Natural Birth
Home Birth Help
So after our VERY unpleasant experience having DD in the hospital and a lot of back and forth on my part, DH and I have decided we would really like to have this baby at home. Colorado seems very home birth friendly, which is both a blessing and curse. The number of options out there makes trying to choose a midwife overwhelming. For example, can't decide whether it's better to have a CPM with more home birth experience or a CNM with less. I'm afraid of what would happen with the CPM if I needed to be hospitalized. Any pointers from anyone who's had a home birth? I'm not afraid of giving birth at home, just afraid of choosing the wrong person to catch the baby!
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Re: Home Birth Help
I agree. We used a CNM for #1, and we gave birth in the hospital. While it was a great experience, we realized that there was no need for us to be there. I didn't have an IV, or a tylenol. We were there for right around 24 hours total (DS came within an hour of arrival) and we had to drive for an hour to get there. We are using a CPM at home for this baby. Because of our location, our CPM will be a little more conservative if she feels that a transfer is necessary . . .
That being said, when you interview your care providers, just talk to them about it. Ultimately, (IMO) it will boil down to whom you feel most comfortable with and who's standards of care fit best to the type of care you're looking for. Any midwife CPM or CNM will be able to easily tell you what they look for in a birth, what you can expect from them, and what would happen in the event of a hospital transfer.
You're blessed you have so many options! Our state doesn't allow CPM's to practice legally :-( However a neighboring state does, and my husband and I seriously considered delivering in the neighboring state w/ a CPM (both our first pregnancy and this pregnancy). However I decided that I'm just personally not comfortable w/ the CPM's. It might have been the personality of the ones we had to choose from at the birth center...but in the end we decided we were more comfortable w/ a CNM and will have to deliver in the hospital as a result of that decision.
I am not in a very homebirth friendly area. We don't have ANY CNMs left in the area that practice in the hospitals. My only choices are between CPMs and DEMs. With the last birth I chose a team of midwives (CPM and DEM with an apprentice) that had over 40 combined years of experience. They were extremely qualified and knowledgable. I am using them again for this birth.
Honestly, I used a CNM in the hospital for my first two (she since retired) and I would have felt less comfortable with her at home than I did with the CPM and DEM.
I think you just need to have a tough interview process. Ask what they do in the case of a transfer. As about their stats. Are they trained to handle breech? What equipment do they carry? etc.
This. Illinois isn't Homebirth friendly either. My options were limited and didn't like the CNM in the area. I ended up finding my CPM who was 45 minutes away and totally worth it.
I have been to birth with, I thought only, CNM that practices in Denver and she was great - so was her assisstant. They were so smart, relaxed and all around wonderful. I wasn't the one giving birth, but I did interview her before going to MMC (my DH wasn't keen on home birth at the time, so I had to respect that a little). If I remember, she has less home birth experience than many, but still has been a CNM since the 80's or 90's, right? That would count as experience for me.
I am now using a CPM in a different state, who seems just as great, but I've never seen her in action yet.
I think if you are comfortable with the midwife and their training, that matters more than which certification.
...baby #3 is here...
I almost had a home birth in Colorado (I ended up transferring with my CPM for non emergent reasons and had a successful vbac). I think you have to go with your gut as much as your head in choosing your home birth care provider, and this is coming from someone who is very cerebral. I interviewed several people and had a long list of questions. I basically thought about every scenario that concerned me and asked them about it. I know birth is unpredictable, but it was more to see what they would say, to get to know them and their philosophies. Part of the reason I wanted a home birth was for the experience, and it was important that someone was technically skilled but also had a deep understanding of us and what we wanted out of this.
I also listened to input from my doula about different midwives' reputations. There's also some discussion about local CPMs on the Colorado attachment parenting board (you have to ask to join but it's free). I understand why a CNM is appealing; I would think critically, since you are birthing at home, about who has the most home birth experience.
I think it's really important to be on the same page about when you transfer and why. From my understanding, there are no OBs formally backing up home birth midwives in CO (CPMs or the CNM) but there is a hospital that is the preferred transfer hospital that is reasonably happy to accept transfers. Of course, in an emergency, you go to what is closest.
Hope that helps! Good luck with your decision.