Decisions, decisions...

edoliesmom · August 2013

So I've been doing a lot of research and really like the idea of a birthing center. The only con I've seen that seems like something to really take into consideration is that if an emergency arises, you have to wait to be transported to the hospital. However, I have the opportunity to go to a birthing center located INSIDE of a hospital! The only thing though is that I would have to drive an hour and a half to this center (if traffic is okay but can't rely on that) which makes me nervous since this is my first baby. I could go to a hospital that would be only 20-30 minutes away, but I would be potentially compromising on what I want out of the experience...

What would YOU do? =\

MyNameWasTaken · August 2013

With DD, I went to a stand-alone birthing center just across the street from a fantastic hospital. It was about 1-1.5 hrs away from where I live. I'll be doing the same thing with this LO.

edoliesmom · August 2013

Wow! Must've been a good experience if you're comfortable enough to do it again.

So, were you able to plan pretty well when to start heading out to the center?

Rrrrrachel · August 2013

An hour, hour and a half drive, in most cases, wouldn't be a big deals. You'd probably want to leave earlier and then hang out/walk/whatever somewhere near there until things really got moving. We used a free standing birth center and it was about thirty minutes away from our house. Five or so from a hospital. Usually transfers aren't a true emergency and the parents get back in their car and drive there. Obviously in the case if a true emergency they also have the choice of calling an ambulance.

edoliesmom · August 2013

Thanks for the input!

GrinAndBarrett · August 2013

My labor and delivery were only 6 hours long. I was stuck on the toilet while my body got rid of everything I had inside of me (both ways). When that stopped, we rushed to the hospital that was 15 minutes away. I was crossing my legs in the hallway before we go the deliver room and they had to tell me not to push once I was finally in bed. (Haha, yeah right!). Even a 30 minute drive would have meant my DD would have been born in the car. Just keep in my mind that anything can happen!

melzh · August 2013

With DD I drove 45 minutes past two hospitals to get to the one I like. This time ill be driving 35 minutes past two different hospitals to get to the one I like.

MyNameWasTaken · August 2013

Ha, yeah, I had it all planned, but DD was a week early, so I caught off guard. Woke up in the middle of the night to a busted sac, so there was some scurrying around to get everything together and get on the road. My labor was 6 hrs, so I had plenty of time to get there, but this time around, I'll have my bags packed and in the car by 37 weeks, just in case. As for in the case of a transfer, like pp mentioned, usually a midwife won't wait til it's a legit emergency to make the call; she'll send you on out the very second she suspects anything out of the ordinary, so it's usually not an ambulance run.

edoliesmom · August 2013

GrinAndBarrett said:

My labor and delivery were only 6 hours long. I was stuck on the toilet while my body got rid of everything I had inside of me (both ways). When that stopped, we rushed to the hospital that was 15 minutes away. I was crossing my legs in the hallway before we go the deliver room and they had to tell me not to push once I was finally in bed. (Haha, yeah right!). Even a 30 minute drive would have meant my DD would have been born in the car. Just keep in my mind that anything can happen!

This is what I'm afraid of happening! I like the idea of getting there early, but I know I can't plan for what my body/baby decides to do. So was the hospital you ended up having her in not the place where you had originally planned to go? I'm scared that I'll end up having to do that, but I just don't really know what to expect. I guess they wouldn't be like "Oh sorry, you have to go to the place where your doctor is located." lol

DaisyJanie · August 2013

I chose to go to a standalone birth center for my last birth. It wasn't a very long drive, about 25 minutes. I would have gone farther, though, because I loved my midwives and the whole experience. Everybody's different, but I had plenty of time to plan. I started to feel more serious contractions at 2 pm, by 4 pm I was pretty sure I was having the baby that night, but we didn't need to call the midwife until 5:30 or 6, and we didn't meet her there til 7 (she was about to eat dinner and asked if that was okay).

