My UO -- Home Births

amber&patrick · August 2010

Here's my UO (prompted by an article a couple weeks ago about the rise in home births).

I think home births are a needlessly dangerous way to give birth. I know they are in vogue with celebrities and crunchy moms (not meant to be derogatory - I like crunchy) right now, but I don't think people are really thinking about it. No matter how smoothly your pregnancy goes, you have no idea how your delivery will go. There are a whole host of unanticipated complications that can arise. Your midwife is not a medical doctor, and even if you had a medical doctor at your house for the delivery, they do not have access to all of the equipment and trained professionals that are at the hospital. If you choose to give birth anywhere other than a hospital (note: I'm talking about choice here, not necessity), you are needlessly risking your own life and that of your baby. If you want to risk your own life, I don't care. But I cannot understand why anyone would take that chance with their baby.

Example -- While I had a somewhat difficult pregnancy for reasons relating to my health, there was no indication that anything was wrong with my son. In fact, he seemed extremely healthy and was always doing well. However, when he was born, the cord was wrapped around his neck. We had to get him out quickly and he required emergency resuscitation (sp?). A NICU doctor and 3 NICU nurses rushed into my delivery room just moments after I gave birth. I am thankful every day that they were there and were able to tend to Matty. I would never have forgiven myself if I had opted for a home birth and potentially jeopardized his life or health.

::steps off soapbox::

redhotchili83 · August 2010

YES YES YES YES YES! I am kind of over stepping on anyones toes about this issue because I also feel it is unnecessary. I really think avoiding having a child with a cerebral palsy or other major issues kind of trumps an "experience".

BethD76 · August 2010

I agree with you. I wouldn't want to try it for the same reasons. I ended up getting a c-section, because his heart rate was unstable he wasn't coming out after 6 hours of pushing. I can't imagine piling in the car to get to the hospital when the contractions were coming that hard.

In your situation it saved a life to be at the hospital. I m glad that all worked out ok.

lilbit923 · August 2010

I agree with this.

Now there are some people who have been blessed to have home births and nothing went wrong. That's great. But for me, if I were to have had a home birth with my son, he would have died. From Connor's first breath he was dying and spent 3 weeks in the NICU due to a series of complications and surfactant deficiency. With the rate he was deteriorating I was very thankful he was at a hospital.

With my daughter's delivery I had heart problems and had to be knocked out after she was born. This baby will be born in a hospital too plus all my kids were c-sections.

I've thought about if I were alive more than 100 years ago and was pregnant, I would have been one of those women to die in childbirth.

Mrs.Keith2B · August 2010

I agree.

I can understand feeling strongly about not wanting any medical intervention, and maybe possibly choosing a home birth to ensure it's as natural as possible. But why wouldn't you want every resource available to you in case the worst happens? You just never know what could happen during delivery.

Go ahead and give me the argument that women have been doing it for hundreds of years. I still think it's stupid to not take advantage of health resources "just in case".

ETA: Sorry, Christina.

mistywhite400 · August 2010

agreed! That & I just think it's odd. Why?? It's not my idea of a good experience.

juliagooolia · August 2010

I had my baby at home, not because its in fashion, but because that is the way we do it in our family and have always done it. At one point, the midwife said we might have to go to the hospital because I wasn't progressing and they were getting worried. Midwives don't mess around and they will not keep you at home if they think there could be any danger to you or the baby. Midwives are trained for 4 years in delivering babies and they have to already have a degree before even being allowed to start the program. I am not trying to argue here, but whats natural, isn't en vogue, it is what it is. I am very thankful I did not have any complications and I feel for those who have. I would also like to say that my neighbour has had 9 operations now because of infections he has contracted in hospitals. Also, there are 88 000 deaths a year caused by hospital error.

ella.mabel · August 2010

I had a long 29 hour but pretty uneventful labor. However, DD's heart rate was dropping dangerously low as I was pushing and they had to do a vacuum extraction - i was one push away from an emergency c-section. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if we weren't in a hospital and whether she would have suffered some sort of brain damage or something worse.

