So, if you are anti everything a hospital does

LCB34 · June 2010

Why would you decide to have a hospital birth?

We had a couple on our tour last night that definitely was on the crunchy end of the spectrum. NMS but I respect their lifestyle/ decisions.

She showed up to the tour with her 10 page birth plan and had all kinds of questions about refusing an IV, signing an AMA so she could eat while laboring, refusing to have internal checks and all fetal monitoring (not just continuous monitoring), refusing all monitoring/ observation for baby once born, etc. Basically everything a standard hospital does.

I was so confused. If you have opinions like that about your birth experience why would you give birth in a hospital? Wouldn't a birthing center/ home birth be better?

It just seems odd to go into birth knowing you will sign every AMA possible and will go against everything that the hospital does as standard care (not that we should all just blindly follow our hospital standards but this was WAY extreme).

jessie395 · June 2010

I'm with you...why in the world are they going to a hospital? If they are that sure about not wanting anything a hospital offers then they are obviously in the wrong place!

MissNikki007 · June 2010

Wow. That's speshul.

ames71 · June 2010

Lurking...

Did they mention why they would refuse fetal monitoring/observation? I've never heard that one before. Seems reckless to me.

Mrs.M317 · June 2010

I'm completely with you...

That seems a little extreme. I've heard of people refusing some of the monitoring (heart monitor, etc) during labor, but like you said... what's the point of being in a hospital?

monkeyqueen · June 2010

Excellent question.... maybe for the comfort of being in a hospital in case of emergency? That's all I got....it's probably not the reason, either...... must have been an interesting tour for you:)

LILBIT1221 · June 2010

let her eat and when she is puking her guts up she will mark that off her list next go 'round. Sounds to me she should be a "field squatter" as MrsBones said yesterday.

armsnbellyfull · June 2010

That does seem really odd. I was going to say that maybe she feels safer in a hospital in case something does go wrong, but if she is refusing everything to start that would be an interesting conversation to eavesdrop on if ammendments were needed.

I wanted a drug-free, natural birth with #1, but she had different ideas. The path to the best birth experience possible in my opinion is to be open minded and have different prefrences for different scenarios included in a birth plan. That way you won't be disappointed when you are holding the ultimate prize in your arms.

LCB34 · June 2010

ames17:

Lurking...

Did they mention why they would refuse fetal monitoring/observation? I've never heard that one before. Seems reckless to me.

No reason why. They did mention that Mom wants to be able to move around and not just labor on her back - I get that. But, you can have some monitoring and labor freely.

They flat out said no monitoring at all.

The worst part was she said her OB signed off on her birth plan - what OB that has rights at a hospital signs off on something that they know is standard? It just seems like her OB is setting her up for major disappointment.

kittybits21 · June 2010

Is there a birthing center or other option than the hospital around them? maybe insurance only covers the hospital for them? there may be a reason that they didn't say - although with all the info they gave, I'm not sure why they wouldn't give that little tidbit.

MrsG NC · June 2010

That does seem odd. I wonder if they will meet her requests? Our hospital is fairly strict on what they will/will not accommodate.

Caymandreams · June 2010

You might as well let your DH deliver the baby in a barn.

juangela · June 2010

Wow, that chick sounds intense! I understand where she is coming from, but that seems like a lot of bring up during a hospital tour w/ other couples present.

I don't think it is bad to be educated on your options but it is definitely bad form to go in to the hospital with a list of non-negotiable demands. And, like you said, if the hospital is not willing to work with you, it may be not be the place for you to give birth.

Caymandreams · June 2010

monkeyqueen:
Excellent question.... maybe for the comfort of being in a hospital in case of emergency? That's all I got....it's probably not the reason, either...... must have been an interesting tour for you:)

I thought that too, but how will they know there is an emergency if she won't allow them to monitor her or the baby??

skyejo · June 2010

10 page birth plan? Hmm

I'm birthing at a hospital but am not all about the "standard" procedures. I don't want an IV, don't want continuous fetal monitoring, stuff like that. I choose a hopsital versus a birthing center/homebirth because (1) my insurance doesn't cover a birthing center/homebirth and (2) I want to be at a hospital in case something goes wrong and I need specialized medical attention.