Tambcat · August 2013

Too far away. I was 5 min. from my hospital, and it was too far.

fiendelle · August 2013

I had DS at home 40 mins from hospital- DH was worried about potential transfer problems, but I wasn't. Anything can happen, but it is quite unlikely you'd have the baby in the car...even so, if that's how ready your body is to birth that is great IMO. I wish my labor was an hour start to finish (it was 7). Most babies the world over are not born in hospital, or even birthing centers. You have to do what is right for YOU. In all likelihood you'll have tons of time to get where you need to be, My birth was pain free and awesome and I will have this one at home again too.

hopefulmom88 · August 2013

I am not planning on a birthing center but I am going with a midwives group that delivers in a hospital. The hospital is 2.5 hours away from us but I think it will be worth it. Of course, this is hoping that everything goes as planned and I will be heading to that general area as soon as I feel regular contractions.

ksr53777 · August 2013

I would actually be less concerned since it's your first, as the first time tends to be the longest labor. Obviously, there will be those with stories that do not fit with this statistic, but TYPICALLY, it's your longest labor. If you're really concerned you could always head there immediately and stay in a hotel or something for a bit before going in.

Rrrrrachel · August 2013

Precipitous labor isn't very common with first babies. Usually you have time to prepare. Yes, anything can happen, but that could be the case even of the hospital is 5 minutes away. Better to prepare for the birth you want and play the odds, IMO.

smashton14th · August 2013

With my first i went to a hospital an hour away. Totally worth it because it had all the tools there so i could give birth without any pain meds.
This time i am going to a free standing birth center that is about an hour to an hour and a half (with traffic) away.
I will just go down earlier than later and stay at my SIL's house that is 5 minutes from the birth center.

Tambcat · August 2013

To clarify, I got to the hospital with about 8 hours to spare. I was just in extreme pain and the car was the last place I wanted to be! Something to think about. If you don't want to be stuck in a bed, you probably aren't going to like being stuck in a car either.

edoliesmom · August 2013

Thanks everyone! Y'all have been really helpful and have given me a lot to think about.

I went to an OBGYN doctor's visit today, and he was really good and answered all my questions I had concerns about. Now I just have to decide what I want to do! I asked about movement being allowed at the hospital, and he said it's allowed as long as everything's okay with me and the baby. He also said though that the women who are wanting to move around and walk and things like that aren't really in active labor. I don't know about that... But then again, I've never been in labor, so I dunno.

Rrrrrachel · August 2013

There are lots of women who want to stand up, change positions, etc, in active labor. I mean maybe not pace the halls, but definitely move and try different positions.

edoliesmom · August 2013

See! Yes, when he said that, it just didn't sit right with me, just the way he blanketed the statement over all women. He also said that they do an IV from the start for my benefit (and I can see the benefits of it), but I just don't know if I would want to be confined to that from the get-go.

MyNameWasTaken · August 2013

Tambcat said:

To clarify, I got to the hospital with about 8 hours to spare. I was just in extreme pain and the car was the last place I wanted to be! Something to think about. If you don't want to be stuck in a bed, you probably aren't going to like being stuck in a car either.

Oh god. I failed to mention the part about the horrible car ride. But yes, the car ride was hell, and that was in the early stages of labor. Be ready for that.

Tambcat · August 2013

If you are considering the hospital, find out whether you will need constant monitoring for the baby's heartbeat or whether they will do it at intervals if you don't want to stay connected to the machine. Some also have telemetry monitors that do continual monitoring but are less restrictive as far as your ability to move around. I would also ask what positions you are allowed to deliver in. I'm sure there are many other things I'm not thinking of, but these are the kinds of questions I asked about on my hospital tour. eta: I also asked about lighting, which I for some reason thought would be very important to me. lol

A lot of hospitals these days are very accommodating to moms who want med-free births. Some even have tubs and yoga balls. You can also request a nurse that is experienced with and supportive of natural birth if there happens to be one there when you go into labor. My lamaze instructor was a nurse at the hospital where I delivered. I ended up deciding before I even got there that I wanted the epi, though.

MyNameWasTaken · August 2013

LalaMama81 said:

Thanks everyone! Y'all have been really helpful and have given me a lot to think about. I went to an OBGYN doctor's visit today, and he was really good and answered all my questions I had concerns about. Now I just have to decide what I want to do! I asked about movement being allowed at the hospital, and he said it's allowed as long as everything's okay with me and the baby. He also said though that the women who are wanting to move around and walk and things like that aren't really in active labor. I don't know about that... But then again, I've never been in labor, so I dunno.
Eh, it depends on the woman for sure, but his answer is what I'd expect of an OB. That's why I see a midwife.

