Freebirthing

[UnderTheStars]

I have always been told that you can never prepare for everything or every outcome, and since I also can't see into the future - I cannot understand the concept of freebirth. I totally get homebirths, waterbirths, and other non-hospital routes, but I just don't see the benefit of having no trained midwife present in case of emergency. Why take that risk?

[TwinKristi]

Originally Posted by seeinstarrz I have always been told that you can never prepare for everything or every outcome, and since I also can't see into the future - I cannot understand the concept of freebirth. I totally get homebirths, waterbirths, and other non-hospital routes, but I just don't see the benefit of having no trained midwife present in case of emergency. Why take that risk?

In some states you can't have a MW present for a homebirth. In some states MW are outlawed PERIOD. You take a risk having your baby in a hospital as well. What if you trust your dr to do the right thing and they advise you that you require a c-sction only to bleed out on the table. That's a very real risk. What if you take your dr's advice and get an epidural as they're "safe and effective" only to have some unforseen complication such as pulminary adema and you AND your baby die. Minor complications include:

hypotension secondary to spinal block; urinary retention; fecal and urinary incontinence; loss of perineal sensation and sexual function; persistent anesthesia, paresthesia, weakness, paralysis of the lower extremities and loss of sphincter control all of which may have slow, incomplete or no recovery; headache; backache; septic meningitis; meningismus; slowing of labor; increased incidence of forceps delivery; cranial nerve palsies due to traction on nerves from loss of cerebrospinal fluid. ( Info from this site)

yet they're considered routine and done on a regular basis without anyone batting an eye. There are risks in every choice you make reguarding your health and some people are more willing to put their health in their own hands than those of a "trained" professional or are unable to find one to help them in their wishes.
Freebirthing is not a new idea and has been going on since birth existed. The medical field made it such a hands-on procedure and now the majority of moms thinks they need to be in a hosp to deliver a baby when the low risk mom and baby are actually at a higher risk of permanent disability or dying when they deliver in a hospital.
To each their own, just because someone doesn't understand why someone else would do this doesn't mean it's crazy or dangerous. Some people think birthing in a hospital or having an elective c-section is crazy or dangerous too.

[linz2491]

I have had 2 unassisted homebirths. Very easy and wonderful. Only dh and me. dh slept through most of both. I only woke him up 20 min before dd was born. Your body is meant to birth a baby and the majority of the time that is what it will do. Regardless of whether medical people are there. Think about all these teen girls having live healthy babies in restrooms (then dumping them sadly) labor is truly much easier when you are alone.
Both labors were very easy, I did have to go in with dd because my placenta never detached from the uterus. The doctor had to manually extract it. (a midwife could have done the same thing) Not that I will be having anymore babies but if I do and that happened again I would leave the umbilical cord attached until the placenta came out that way there is no blood loss.

[linz2491]

Oh I also have to say that I was also very aware of everything going on and I think that is the problem when someone else is in charge, the women in labor stops using her own instints.
I can not understand someone else telling me when to push. I also instintivley (cant spell) put counterpressure on ds's head as he was coming out since he was coming so fast. I squated and he came out in my arms (no need for someone else to tell me to touch or pick up my baby)
We sat in the warm water for a few minutes till ds pinked up then got out to birth the placenta. Didnt cut the cord till 20 min after and 1 hr for dd.

I was also born in an unassisted homebirth. (maybe thats whats wrong with me! lol jk)

[~*~Sunflower~*~]

I have not read all of the posts (just the first & last pages LOL, but will get to the rest after I post )... but I have had 4 freebirths.

I wanted a midwife with my first, but ended up with a hospital birth that was not what I wanted. Then I watched my sister's hospital birth & decided FOR SURE that i would not hospital birth again. When I got PG again I hired a midwife. I started thinking that what I *really* wanted was a midwife who just sat back & was there JIC. Well, my mdwife was a drug addict flake & I fired her. Right aroun the same time, I found an ad in Mothering magazine for a book on freebirth - "Birth & the Dialogue of Love" by Marilyn Moran. Found the New Nativity newsletter soon after. I could not believe it! people were doing just what I had dreamed of doing!
That birth was so amazing! We did it again the next time & there were some complications, but it was amazing how inuitive we were during that birth. We had 2 more freebirths, never an issue. I DO hemmorhage badly every time, but we have been able to manage (the only time I had an issue was after delivering a 2nd tri loss - my Dr was HORRIBLE & never told me there could be problems. She actually told me to do it at home. I think she was new & had no idea that this was not *just* a miscarriage. horrible. I could hear the EMT telling the person on the radio that I was not going to make it to the hospital.)

Now, as I get older & have more children, I sometimes think how reckless we were & how we took so many chances - but the truth is that I educated myself so much & it is just amazing how inuitive you become.

I think that many of us just KNOW when there is a problem. A mama I know (though she does not freebirth) is a homebirth mom. Her last birth she just KNEW she needed to have a hospital birth & a section. She did & it turns out that they both might have died had she not. She had no way of knowing this LOGICALLY - but she did!

A lot of freebirth proponents are VERY anti-hospital & even midwife - but I think that is a very narrow-minded & dangerous position to take.

[~*~Sunflower~*~]

I wanted to add - my 3rd child got stuck & we went through a LOT to get her out. Finally I got into a crazy position to get her out. I had been pushing for many hours, calling UC friends for advice, you name it.

Soon after we had her (VERY HEALTHY baby! ) we read in the paper that a baby had been stuck at birth, the dr pulled on her head & she was paralyzed. We knew right away that we had done the right thing. I recently read of a similar situation. TRAINED Drs pulling baby's head to get them out, yet dh & I would never DREAM of trying to get a baby out that way!

[Dahlea]

I think unassisted childbirth is a great idea-if you prep properly, and are someone who is in good health, and has had a healthy pregnancy.

[miabean]

Originally Posted by ~*~Sunflower~*~ I wanted to add - my 3rd child got stuck & we went through a LOT to get her out. Finally I got into a crazy position to get her out. I had been pushing for many hours, calling UC friends for advice, you name it. Soon after we had her (VERY HEALTHY baby! ) we read in the paper that a baby had been stuck at birth, the dr pulled on her head & she was paralyzed. We knew right away that we had done the right thing. I recently read of a similar situation. TRAINED Drs pulling baby's head to get them out, yet dh & I would never DREAM of trying to get a baby out that way!

That's awesome!

I had an unassisted homebirth with a hospital transfer after (for baby and me). I would do it again in a heartbeat! (dh will need some convincing )