lilbit923 · August 2010

JuliaGooolia:
I had my baby at home, not because its in fashion, but because that is the way we do it in our family and have always done it. At one point, the midwife said we might have to go to the hospital because I wasn't progressing and they were getting worried. Midwives don't mess around and they will not keep you at home if they think there could be any danger to you or the baby. Midwives are trained for 4 years in delivering babies and they have to already have a degree before even being allowed to start the program. I am not trying to argue here, but whats natural, isn't en vogue, it is what it is. I am very thankful I did not have any complications and I feel for those who have. I would also like to say that my neighbour has had 9 operations now because of infections he has contracted in hospitals. Also, there are 88 000 deaths a year caused by hospital error.

I'm still having my baby in a hospital. I trust my OB and her surgical team far more than someone with a degree and a few years of training. However, that's awesome that your midwife was able to help you through your birth and you didn't have to go to a hospital. You're lucky to have not had any complications, I wish I could say the same about my births. Many emergency situations where am abulance is needed still means it takes time to arrive. I'm not willing to waste precious minutes that could mean life or death for my child. IMO, I'd rather be where there are already emergency personnel on hand.

On a side note when someone is sick in the hospital it's very easy to contract other illnesses during your stay.

mamakibuyu · August 2010

I agree with this so much! I had a textbook pregnancy and was considered low risk. Even so, my son would have died if we weren't in the hospital. He didn't have time for an ambulance ride. DH believes I would have died, too, if we were at home when it happened. But my complications were a direct result of saving DS's life, so I think I would have made it. But he could not have.

SamsMom91 · August 2010

On the surface, I'd say I agree. There's a danger, however, in making a judgment about something of which I know practically nothing based on my own experiences and desires. Would home birthing be the right option for my family? Absolutely not. I wouldn't have been comfortable with it, even before I ended up delivering a preemie due to severe pre-e and HELLP Syndrome. Then again, I used to think women who cloth diapered were nuts and that cloth diapering itself was gross and difficult. Oh, how I've been proved wrong.

So, while it seems to me an unnecessary risk to take in today's day and age, I'll reserve my full judgment until I have more information.

ToledoDeux · August 2010

You're taking many needless risks by having a highly medicalized birth in a hospital as well. Please don't think that you are taking the risk-free option here.

If a woman has a low-risk pregnancy, is close to a hospital and is well attended by a trained professional, statistics prove again and again that homebirths are AT LEAST just as safe as hospital birth for her AND her baby.

meganlovesandy · August 2010

I am with you on being against Home Births.

I know a lady who was learning how to be a dula and decided that she knew best and didnt want medical attention AT ALL during her pregnancy and she never knew she was having twins (second pregnancy how she didnt know I havent a clue) Anyways, she decided she wanted to have a home birth and she birthed the first one fine but the second twin was breech and got stuck. I am sad to say that the little boy now has cerebral palsy. Its sad. She doesnt think it her fault either! Shes even still in denial.. She is pregnant with number 4 now and i HOPE she gets medical attention this time!

Corrine10 · August 2010

ScissorTailedFlycatcher · August 2010

I know of 5 women that have had home births.

2 were totally successful

1 where the child was rushed to the hospital immediately and was eventually fine

1 where the baby died

1 where the mother died

Obviously, these experiences in no way indicate statistics, but they are what shape MY opinions on the matter.

I know that it can be done, but those are risks I'm not willing to take. If something were to happen to my baby, I would never ever be able to forgive myself if I had the thought, "what if I had just had the baby at the hospital."

Darby had to go straight to the NICU. Her odds were fairly good for this to happen, and so are any future pregnancies. This whole debate really isn't applicable to me.

There is also no way on God's green earth that I would EVER go natural, so I suppose my whole theory is just blown out of the water.

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