doula. I’m hoping to birth at a birthing center to avoid much of what I’ve seen in hospitals- a lot of people, bright lights, shared rooms, having to spend way too much energy saying no to interventions. There have been some truly beautiful and relaxed environment hospital births that I’ve witnessed too, so am not anti-hospital. It’s just my preference to be able to move around on my own terms and have that “at home” feel, which the birth center I’ve found has. Love my midwife. They also do home births and I would love that but still trying to convince the hubby. Birth center is a good middle ground
any fears?
first time so a bit weary of the pain- witnessed a few births and I’m sure nothing can compare to actually doing it yourself!!a I haven’t had my u/s yet so it could be twins which would lower my chance of being able to birth out of hospital. I’ve had awful morning sickness since I found out I was pregnant and nothing has helped so that’s a real concern. But will take it all in stride.
excitement?
Birthing on my own terms as much as possible, not feeling rushed and being in a warm, homey environment.
birth plan?
I’d love to try a water birth. Whatever the outcome, location of birth, I’d like to labour at home as long as possible and just feel and be given a voice and choice in all decisions that may have to be made. Peaceful, not too many people in the room.
-Why are you choosing to deliver at home/at a freestanding birth center?
I had always thought I'd want a simple hospital birth with all of the drugs. But I am active duty military, and I have heard horrible things about the military hospital where I am based. When I got pregnant last time (miscarried in Dec), I knew I didn't want to give birth there so I looked at other options. My husband found a wonderful birth center, and we met one of the midwives and she was fantastic. I was at first hesitant to give birth away from a hospital, but they were really reassuring and I realized it had everything I wanted, and that I didn't want all of the drugs after all. I wanted to be able to walk around, labor in water, be allowed to eat, and just be able to relax in a comfortable environment. Unfortunately, I will be moving soon, and we will be in Vegas by the winter so I won't be able to use this birth center. Vegas does not have the same type of facility, but it looks like there are a lot of midwives that do home births, so that's what I'm looking at now! Not 100% sure, because I would be a lot further from the hospital if anything happens than I would be at the birth center.
-Any fears?
Just that if something goes wrong and I do need intervention, the distance to the hospital could be dangerous.
-What excites you about birthing this way?
Both the comforts and the challenges! I've heard the comparison between giving birth and running a marathon. I ran one last year that I had trained really hard for, and it was tough but it went really well and I felt amazing at the end. I'm hoping this will be similar - painful, but if I'm prepared, the endorphins and knowing that I get my baby at the end will make it go well!
-Birth plan details? What will your birth likely look like?
Only have a vague idea so far! Hopefully, a midwife and a doula and laboring in the tub. Also taking some notes from "Expecting Better." If anyone has any other good books to recommend to help prepare, I would appreciate it!
I liked Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin. The first half is birth stories, which I honestly found to be very weird and "out there." It's very hippy and talks about sitting in a tree to labor and feeling one with nature and laying next to this other woman who'd previously given birth and their uteruses contracting together and such and being "connected." Just kind of weird! The second half is the actual book, which is pretty good.
I also read all of the Evidence Based Birth and Spinning Babies websites. So much amazing information, for free, when you can’t sleep at night anyway, lol.
I also love Hypnobabies, if you can find an instructor. They also have a home study option, but it’s always fun to connect with other due date buddies IRL.
-Why are you choosing to deliver at home/at a freestanding birth center?
This will be my third baby. My first baby was in a hospital but it was very much like a birth center birth. I had a natural water birth and loved the birthing experience. I have very quick labors though and ended with a third degree tear and a terrible recovery. Because of that, I was very hesitant the second time around and had the epidural. The birth was actual great, completely pain free with no tearing and still very calm, lights out, only a midwife and assistant. My problem is it took them so long to get the epidural in that I was probably at a 9 or so at that point and should have just gone natural. I realized after that experience that it would be difficult to go natural in a hospital so I think I’m opting for a birth center this time.
-Any fears?
I was really worried about the what if’s and not being in a hospital but the midwife I met with did a good job of alleviating my fears.
-What excites you about birthing this way?
Being able to birth how I want. I’m also interested in having another water birth.
-Birth plan details? What will your birth likely look like?
Thinking another water birth. I will say both my previous births were completely different in pain management so I’m going in with an open mind. You never know what’s going to alleviate the pain until you are in it!
-Why are you choosing to deliver at home/at a freestanding birth center?
I am delivering my baby at home in my living room, because it’s the only room large enough to fit a birthing tub. I had a hospital birth with my 3 year old and was shocked with how many interventions and protocols that were required. Like not allowing you to leave with your healthy baby for a certain amount of time.
-Any fears?
My midwife not making it. My sister had her babies at home and her midwife got there about 30 my name after delivery because we live up in the mountains 50 mins from a hospital and 115 from the midwife.
-What excites you about birthing this way?
Being able to have the birth that is natural and what I want. You really have no choices at the hospital that is near our home.
-Birth plan details? What will your birth likely look like?
In tub in our mountain bungalow with my 3 year old and boyfriend by my side.
