Risks of laboring at home

Barefoot84 · June 2014

What are the real risks of laboring at home? I'm planning on staying home as long as I can possibly bear it before heading to the hospital.

Last time, I arrived at the hospital more than 24 hours after the beginning of my contractions, and I was dilated at 6. They said I would probably give birth soon and admitted me. Then, my labor stalled, and the nurse gave me the option : "Epidural so you can sleep, or a c-section later, when you'll be too tired to push". I took the epidural even if I felt I didn't need it, and then DD put herself in a position that was unbearable and I was screaming and shaking in pain for almost two consecutive hours, without the respite I had between contractions. H had to strain to hold me on the bed and I'm thinking this could have been avoided if I had been able to move and hopefully move DD. It hurt so much more than the contractions.

So this time, I'm really hoping I can stay at home as long as possible. However, when I told my plans to a few close friends, they freaked out, and starting saying things like I wouldn't know if baby's heart rate was plumetting, if his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, etc. They did scare me and now I'm afraid that my plan to stay home to avoid the epi might put my baby's life in danger.

What do you think?

KittyMisha · June 2014

I think your friends might be overreacting. There is plenty of research suggesting that laboring at home is as safe or safer than doing it at a hospital for low risk pregnancies. I personally intend to put off going to the hospital as long as possible for the same reasons.

MandMLeona · June 2014

There are risks in all things. Could something happen at home? yes. Could something happen because of an epi? yes. Do some reading and make your own decision from a place of knowledge rather than fear. I suggest The Thinking Woman's Guide to Childbirth as a good place to start.

Personally, I believe there is less risk involved in laboring at home than the there is in the cascade of interventions that tend to happen when you go to the hospital too early. But that is just my opinion created through the lense of our family's individual situation and isn't correct for everyone or every birth.

marriedinaugust · June 2014

I also agree that laboring at home has less risks and less opportunity for interventions. Last time I labored at home until 3-1-1 and when I got to the hospital I was only 2cm. The nurses weren't concerned and admitted me. I was free to roam as I wished and I went from 2-10cm in 4 hrs and pushed for 2hrs with my waters intact and an OP baby. Granted I was at a very natural-friendly hospital and my birth plan was very clear not to even mention meds. I will labor as long as I can at home this time as well. I would just nod and smile when friends tried to give me their "advice" that was meant as a cautionary tale. It's one thing to be informed of all the possibilities of labor but another to be scared into doing things you don't want to do. Good luck!

mlrafiki · June 2014

I believe I've read (although I don't have the stats on hand to back this up) that the baby's heart rate most often drops when a mother has increasingly high doses of pitocin administered. The reason is that pitocin creates artificial and often much stronger, longer contractions than natural oxytocin, so that puts stress on the baby. So, the likely reason your friends think that's such a common occurrence is because they don't know anyone who has labored without pitocin.

Most people have the misconception that to avoid or refuse hospital interventions is somehow wildly dangerous, when much evidence shows that in a low-risk woman/pregnancy, the opposite is true. Read up, trust yourself, and don't share your birth plans with people who will make you doubt!

mdarmetko · June 2014

It's not uncommon for your labor to slow down or stall on the trip from home to the hospital. It can also stall because you are feeling unsafe or unsure in your environment (like a hospital with pushy nurses). Its a natural instinct in laboring mammals to stall the process in an unsafe situation so they can run away and relocate in the middle of labor. I say labor at home where you are most comfortable and you'll probably progress the most there. Then when you call to tell the hospital you are on your way, ask to have a nurse who enjoys working with unmedicated births. Feeling confident in the staff you're working with can make a world of difference.

cherylanddoug · July 2014

PPs have made good points.
I really hate that nurse who gave you two horrible options.
You have to advocate for what you want at the hospital. I went in before I was at 3-1-1 because my water broke and I was strep B+ but I did stay at home for 4 hours before I went in. They tried to put me on pitocin right away. I told them to let me try on my own for 2 hours and if I didn't progress, we could reconsider the approach. You do not have to be confined to a bed in the hospital. They only have to monitor the HB for about 10 minutes an hour. The rest of that time I was up walking around until I got to transition when I felt better resting in bed.

Barefoot84 · July 2014

Thanks everyone for reassuring me and for the great advice. I'll stay at home as long as I can, and am currently reading Natural Birth in the Hospital so I have the tools and information I need to have the birth I want.

JessaPrimate · July 2014

I labored at home for 6 hours before going in and then 4 hours at the hospital before having DD. I was strep negative.

Water breaking is a different story because of the risk of prolapse.

This time I am expecting twins and my OB has asked me to come in sooner.

TiffanyBerry · July 2014

I stayed at home during all of early labor, and when it turned to active labor, I went in to the birth center. (It was still 12 hours after that until she was born.) The risks of a normal labor going on at home really aren't very high at all. It won't cause the cord to wrap, or be a danger if it us, unless you start pushing the baby out at home too. (And even that is not the end of the world.)