But I'm not super anti-hospital like it sounds like girl is. If you're that passionate about what you don't want, maybe you should go to a place that can give you exactly what you're looking for. I bet the nurses just can't wait for her to go into labor...

LCB34 · June 2010

kittybits21:
Is there a birthing center or other option than the hospital around them? maybe insurance only covers the hospital for them? there may be a reason that they didn't say - although with all the info they gave, I'm not sure why they wouldn't give that little tidbit.

We are in Houston - a huge city - there are tons of birthing center options. And, there are several other delivering hospitals in the med center that are known to be more pro-natural birth than the one we were at. Not that my delivering hospital isn't pro-natural birth - there are just other options that are known as the "crunchy" delivering hospital less than 0.5 miles away.

Mrs.Johns · June 2010

Caymandreams:
You might as well let your DH deliver the baby in a barn.

LOLOLOL Only if her DH has horse experience!

I think it's weird, too. I get wanting to be natural, but that seems a bit extreme. I agree a birthing center would have been a better choice. Maybe she just wants to be able to be at a hospital just in case.

skyejo · June 2010

LCB34:

kittybits21:
Is there a birthing center or other option than the hospital around them? maybe insurance only covers the hospital for them? there may be a reason that they didn't say - although with all the info they gave, I'm not sure why they wouldn't give that little tidbit.

We are in Houston - a huge city - there are tons of birthing center options. And, there are several other delivering hospitals in the med center that are known to be more pro-natural birth than the one we were at. Not that my delivering hospital isn't pro-natural birth - there are just other options that are known as the "crunchy" delivering hospital less than 0.5 miles away.

Maybe her OB only delivers at that hospital. I switched practices for a few reasons but one was because the practice I was at delivered at a teaching hospital that wasn't med-free/intervention-free focused. The new hospital I'm at is owned by the same company but they have a more natural focus on birth.

ETA: Though if that's the case maybe she should have looked into a different practice.

BuffaloKEG · June 2010

Odd.

Caymandreams · June 2010

Mrs.Johns:

Caymandreams:
You might as well let your DH deliver the baby in a barn.

LOLOLOL Only if her DH has horse experience!

I think it's weird, too. I get wanting to be natural, but that seems a bit extreme. I agree a birthing center would have been a better choice. Maybe she just wants to be able to be at a hospital just in case.

Maybe he has experience with cats or dogs. That should be sufficient, right? Obviously it wouldn't be the same as delivering a horse, but it's close enough to a baby!

I thought the same as well (maybe she wants to be there just in case). But as I mentioned in another comment, how will they know when/if an emergency rises if she nor the baby are being monitored?

Yules · June 2010

skyejo:

I'm birthing at a hospital but am not all about the "standard" procedures. I don't want an IV, don't want continuous fetal monitoring, stuff like that. I choose a hopsital versus a birthing center/homebirth because (1) my insurance doesn't cover a birthing center/homebirth and (2) I want to be at a hospital in case something goes wrong and I need specialized medical attention.

This. Additionally, just as much as some may be annoyed with this woman's requests...I found some of the things that our hospital personnel told us appalling. The nurse who was demonstrating the labor room mentioned how wonderful and "boring" most labors are these days because of the wonderful invention of an epidural. She also proceeded to tell us "when", not "if" we get pitocin it's going to allow the labor to proceed quicker and prevent bleeding. She went on a shpiel about how natural pitocin it is because our own bodies make it.

Needless to say, we switched to another hospital that's 20 minutes further away after this tour. I think it's silly to ridicule a woman because of the choices she made for her labor. Wouldn't it be sad if everyone had to follow the same cookie cutter plan that the doctors or hospitals imposed on us? Some of us have more moderate requests on our "plan", others are a little more extreme. I think it's awesome that women today have the option of bringing a 10 page plan to their hospitals today. Just think, not too long ago Dads weren't allowed in the delivery rooms!

SammyJJo · June 2010

Wow - that is definitely NMS! I would guess they're checking out hospitals either because of insurance costs or in case they encounter a medical emergency where they *need* intervention (even if they're trying to avoid it).