I’m surprised there is only one other person on this app having a baby at home. In my town it is just as common to have a home birth as an in hospital birth. I guess another reason could be not that many natural mamas follow birthing apps?
That said, only 1.36% of babies in the US, as of 2012, are born OOH. That number has been trending up, so we can say 2%, although I expect that's super generous. There are 417 posts in the intro thread. I'd say 20% or so are not actually intros, so around 333 women who have introed. A lot of those people will never really participate on the board or join in on very many threads. So cut that number down to maybe 200 active people who might join threads like this (and again, I expect that's super generous.) So now, assuming this is a representative sample of the US, 2% of 200 women will give birth OOH, which is four women. About 2/3 of people who have OOH births have home births, so three of those four women, say. We currently have five women in this thread having or considering a home birth, and seven OOH hopefuls. So our numbers are actually high!
(Got my stats here, in case you're curious) https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db144.htm#x2013;2012</a>
I noticed this thread when it was first posted and wanted to comment but didn't feel like I should. I have dreams of homebirth but MH has nixed the idea and feels strongly against it. I am lukewarm about it and totally give props to the ladies who get to birth at home, but I will stand with DH on this one. You see, we have a stillbirth in our history. Our loss had nothing to do with place of birth but some scars run too deep. I am just grateful to have had VBACS after our loss with healthy babies to take home.
I really wish we had a freestanding birth center near us, but unfortunately they are 1.5 and over 2 hours away. I am envious of you ladies who have one close to you and would totally go that route bc I think DH would be up for it as a compromise. My previous 2 births were 45 min drives to the hospital that was VBAC friendly and I hate laboring in the car.
My only consolation is that in our new city, we have a doula/midwife/intervention-less friendly hospital that I plan to birth at (this is according to a doula friend that actually had a client deliver at this hospital). So I will take what I can get, hopefully labor at home for most of it in my big awesome tub and it's a short drive to the hospital. Not sure on doula or not, since I've never had one and have birthed med-free without one. Would like to have birth photography. All these cost $$$ that is extra and will have to see what DH is up for considering since this is probably our last birth. He has already said he is up for hiring a local midwife for postpartum care. This service is gold in my opinion, since I've needed breastfeeding help with both my DDs. (I hired a friend of my doula friend to come and diagnose my 2nd nurslings' lip/tongue tie because I knew it wasn't supposed to feel like that).
Glad I could chime in on this one! I wish the best for all of us!
How's it going, ladies? Any new developments making your OOH plans more or less likely? How are you feeling?
I'm excited because I have my first appointment scheduled for Oct. 4 at my birth center. Typically, I'd have it way sooner (8-10 weeks for a first appointment and then regular appointments after that) but extenuating circumstances with my summer means I haven't been able to have an appointment with them sooner. Now, we have tickets back, and I have a solid appointment date! I can't wait to hear the heartbeat and everything! And of course, I'll be having the anatomy scan very soon after getting back, too, which will be fun.
I have no reason to think I'll be high risk after already having one very low risk pregnancy and normal delivery, so I'm just praying that remains the case and nothing shows up at my first appointment, so I don't have to switch to hospital care.
Only issue she had (which she always has) is that there’s not enough spinach in my diet....she’s really obsessed with it. I was good at the start of pregnancy, but I need to get back in the habit now that my stomach isn’t as troublesome anymore.
I am going to be moving in two months, and was devastated that I wouldn't get to give birth in the free-standing birth center I had found where I am now. I've been doing a lot of research, and there was nothing like it where I'm going, so I was really leaning towards a home birth. But that made me (and my husband even more so) super nervous because I'm a FTM, and I have no idea how far from a hospital I'll be living in case something goes wrong. BUT, I just had a midwife recommended to me, and it looks like she's opening a free-standing birth center in January! Super pumped as it will take a lot of the worry away.
-Why are you choosing to deliver at home/at a freestanding birth center?
Birthing at home, because I’ve had two births medfree already, and my two options for birthing centers since we’ve moved are both an hour a away (with no traffic). My second was so quick, I’m not interested in giving birth in a car trying to get somewhere.
-Any fears?
Not really! MH is much more worried, he has come such a long way with being ok with this. His mom was a OBGYN nurse so she can’t fathom, nor talk to me about it!
-What excites you about birthing this way?
It’s AMAZING. My midwife comes to the house for all my appointments. There are no tests, unless I want them. No glucose test, no genetic testing. As long as I’m feeling good and heathy we are on cruise control.
-Birth plan details? What will your birth likely look like?
I don’t have any really. No tubs for me, I tried that with my first and my body was like, get me the f out of here! 😂How's it going, ladies? Any updates?
At my first blood draw, one of my levels was low enough that I would not have been allowed an OOH birth if it stayed that low! So I started taking a bunch of supplements that were recommended by my midwives to help build up my blood and tried to eat more blood-helping foods like dark leafy greens and red meat. Anyway, at my second draw recently, they were up! Still not as high as they'd like to see/below the normal range, but well above the OOH birth threshold, so I am very very happy right now! Just praying they stay good through the last blood draw at 36 weeks.