Talk to your doctor. And remember that some moms go through *days* of early labor - they don't stay at the hospital for that.

H&H2014 · July 2014

I labored at home for 10 hours with my first.. went to the hospital and was at 7cm. It took another hour or so to get through the transition and then 3-4 pushes to get LO out. In hindsight, I probably waited too long to go to the hospital (contractions were about 1 min 45 sec apart) but it all worked out. The biggest issue was the uncomfortableness of having really strong contractions in the car.

sschwege · July 2014

As pp said there are risks to everything. My MWs highly recommended laboring at home as long as possible, one even said, "We want you pushing or close to it when you arrive." I don't think they would recommend laboring at home if it was unsafe.

Please someone correct me if I am wrong, but I have always thought that the most 'dangerous' time for baby is during the pushing stage and for the mother it is after the baby is born. I know they monitored baby's heartbeat a lot more frequently while I was pushing and monitored me more after the baby was born.

My MWs just told me to make sure I was feeling the baby move around while I labored at home and if something didn't seem/feel right to come in right away.

With my first I labored at home for the first 10 hours or so, went in when contractions were 3.5-1-1, arrived at 6cm. That worked pretty well though it was still another 7 hours in the hospital before DD was in my arms. My second I waited too long, contractions were maybe 2 min apart or less and DS was born in triage.

Just listen to your body!

MommyAtty · July 2014

Listen to your provider. My doc told me I would have my babies fast, and I did. Laboring at home would have meant a home birth for me! My first, I was induced and DD was here in 4 hrs. With my second, I went into labor at home, waited 40 min from when I realized I was in labor for DH to get home, and I had DS within 6 hrs of realizing I was in labor. Each time, transition was so fast, my doc almost didn't make it in the room. I pushed around 5 minutes each time. So if the provider says you'll go fast, it's based on experience. Trust them.

JCWhitey · July 2014

How far away from your hospital are you? If you live close (10 minutes or less) I'd personally labor at home as long as I could. But any longer than that and I'd get to the hospital sooner, personally. I *planned* to labor at home, but when my water broke I was half an hour from the hospital. I still wanted to labor where I was, but DH insisted we go to the hospital right away. I managed to delay it an hour so and wish now I hadn't done that. My contractions were 1 minutes long and 1 minute apart from the moment we hit the freeway on. I had no breaks and laboring in the car suuuuuucks!

BUT, how comfortable are you with your hospital? A lot of times if labor stalls like that it's because you are uncomfortable or feeling vulnerable where you are. Ina May Gaskin talks a lot about this. Selecting a hospital where you feel comfortable is SO important. If you have the option, take tours of different options and go with the one you feel comfortable in. My hospital was amazing! Quiet (I was the only patient in the ENTIRE HOSPITAL when I arrived), had some amazing nurses, and a really nice deep jacuzzi tub.

Barefoot84 · July 2014

JCWhitey said:

How far away from your hospital are you? If you live close (10 minutes or less) I'd personally labor at home as long as I could. But any longer than that and I'd get to the hospital sooner, personally. I *planned* to labor at home, but when my water broke I was half an hour from the hospital. I still wanted to labor where I was, but DH insisted we go to the hospital right away. I managed to delay it an hour so and wish now I hadn't done that. My contractions were 1 minutes long and 1 minute apart from the moment we hit the freeway on. I had no breaks and laboring in the car suuuuuucks!

BUT, how comfortable are you with your hospital? A lot of times if labor stalls like that it's because you are uncomfortable or feeling vulnerable where you are. Ina May Gaskin talks a lot about this. Selecting a hospital where you feel comfortable is SO important. If you have the option, take tours of different options and go with the one you feel comfortable in. My hospital was amazing! Quiet (I was the only patient in the ENTIRE HOSPITAL when I arrived), had some amazing nurses, and a really nice deep jacuzzi tub.

We're walking distance from our hospital, so less than a ten minute drive for sure. I'm pretty sure we can get there in five minutes if H drives reasonably fast. I didn't have a good experience last time at that same hospital, but unfortunately, it's my only option.

This time, I feel more confident, and won't have an issue asking for a different nurse, which I didn't dare to do last time. I'm also a lot more confident in the whole process and believe I can trust my body to do what it needs to do.

TrendyTina · July 2014

With baby #2 I was in early labor for 4 days and nights! Thank GOD I was delivering at a birth center and not a hospital because I know an OB (at least the ones around me) would not support a labor that long without augmentation. Once contractions really got going, although, it was only 5 hours until she was born. That being said, even in an incredibly supportive environment (birth center, doula, midwife, natural minded husband) my contractions still stalled upon arrival to the birth center. Fortunately, my team knew what to do to get things going again and we never looked back. Get a doula and trust your body. You can do this! Believe in yourself, not fearful, uneducated friends.

hlm184 · July 2014

I labored at home for 16 hours. I went to the hospital because it had been so long, but I was in labor another 15 hours there. I definitely could have stayed home much longer, and next time I'll know better.

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