LCB34 · June 2010

Yules:
skyejo:

I'm birthing at a hospital but am not all about the "standard" procedures. I don't want an IV, don't want continuous fetal monitoring, stuff like that. I choose a hopsital versus a birthing center/homebirth because (1) my insurance doesn't cover a birthing center/homebirth and (2) I want to be at a hospital in case something goes wrong and I need specialized medical attention.

This. Additionally, just as much as some may be annoyed with this woman's requests...I found some of the things that our hospital personnel told us appalling. The nurse who was demonstrating the labor room mentioned how wonderful and "boring" most labors are these days because of the wonderful invention of an epidural. She also proceeded to tell us "when", not "if" we get pitocin it's going to allow the labor to proceed quicker and prevent bleeding. She went on a shpiel about how natural pitocin it is because our own bodies make it.

Needless to say, we switched to another hospital that's 20 minutes further away after this tour. I think it's silly to ridicule a woman because of the choices she made for her labor. Wouldn't it be sad if everyone had to follow the same cookie cutter plan that the doctors or hospitals imposed on us? Some of us have more moderate requests on our "plan", others are a little more extreme. I think it's awesome that women today have the option of bringing a 10 page plan to their hospitals today. Just think, not too long ago Dads weren't allowed in the delivery rooms!

I never said we should all follow a cookie cutter plan.

I just find it very odd to decide to have a hospital birth when you are planning on going against medical advice and the hospital norms on EVERYTHING.

schnef1226 · June 2010

LILBIT1221:
let her eat and when she is puking her guts up she will mark that off her list next go 'round. Sounds to me she should be a "field squatter" as MrsBones said yesterday.

You are doing an activity with the athletic equivalent of a marathon. You are going to want to eat and drink.

MSC03 · June 2010

Not joining a debate, just answering the original questions:

1. Insurance coverage - Most of them will cover a hospital birth, but not home birth and sometimes not a birthing center.

2. Availability of birthing center

3. Cover you asss if something goes wrong

nosoup4u · June 2010

MrsSummitCounty:
Not joining a debate, just answering the original questions:

1. Insurance coverage - Most of them will cover a hospital birth, but not home birth and sometimes not a birthing center.

2. Availability of birthing center

3. Cover you asss if something goes wrong

This. Though from my understanding, TX has a lot of midwives that practice in hospitals - it's weird she isn't at least using midwives if she's so anti-intervention? I would guess it is something to do with insurance, in that maybe they can't afford homebirth, too.

Sully88 · June 2010

Hmm that does seem a little strange. Only because she is wanting a similar birth to me (although me and my baby will be monitored thank you) but I will be at a birth center. I was lucky to have my insurance cover most of my prenatal and delivery at the center. Also, with me I will be preregistered at a hospital in case there is need for a C-section or what not. I was very picky about my midwife and the actual center and was lucky to find an absolutely amazing one. Maybe she didn't have these option so she needs to give birth at the hospital but still wants that natural birth process?

monkiem · June 2010

The scary part is this couple seems to show such an "anti-medical" mentality, that it makes me wonder if they will have their kid vaccinated, be taken to well baby check ups, will take him to a hospital if something goes wrong, and will refuse medical treatment for this child in general...

CourtneyR2N · June 2010

I could see that if she was in an area that didn't have birthing centers. Or like here in Alabama where home births are actually illegal and there are no birthing centers. But if that is the kind of birthing experience she wants, why go to a hospital and tie their hands, go a birthing center or get a midwife to come to your home so that it can be the way you want it.

Seems like a lot of aggrivation for everyone involved.

Sully88 · June 2010

monkiem:
The scary part is this couple seems to show such an "anti-medical" mentality, that it makes me wonder if they will have their kid vaccinated, be taken to well baby check ups, will take him to a hospital if something goes wrong, and will refuse medical treatment for this child in general...

Isn't it required by law to take your baby to the doctor? I have no idea, it just seems like it should. God I hope they don't have that mentality!

drewiekc · June 2010

Just because someone wants a completely intervention-free birth does not mean they wont take their child to the doctor. What a horrible stereotype!

