S/O: If you could have a "homebirth in the hospital," would you? - Page 3

[Mama~Love]

No. It's not the same at ALL. You need a totally different mentality at home than you do at the hospital.

[Mainstream Hippie]

I have a access to a great freestanding birth center.

I still am choosing to have my baby at home.

The reasons include: decreases the likelihood of travel during labor (instead of 100% chance, lower to whatever my chance of transfer is), my body is already familiar with my germies and not with whatever germies might be elsewhere- hospital or birth center, my kids are here and are comfortable here, if my kids get overwhelmed by the birth they can just go upstairs to play or get on the computer, no travel after the birth unless I have transfered- I get to just chill out and not worry about check out in 4 hours or in days, all my stuff is here so no worries I will forget to pack something.

There is just no way to have a truly HOME birth outside of the home. That said, birth outside of the home can rock. My favorite part of my daughter's birth was getting the "babymoon meal" after the birth- steak and lobster and sides, dessert, drink, etc, served to me and my hubby, with my new baby right there. Didn't happen after my homebirth.

I did find with my out-of-home birth that during the 20 minute car ride, I only had maybe 3 contractions, and they were all very managable. I guess the stress of travel sandbagged my labor? Probably good, as I was 9cm when triaged. And to think, I was worried I would have to go home because I was less than 5cm.

[kalirush]

That basically sounds like a good FSBC, and yes, if I had the option, I would probably choose that over homebirth. I would definitely have picked that with my daughter and saved myself some heartache, too- I didn't know much about hb the first time around, but I was totally used to the concept of midwife-run FSBC.

My house is tiny and drafty and messy. I would love to have a nice warm place with a tub already there and ready to be filled with warm water. I mean, I'm planning on giving birth here this time, but I'm not super stoked about here as the venue.

[cileag]

I also did "It depends" mainly because I live in an apartment and if the hospital had the double whirlpool etc, I might consider it. However, working in a hospital makes me skeptical of it being a possibility--however, I will suspend disbelief and pretend it really would work out in the best way possible, and in that case, I'd give it a shot.

[Goatriffic]

I didn't read all the responses but I voted no. I don't want to go anywhere during labor. I want to be in my home, with my bed and my shower. I don't want to have to come home from the hosptial either. And I know that if I'd been in a hospital last time I would have asked for drugs or an epidural. My last labor was pretty short but really intense for some reason and at home I didn't have that option, and I'm really glad I didn't.

Even though I don't think I'd choose that for myself I wish it were an option for all the women who want a natural birth but feel more comfortable in the hospital.

[Romana]

ABSOLUTELY. The only thing homebirth has on the hospital (if I can have my "homebirth in the hospital" experience) is not having to drive home afterwards and avoiding exposure to germs at the hospital. And what does the hospital have on the home? NICU, neonatal resuscitation experts, c/s and other emergency assistance available faster, anesthesia if needed or desired. There are lots of things that make hospital birth safer that I would love to have access to.

I have no problem with giving birth in a hotel-like room as long as I can bring the stuff I want (including food, kids, husband, doula, birth pool, etc.). In fact, I might be more relaxed at the hospital in some ways, because then I wouldn't feel like I had to cook during labor or clean my house for the midwives when I can't sleep at 2 a.m. as I'm just going into labor, etc. If I could get the respect and treatment I wanted at the hospital, along with being able to bring the amenities I desire, I would totally birth at the hospital rather than at home.

[JosieAK]

I hear you, Romana. I don't have a jacuzzi at my house either. I'm happy to note, though, psycologically, that even though this is a best case, idealized senerio, I still see it as a toss up with car ride in labor, whatever hospital protocols apply, etc. weighing in against quick access to emergency equipment. I'm glad that I'm so settled in my heart that even hypothetically switching to a hospital is a tough call.

Hmm, in thinking about it, I hope this doesn't make me a very selfish, risky person--as many, I know ALREADY think I am. Currently, I can look at a hospital's many risky proceedures and feel like I am saving myself and my baby from a road towards more interventions and an unnecessary C-section. When that threat is taken away, does my choice to stay home show that I'm just stubborn and selfish? Ugh. I need to go back to sorting through fears and emotions about homebirth. Do you ever really get through them? I don't want a stalled labor due to hang-ups over homebirth.

[jrabbit]

Josie, During my last hb, I asked myself repeatedly "why do I have to be so stubborn? why can't I just be like everyone else and do this like "normal" people?" I remember vividly, curled up in the tub, wincing with every contraction, trying to figure out what in the world was I thinking!!???

