UC...please help me

[Edensmomma]

Originally Posted by apurkeyp You are a gem. A real gem.

Aw, thanks! So are you. Maybe someone should bring up circing so everyone can see your multiple personalities.

[Edensmomma]

Originally Posted by Kiliki Besides the sanitation issues, weren't there also a LOT of cases of peole with rickets? Where they simply were not physically capable of having a baby vaginally? Pelvic deformities due to really really bad nutrition? I may be remembering incorrectly, but I read that one birth book (yea, that's really descriptive! - brain fart going on here - "Birth" ??? The one about how obstetrics has come about in the US, it was pretty depressing and at times really shocking) and it seems to be in my memory that a LOT of women died during childbirth b/c they were literally physically malformed, so babies were not capable of being born, and then some religious person (the Pope?) said that the babies should be cut out of the mother to be baptized to save their immortal souls - which lead to more deaths (obviously) b/c women were now being cut open while fully awake with no anesthetic and no sanitary tools. Then birth moved to the hospitals and no one could figure out why so many women were getting massive infections and dying, but they were sharing beds after birth, sharing dirty blood-soaked bed-linens, left tied up and drugged for days in their own wastes, and no one washed their hands. The doctor that suggested and demanded people to start washing their hands was laughed at as a whacko. So, my goodness, yes, there were a LOT of deaths going on during that time period for women and babies, and childbirth was EXTREMELY dangerous. At this point, technology, access to food and running water, and education/hygeine awareness have made the majority of those issues a thing of the past. Of course there are still cases where women get sick and die, where babies get sick and die - in and out of a hospital. There always will be. But trying to compare the death rate of women and babies 100-200 years ago to the death rates now is really absurd. It's apples to oranges. Two totally different animals.

Yes to all of that! Plus there are actually trained birth attendants that are educated on the whole process and there is prenatal testing and care available now. I got much better care from my homebirth midwife than my Doc. She is the one who recognized my severe hypoglycemia and didn't just try to shove Zofran down my throat and tell me they couldn't explain why I was blacking out and throwing up all the time.

Originally Posted by bpure8 These are 2 of the reasons I didn't enjoy my Hospital birth. The only thing in my birth plan that they went ahead and did without my permission was administer Pitocin immediately after the birth through my IV to deliver the placenta faster. I was paying to much attention to my brand new baby boy to be on my toes. I don't want to be put down, have to keep saying no, and be on my toes the entire time making sure that my birth plan is being followed. It's a time I want to focus inward at what my body is doing, relax, gather the spiritual aspect of the experience and bring my baby into the world in a loving, soft Warm nurturing environment. It's where "I" feel safest! Granted, many I know wouldn't feel safe giving birth at home so they choose the hospital. I'm not going to put them down for that decision. I also wouldn't want to take that choice from them.. so why is it I have to fight for my choice to birth at home? Why do I have to put up with people putting me down when my Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother and many before them Birthed at home the same way? A future move for myself might even be put on hold because the place we are moving doesn't have the right laws in place to protect the Midwife and Mother. It's all underground. I say choose your birth plan based on what you and your husband are comfortable with. Our first 2 children were paid for through #1 Framing in a Basement and #2 was drywalling the basement. We didn't have insurance or much money and she blessed us with an option that also fulfilled her needs. (Both Underground Midwives births) They are ALL wonderful People that want you to have your choices met... AND the good ones will tell you if you don't qualify or bring up any problems that may make a homebirth unsafe AND then refer you to someone who can help make payment plans easier.

I'm sorry you had a bad hospital experience That is really a shame. There is no need for medical staff to have that mentality.

[Free Thinker]

Hi Mama! I didn't want to read and not respond. A few weeks ago I had a freak out and decided there was no way I was delivering at the hospital. It wasn't anything about the particular hospital, but I just sort of freaked out! I have had all my kids there, and the idea of being at home immediately afterwards to sleep in my own bed, sit in my own recliner and have real peace and no noise/lights/nurses in and out, not to mention the food... well, I just really would prefer to be at home. THe problem, there are very few midwives here, I did find one, but I haven't called yet. The stuff on HBing that I could find all said that it's safe within 45 miles of a hospital. I am not 45 min. from the hosptial, it would take at least an hour after deciding to transfer if something were bad wrong. I also have no ambulance service (yeah, seriously), so if we did call it would take over 30 min. for air evac to come and meet them in town at the local launch pad (I know b/c I had to call them for a friend who's son was kicked in the head by a horse, it took over 30 min. to get any sort of medical unit, and they drove to town to meet the air evac team). So, taking that into consideration, IF something were to happen, we may not make it to medical personell in time. I don't really think anything will happen, I Have had all pretty easy deliveries (except the twin #2,a nd I consider that an exception to the rule). I think with a midwife here who was really experienced it would be okay, but DH is not okay w/ the risk, so I haven't called yet. I have asked him to read up on it, but it keeps coming back to being so far from medical help in an emergency.

