34 weeks and looking for support!

sheislisamarie · February 2014

Hi ladies,

Just wanted to jump in the discussion and say hi! I'm 34 weeks pregnant with my first and planning on having a natural labor at a birth center with midwives and a doula. I haven't used The Bump very much this pregnancy (deterred by some incredibly rude and combative women in other categories), and am now finding myself more and more isolated from a pregnancy community in another forum I use as I'm the only one going natural there. Just looking for a positive group of women who are in a similar mindset as myself about going natural and out-of-hospital. It's been a good road so far, no health scares here, just looking for that extra bit of positive energy and support as I near the home stretch before labor. Wishing you all the best!

sschwege · February 2014

Welcome! You have come to the right place, you will find a lot of supportive, knowledge women here.

rooftop · February 2014

welcome. I think you'll like it here

sheislisamarie · February 2014

Thanks for the welcome, ladies! It's definitely not to knock the women in my other forum as they plan on going with hospital births, but the amount of traumatic hospital birth stories coming out of this group are really starting to overwhelm and scare me. I know that going to a birth center means I won't be pressured for time or put through some horrible ringer of drugs and procedures, but those birth stories are really starting to get to me. I've mentioned in passing a few times that I'm glad I'll be going to a birth center instead of a hospital and have received a lot of flack for that. Even DH's parents still question the validity of my midwife team (even though they're CPMs) and have pushed on him since week 20 to have me go to a hospital instead. Starting to feel like the support group I thought I had is dwindling, so I'm glad you ladies are here.

Don't know why I didn't think of this sooner!

Chichigo · February 2014

Welcome! I think this is one of the least snarky boards here.i had a stress-free, natural hospital birth, so it's not all horror stories! My state isn't very supportive of stand alone birthing centers, but is very breastfeeding friendly. I wish you the best of luck with your birth, and hope the family pressure eases. My MIL (and mostly everyone other than my husband and my mom) thought I was crazy to go natural. My MIL is now amazed by how peaceful her grandson's birth was.

sheislisamarie · February 2014

Thanks so much for the kind welcome! My mother did go natural, but was in a hospital setting. She at least supports the natural route process. It's the MIL that seems to be concerned about being out of the hospital entirely. Hopefully this labor goes smoothly and without the need for transfer so I can continue down this path with future pregnancies without having to always justify it.

I'm so glad to hear you had a peaceful birth! I certainly hope the same for myself. Only 5 weeks and some change - it's getting close!

robyn2201 · February 2014

Welcome and good luck!

If you haven't already done so, pick up Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and read some of the awesome birth stories that she has in there. It really helped me feel more confident about having a NB, during those last few weeks of my pregnancy with DD1.

sheislisamarie · February 2014

Thank you! I actually picked that book up late last week and thumb through the stories when I get bored.

there are truly some amazing stories in there - sometimes the women make it seem like a walk in the park!

tndalles · February 2014

I am a FTM and will 35 weeks tomorrow. I am also planning a free standing birth center birth. I love the support I have received on this board. It is the most positive and welcoming board I have seen by far. Welcome!

IdyllicPursuit · February 2014

I think you're going to love it in here:) Never met anyone snarky here!
We're very happy to have you!! I'm due March 10th and having a home water birth!

sheislisamarie · February 2014

Thanks again, everybody, for the warm welcome! I've been having a hard day realizing I don't have a solid support group of local women I can go to with questions (DH and I live across the country from our family, no friends with children, etc), so I'm glad the reception on this forum has already been so great.

We finished up our birth center course tonight, so now we just wait until our little guy decided to make an appearance. I'm getting pretty nervous now, but I really do love my midwives, birth assistant and doula, so I will at least be in really good hands during the labor even if my Mom can't be here.

MommyAtty · February 2014

Welcome! I'm of advanced maternal age (38 last time, 40 this time), so no birth center in my area would take me. I had a great natural hospital birth last time and plan on it again. But I would have loved to do a birth center birth. Here's the support group you need to do this: you and someone to catch.

. Great additions: your DH, a medical professional, and a doula. So you'll do great! (And seriously, in all honesty, I think labor and delivery was less painful than a bad migraine, and unlike with a migraine, I got a perfect little human when it was over!)

sheislisamarie · February 2014

Thanks, MommyAtty! Now that's the kind of birth story I want to hear - not as bad as we think!

I suffered with severe pain from endometriosis before this pregnancy, so I'm either hoping that a) my pain threshold has been raised as a result or b) that the pain of labor is at least on par with what I experienced with endo. We shall see!

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