I also begged for drugs and a c-section - at home, right there in the bathtub, actually. But, if someone has suggested "seriously" that we could just go to the hospital for that, I probably would have killed them. NEVER once did I "really" want to go to the hospital.

**that** is NORMAL. You are not being selfish to want to do this.
You absolutely CAN do this.

The reality is, however, that birth is very personal, and there is no single "right" way to do it. We have to choose what is right for ourself and our situation.

--janis

[JosieAK]

Thanks, Janis. I needed that.

[ErinBird]

No, I truly believe that home is the best place for me to birth after a low risk pregnancy. I'm more comfortable there and that element is crucial to a successful labor.

[Belleweather]

Originally Posted by barefootpoetry

If you could have all the great things about homebirth at your disposal in the hospital, would you birth there? Total privacy, no machinery, no strangers, no interventions pushed on you, continuous one-on-one care, a pool, a big comfy bed, allowed to do what you want, etc. etc.? Dream up the most awesome hospital birth you can think of and tell me if you would choose that over home. I will give my own answer in a bit!

I don't think that you CAN. Yeah, you can bring whatever you want to the hospital, but that doesn't make it your home. I had a great FSBC birth with my first with privacy, a team I know, great care, no interventions, a big comfy bed and the whole kit and caboodle and still chose a homebirth for my second. I loved the feeling that I didn't have to move, I was in my own safe space and that anything that I wanted -- from new PJs to the baby blankie that I carried with me when I was a kid -- was right there. My own food, my own sheets, my own everything. No way you can get that in a hospital.

[k13]

No because of what everyone already said. Home is home! We have a nice birth center here, and I still choose to be at home!

[claddaghmom]

Originally Posted by barefootpoetry

If you could have all the great things about homebirth at your disposal in the hospital, would you birth there? Total privacy, no machinery, no strangers, no interventions pushed on you, continuous one-on-one care, a pool, a big comfy bed, allowed to do what you want, etc. etc.? Dream up the most awesome hospital birth you can think of and tell me if you would choose that over home. I will give my own answer in a bit!

mrsa.

[Full Heart]

Nope, part of the glory of hb is not having to go somewhere in labor or shortly afterward. And its still not my house. I want MY bed and MY sofa and MY tv and MY kitchen. Its still not hb.

[AstridS]

Originally Posted by Romana9+2

ABSOLUTELY. The only thing homebirth has on the hospital (if I can have my "homebirth in the hospital" experience) is not having to drive home afterwards and avoiding exposure to germs at the hospital. And what does the hospital have on the home? NICU, neonatal resuscitation experts, c/s and other emergency assistance available faster, anesthesia if needed or desired. There are lots of things that make hospital birth safer that I would love to have access to.

I really have to disagree that thinks like c/s and anasthesia makes (normal, low risk) birth safer. A lot of studies show, that for low risk birth, access to the things you mention is actually making birth less safe. All medical procedures have risks.

[thismama]

I have had a natural hospital birth with great attendants, and a homebirth with the same attendants. You simply cannot have a homebirth in the hospital, it is different in many ways even if it is as good as it can be. I would go homebirth all the way.

[lucifugous]

Originally Posted by barefootpoetry

If you could have all the great things about homebirth at your disposal in the hospital, would you birth there? Total privacy, no machinery, no strangers, no interventions pushed on you, continuous one-on-one care, a pool, a big comfy bed, allowed to do what you want, etc. etc.? Dream up the most awesome hospital birth you can think of and tell me if you would choose that over home. I will give my own answer in a bit!

That's called a birthing center! Well no exactly but pretty much. If I was in a state that had freestanding birth centers, it would definitely be an option!

[barefootpoetry]

Originally Posted by lucifugous

That's called a birthing center! Well no exactly but pretty much. If I was in a state that had freestanding birth centers, it would definitely be an option!

Yes, but what I'm suggesting isn't freestanding. This would be within a hospital.

[groovynaturemama]

i voted no. a hospital has way more germs than my house does, even with all of my dogs! i also want to climb into my own bed after the birth and go to sleep. i can't have my own bed in the hospital. i won't go there unless the baby or i need it.

[rhiandmoi]

Yes, because if you want to transfer for pain control, or if you end up needing some other intervention you would already be at the hospital. They would just wheel in whatever machine you needed, or worst case scenario you just get on the gurney and roll over to the OR. I think the one thing most people are forgetting is that just like if you're at the mall and you start to feel like you're in labor you go home and hunker down. Instead you would go to the birth suite as soon as you felt like you were in labor. So you wouldn't be travelling while you were in transition. You'd already be in the birthing suite. Some hospitals are starting to go to more hands off births but it requires a lot more nurses so it costs more.