So, instead we came up w/ some ideas of things we can do to help me be more comfortable in the hospital, it is just for 24 hours (and I am going to check into being released early). The current plan is to go to my moms when labor starts, and just stay there until I am in transition (she is 2 miles from the hospital) or until I feel like I need to be there. I also know of a walking trail outside that we can go to that will not be crowded if I want to walk around outside or get away from my moms (the kids will most likely be there with us). As for in the hospital, I have been pretty happy with the proceedures there, it's not a problem to request to be monitored while on the birth ball instead of laying in the bed (which I will request, meanly if needed), I won't be checked unless I am asked, and they already give baby right to me after birth for nursing nad are nursing friendly. DH is a great support person (in previous births), so he will advocate for me if needed (hoping it's not, they are pretty laid back). My plan is to take as many sitz baths as possible, rest up, and be ready to go home as soon as possible!

As for homebirth vs. unassisted, I do think thre is a BIG difference, and none of the date stated can really compare the two. I would never be comfortable w/ an unassisted birth just b/c I do not feel like I am as in control when I am in labor, I know my thinking gets a little wonky, what if I forget something, or ther is a complication, I may freak out! If DH is not fully informed on what to do in each type of emergency and isn't on board, I just don't see how it would work. A homebirth w/ a midwife means there is someone there to see the birth from the other side, not while in active labor, and spot possible problems, monitor baby, give oxygen or pit as needed, ect.

[mich*mommy]

Originally Posted by Free Thinker As for homebirth vs. unassisted, I do think thre is a BIG difference, and none of the date stated can really compare the two. I would never be comfortable w/ an unassisted birth just b/c I do not feel like I am as in control when I am in labor, I know my thinking gets a little wonky, what if I forget something, or ther is a complication, I may freak out! If DH is not fully informed on what to do in each type of emergency and isn't on board, I just don't see how it would work. A homebirth w/ a midwife means there is someone there to see the birth from the other side, not while in active labor, and spot possible problems, monitor baby, give oxygen or pit as needed, ect.

This. Definitely.

[Leah52]

Originally Posted by Free Thinker As for homebirth vs. unassisted, I do think thre is a BIG difference, and none of the date stated can really compare the two. I would never be comfortable w/ an unassisted birth just b/c I do not feel like I am as in control when I am in labor, I know my thinking gets a little wonky, what if I forget something, or ther is a complication, I may freak out! If DH is not fully informed on what to do in each type of emergency and isn't on board, I just don't see how it would work. A homebirth w/ a midwife means there is someone there to see the birth from the other side, not while in active labor, and spot possible problems, monitor baby, give oxygen or pit as needed, ect.

I just had my 4th homebirth and these are the exact reasons I choose to have a midwife attending. When I am in labor I don't want to be worrying about what if's and is something wrong I just want to relax and know that there is a trained helper to take care of me and the baby. I have only participated in the birth of my own children, my midwife has attended hundreds of births and had extensive training as an RN and CNM so while I may "know my own body" she knows my body too and knows what to do if something happens that I have no prior experience with. All but one of my babies had been born with a nuchal cord and while it has caused no problems it would freak me out to have to deal with that on my own. My placenta takes a while to come down and I bleed a lot, not hemorrhaging but that's something I don't want to worry about either. I don't know what is within the range of normal, my midwife does.

As for payment, state maternity coverage does sometimes pay for homebirths. We have also bartered with construction jobs and had long term payment plans. Most midwives will work with what you can afford.

[JennTheMomma]

Originally Posted by Kiliki Besides the sanitation issues, weren't there also a LOT of cases of peole with rickets? Where they simply were not physically capable of having a baby vaginally? Pelvic deformities due to really really bad nutrition? I may be remembering incorrectly, but I read that one birth book (yea, that's really descriptive! - brain fart going on here - "Birth" ??? The one about how obstetrics has come about in the US, it was pretty depressing and at times really shocking) and it seems to be in my memory that a LOT of women died during childbirth b/c they were literally physically malformed, so babies were not capable of being born, and then some religious person (the Pope?) said that the babies should be cut out of the mother to be baptized to save their immortal souls - which lead to more deaths (obviously) b/c women were now being cut open while fully awake with no anesthetic and no sanitary tools. Then birth moved to the hospitals and no one could figure out why so many women were getting massive infections and dying, but they were sharing beds after birth, sharing dirty blood-soaked bed-linens, left tied up and drugged for days in their own wastes, and no one washed their hands. The doctor that suggested and demanded people to start washing their hands was laughed at as a whacko. So, my goodness, yes, there were a LOT of deaths going on during that time period for women and babies, and childbirth was EXTREMELY dangerous. At this point, technology, access to food and running water, and education/hygeine awareness have made the majority of those issues a thing of the past. Of course there are still cases where women get sick and die, where babies get sick and die - in and out of a hospital. There always will be. But trying to compare the death rate of women and babies 100-200 years ago to the death rates now is really absurd. It's apples to oranges. Two totally different animals.

Birth - The Suprising History of How We Are Born? If so, that is one of my all time fav. books. Fascinating stuff.

[~happy2Bamommy~]

I am locking this thread for a bit while I look into a fwd of a pm I was just sent that shows a party posting here pm'd a member and just took things to a level past "debate".