It does seem strange though, that if this woman is so anti-everything about a hospital birth that she is chosing to give birth in a hospital, and with an OB no less. Even our Bradley instructor said that if you go in with a birth plan any longer than a page, the nurses are just going to roll their eyes and be irritated by you from the minute you walk in.

mama2many · June 2010

kittybits21:
Is there a birthing center or other option than the hospital around them? maybe insurance only covers the hospital for them? there may be a reason that they didn't say - although with all the info they gave, I'm not sure why they wouldn't give that little tidbit.

This is my bet - or, since she was the one with the mega-document, maybe her DH is against non-hospital options (mine is)

mama2many · June 2010

Sully88:
monkiem:
The scary part is this couple seems to show such an "anti-medical" mentality, that it makes me wonder if they will have their kid vaccinated, be taken to well baby check ups, will take him to a hospital if something goes wrong, and will refuse medical treatment for this child in general...
Isn't it required by law to take your baby to the doctor? I have no idea, it just seems like it should. God I hope they don't have that mentality!

No, but if there is evidence that you refused to provide your child with medical care if they are ill in most places THAT could be prosecuted.

sillypit · June 2010

I know my insurance does not cover home birth or birthing centers so a hospital birth is my only choice.

NorcalLinds · June 2010

The only thing I can think of is she doesn't want to pay for a home birth. They are not free or cheap, insurance won't cover it. Home births start around $5,000

AleciaMarie · June 2010

I have to pay nearly 4k to have a CNM attended homebirth. If I went to the hospital, it would be nearly free, but I AM very anti-intervention and the hospital I would be going to is nicknamed "the baby factory"--no thanks. So, I can see her POV if she can't or doesn't want to afford a properly attended homebirth. Sounds like a birthing center would be perfect for her, but who knows what circumstances she's facing? And who really cares, it's her birth....

denise_m · June 2010

I wonder if she's just worried about an emergency?

I'm not the biggest fan of birth plans. I think it's great to be educated and make it clear what you would like to have happen, but in reality, that isn't always an option.

If you do not trust your medical team to make decisions that you agree with in an emergency situation then you should find a new doctor and hospital.

I mean seriously, by the time you are 8 cm in, in pain, exhausted from not sleeping for 12-24 hours and haven't eaten in just as long plus battling the feeling of not only your insides wanting to rip out but also wanting to vomit out everything you ever ate and swearing off sex (and I know not everyone has that experience, but it isn't exactly far fetched for most) you are not in the best state of mind to make what could be life saving or life threatening decisions.

Mrs.B2003 · June 2010

I would wonder the same thing...but we recently had a couple at out church do a home birth and it ended up that the baby was oxygen deprived and some other complications and they had to wait for an ambulance to arrive. The time waiting caused many of the issues to be more severe....such a sad story. They are having a hard time everyday living with the decisions they made. Maybe they know someone with a story like this, and still want the availability of what a hospital offers if needed??

CelticWife · June 2010

schnef1226:

LILBIT1221:
let her eat and when she is puking her guts up she will mark that off her list next go 'round. Sounds to me she should be a "field squatter" as MrsBones said yesterday.

You are doing an activity with the athletic equivalent of a marathon. You are going to want to eat and drink.

This isn't really true. I thought I would want to eat and drink, but all food looked and smelled disgusting to me starting the night before I went into labor. (I hadn't started contractions yet.) So I didn't eat until the morning after my labor, and ate all day. From the women I have talked to, that was not a unique experience. And I never got nauseous or puked during labor.

As for this lady, I would guess her DH or family want her to deliver at a hospital, and she is doing it for their piece of mind on her own terms. It is weird to bring up during her tour, though.

redheadgirl127 · June 2010

Maybe they're at a hospital because insurance companies won't pay for a home birth.

Geback723 · June 2010

That is a little much. Tongue Tied

.The only "hospital thing" I want to change is how they whisk away the baby right away after its born. I want to hold her for a few minutes before they start sticking her with needles and shove goop in her eyes. Other than that, monitor away hospital!

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