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Minnesota Babies
Fairview Ridges - Natural Birth
I was just wondering if anyone had an experience with natural birth at Ridges. I can't find anything on the site the specifies if they have tubs or not in the birthing rooms. (I am not looking for water birth, just as a pain relief method)
If anyone could share their experiences, that would be great!
Thanks!
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Re: Fairview Ridges - Natural Birth
Make sure your SO knows your wishes as well! If you are truly wanting to go with no pain meds at all, there may be times when you are so consumed inside yourself that you won't be able to stand up for yourself to others in the room.
This time around, I am leaving a list for DH, "If the midwife says X, ask them Y", "If the midwife proposes A, answer B", "If Z happens, respond by doing W" etc, etc.
DH was so overwhelmed last time, that he just kind of hung back and didn't intervene on my behalf.
A Little Bird and a Monkey Butt
Becca: I was actually looking into a Doula for just that reason. I feel like DH is going to be overwhelmed. We have been discussing what I want but I like your idea of making sure things are written down for him. With this being our first, I am not quite sure how he is going to react seeing me in that much pain!
Thank you for your input!
This. I would highly recommend getting a doula. It would probably be helpful to have someone that isn't emotionally attached and that could relay your wishes to the medical team so your husband can focus on helping you through labor. Most doulas will come to your house too so you could have early labor at your house. My friend just interviewed 4 doulas and they were all very different. The last one she interviewed she really clicked with so definitely talk with a few to make sure you find one that you really like. If you feel like you aren't going to get what you need from the hospital or doctor you selected you could always switch too... Just a suggestion. Good luck!
Photo taken at 16 months old
I've thought about changing doctors but that thought is scary to me. I really like her in a lot of ways. That being said, I have an appointment tonight and I am going to talk about it more with her to get a better feel. I've done a lot of research on doulas and have about 7 that if we decide, I would like to interview. DH is just not warming up to having a 'third wheel' in the room during such a personal moment. So I need him to start educating himself about it. I think he would see that it's not that at all.
Thank you again ladies for all of your info and input!
How on-board is DH with a natural birth? My DH was skeptical at first, but after reading the research and statistics about birth in the US nowadays, he changed his mind. Also, we switched from and OB/GYN to a small team of 3 midwives around week 26 and got a completely supportive and going-along-with-our-wishes experience. I wanted to try to go drug free, but with my birth, some minor (but potentially serious) issues came up and I ended up with an epi, which was the best decision I could make. The MWs didn't judge me at all and supported me throughout. So if you're not feeling supported, I'd even look into going to a CNMW. You can also have a doula, if you wanted. But my MW was there (we gave birth at North Memorial in Robbinsdale, which is a hospital they worked at and had relationships with the OBs in case something went wrong) and ordered the nurses to let me eat, drink, walk around, get in the tub (which, btw, N. Memorial has birthing tubs) and whatever else I felt would help my L&D.
I cannot express enough how wonderful the MWs were to us and helped make our experience the best it could be! We had also taken the Bradley Method Classes (kind of expensive and long, but well worth it -- especially if you want to try and go natural) so he was more prepared on what to do to help me and what goes on in the cycle of L&D. In the Bradley Method classes he is "trained" as your main labor coach, so he is integrated in the whole process. If that's something you'd be interested in and can afford the time and money for it, I'd honestly highly recommend it!
My MWs are North Metro Midwives and I think they work in conjunction at another hospital, too.. Not 100% sure, as we are planning on delivering #2 at N. Memorial again, so I haven't looked into their other options, but feel free to look them up and set up an interview to see if it'd be some place you'd like to go.
Sorry, I feel like I'm rambling! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or want to talk in more detail!
I'd love to help anyway I can and having gone through it once before (well, not quite the all-the-way-natural part), I'd be willing to share my experience.
Good luck!!!
I think my college developmental psych professor put it best "Unless the baby comes out your mouth, it's a natural birth!"..
That said, become educated on meds and non med techniques. This way if something goes less than expected, you know what's going on and are better able to make an educated decision if that point comes. Each birth is COMPLETELY unique! A friend used to be a L&D nurse, and pointed out the whole purpose behind anything whether it be hypno-birthing, water birth, epidural, etc. is to get the mother to relax and just let the body do its instinctual job. Another friend went unmedicated with her first but because of back labor had an epi with her second and wondered why she went without with the first. Your best bet might be to link up with a midwife instead of an MD. Most clinics now have midwives working right alongside the MD's.
Also, trust your instincts on your SO, if you think they're going to be useless during birth, ya ain't seen nothing yet! Some guys have no idea how to react when there's pain/sounds/blood/smells of L&D and they can't do anything to fix it, but also, YOU need their head in the game too.. Doula's are a good idea if you can swing it and find someone who lines up with your personality and beliefs if you're in any doubt..
I delivered at Ridges back in February. No tubs only showers. I had a wonderful nurse in labor and delivery but I had awful nurses in mother baby. I had only had one I liked. You will go threw a TON of nurses while there. Which I didn't like. I had one nurse who wore to much perfume and while I was attempting breastfeeding DS she snatched him from my arms because he was crying. She kept patting him on the back telling me that he wont ever latch if he is crying. If I wasn't in so much pain down under I would have jumped from my bed and smacked her! She was terrible.
I planned on breast feeding my son and while there he had issues latching. I knew he was starving and everyone kept telling me, "all new mothers think there babies are starving, they only need a few drops of colostrum to get by." I kept asking for formula and they kept telling me no it will mess up my supply. I finally got a nice nurse who didnt question me at all and gave me some bottles. Turns out my son is tongue tied and he was never was able to latch! So if you need something there you will have to stick to your guns about it.
Also they are kinda B*tches about asking to have your baby to go to the nursery. I was all alone and I needed a shower and I figure that's what the nursery is there for, HELP! You don't get that while at home. My nurse gladly took him to the nursery so I could enjoy a hot shower. After I got out of the shower I had just gotten dressed the lactation consultant stopped in and asked where the baby was. I told her where he was and she then proceeded to lecture me about how I should shower with the door open and he can been right there and blah blah blah.
I always had plans to have baby room with me, but after my incredibly rough labor those plans changed! So it's good to have a birth plan but be flexible to roll with the punches.
So, needless to say I am delivering at a different hospital next time.
Ug that sucks, I'm pretty sure they said during the tour something about if you had to shower or something not to leave the baby alone but to send it to the nursery. I'm sure it really depends on which nurses like PPs have said. Kind of a crap shoot, luckily (usually) they don't keep you there too long if you don't have to be.
Oh Jenna I'm SO with you! There's something to be said about the attitude with the first born and the second and beyond. Big difference "I know what I'm doing leave me the F alone to do it!" LOL... It's like the nurses who insist the baby be fed on a schedule instead of when the baby's instinct says "I'm hungry"... Or the ones who took offense to me after a 36 hour rough L&D wanting to just get some flipp'n sleep and food into me with DD#1 that wanted her in the nursery so I could recover.. Whomever says "you'll forget" was BSing!