Yeah, this. Because I walked/paced the whole time I was in labor; like, I didn't get off my feet til it was time to push, which was the last 15 minutes of the whole thing. If I couldn't have freedom to get up and move as I please, that would be a deal breaker for me. I mean, barring any complications that required me to lay down, that is.

edoliesmom · August 2013

Tambcat said:

If you are considering the hospital, find out whether you will need constant monitoring for the baby's heartbeat or whether they will do it at intervals if you don't want to stay connected to the machine. Some also have telemetry monitors that do continual monitoring but are less restrictive as far as your ability to move around. I would also ask what positions you are allowed to deliver in. I'm sure there are many other things I'm not thinking of, but these are the kinds of questions I asked about on my hospital tour. eta: I also asked about lighting, which I for some reason thought would be very important to me. lol

A lot of hospitals these days are very accommodating to moms who want med-free births. Some even have tubs and yoga balls. You can also request a nurse that is experienced with and supportive of natural birth if there happens to be one there when you go into labor. My lamaze instructor was a nurse at the hospital where I delivered. I ended up deciding before I even got there that I wanted the epi, though.

I'm already a bit familiar with this specific doctor and hospital as he's the one that delivered my niece and a few other friends'/family members' babies. I think they do the strap thing around the belly to monitor the baby's heartbeat. I don't know how restrictive that is. He did mention taking a tour of the hospital, so I might do that instead. When I was asking him questions, he was very professional, but I could just get this sense of like "this girl thinks she knows what she's talking about when this is my profession" kind of attitude. I asked my husband, and he wasn't sensing that so maybe I'm just paranoid. lol And I know at this hospital too that there are a couple of nurses that SUCK. I wanted to yell at one that basically tortured my sister with her IV. I'm not afraid to speak up and stand up for myself, but I don't really know how choosy you can be at hospitals.

Tambcat · August 2013

I highly recommend a tour of any place you think you might deliver, unless you are very go-with-the-flow on this, which obviously you're not.

edoliesmom · August 2013

LalaMama81 said:

See! Yes, when he said that, it just didn't sit right with me, just the way he blanketed the statement over all women. He also said that they do an IV from the start for my benefit (and I can see the benefits of it), but I just don't know if I would want to be confined to that from the get-go.
Yea, unless I was gbs + I'd refuse the IV. Unnecessary IMO. Are you meeting with a midwife, too?

Sorry, what's gbs? And my first appointment was with a certified nurse midwife where I currently live. Where I would be having appointments (if I choose this route) and where I'd be delivering are pretty far from each other, so I'm not sure when I'd actually meet with the certified nurse midwife who'd be delivering my baby, which I'm pretty iffy about too. I can also take a tour of that hospital and ask all the questions I need to, which I'll be looking into pretty soon.

MamaFantastic · August 2013

My hospital has a birth center. Very natural-friendly, pro-BF, water birth room, midwives, etc. and conveniently located close to my house! I was very happy with my delivery experience there several years ago.

edoliesmom · August 2013

Tambcat said:

I highly recommend a tour of any place you think you might deliver, unless you are very go-with-the-flow on this, which obviously you're not.

I most definitely am not. Haha!

Wysbaby · August 2013

I delivered my daughter in a hospital with 2 midwives and a doula and I was pretty active. The doula did a lot of different moves/ positions with me to work her down.Keep in mind my daughter was a preemie baby but healthy. I had an IV but I was still able to move around. They did spot checks to make sure her HB was ok but for the most part I was able to do everything until I needed rest to prepare to push so they allowed me to sleep for I believed an hour and then I woke up and push. It wasn't easy I lost track of time I went in at maybe 10 something am and I had her at 10:14pm but to me I believed it was still morning. It was rough but worth it. Good luck.

amhah09 · August 2013

We have all of zero birthing centers in the state of Kentucky. If I had the opportunity to go to one, I totally would. An hour and a half drive is *probably* not a big deal with a FTP.

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