looking for water birth in hospital setting NJ - Page 2

[lfranz]

Happy New Year everyone!
I agree it is not to late! In fact, as pregnancy progresses, you get more educated about it and you connect to your body in a different way, changing your mind about a lot of things is just part of it! Keep an open mind, trust your senses and go for it!

[jlanda]

Originally Posted by heatherdeg

A friend here in town just drove an hour to birth at Hackettstown and was beyond thrilled with the experience. Her son had some issues that required transfer to another hospital (I think Morristown) but she has nothing bad to say about the whole thing.

I know she's on here, but not sure how frequently she's here lately (with a newborn!). Also not sure if she did water birth...

HTH

You meant me, right?

Yep, super busy with the little guy, but now he takes short naps on the My Brest Friend pillow and gives me occasional typing time

But yes, I really did love Hackettstown and the H. Midwives. I switched to them rather late, like at 35 weeks! I decided by that time that I didn't want to fight for the birth I wanted at Overlook and would rather go for the waterbirth I have been wanting since I heard about it when I was a kid (I know, weird thing to decide as a kid!) I do swear that if I had been at Overlook, I probably would have wound up with a c section because the labor was very long and I became exhausted at the end and wasn't sure if I was going to be able to push DS out.

Lisa was very patient and intent on letting me birth my way. I intended to go for the waterbirth, but for some odd reason, every time I got in the water my labor stalled. I wound up birthing on the bed, but Lisa had me in all different positions. Even if I didn't birth in the water, I felt accomplished and proud of the birth. Lisa did recommend pitocin at the end to help with pushing, and did state that interventions can be helpful if used for the RIGHT reasons. It wound up saving me because I was able to push the little guy out with the added boost.

I only had two small tears in front and no epi. DS was just about 8 lbs. I'm really glad I switched even as late as I did. My only regret in it all was that I didn't go to them sooner. They spend an hour with you during your prenatal visits, were very thorough, and actually paid attention to you rather than rushing you out.

I really liked the hospital. At the beginning, one nurse asked if I would be wanting pain meds, saying that they had to ask at least once or they'd get in trouble. I of course refused (though 35 hours with back labor, and this was my first, was no picnic.) The only other time it was brought up was near the 24 hour mark when one nurse was really concerned and asked if I was sure I didn't want anything because "you're in so much pain!" And I was, but I had good support (wonderful doula and a husband that wished he was sitting in the waiting room waiting for word, he was pretty traumatized LOL!)

I guess the worst part was when DS stopped breathing 30 minutes after he was born (he had trouble ejecting the fluid in his lungs and even though they kept suctioning, he was still having trouble.) It's a rare thing that seems to be called "lung whiteout" where basically an xray shows white lungs because of the fluid. People I know tried to inadvertently blame me for it with the long labor or because of the attempted waterbirth (which I didn't have so HA on them for trying to blame me!) or any other various reasons, but I saw a show on TLC where a woman with a scheduled c section wound up with a baby with the same thing.

That was the most awful thing, that he was transported and I couldn't even be with him the first night. My greatest moment of my life (and a wonderful natural high like I've never known before) turned into nearly the worst, but the staff got him stabilized (and Dr. Chi really did set us at ease). My only beef was when one nurse showed me how to use the hospital pump. my nipple went in crooked and she turned the thing up high. I had never pumped before and after that, I couldn't bear to pump again all night. The whole mess with the NICU and beyond has left me with a still messed up breastfeeding relationship.

I'm assuming that if all went well, we would have had a wonderful night because they expect you to room in with your baby. Hubby had a bed to spend the night in and they do take care of you. It's a small, quiet hospital 5 minutes from a state park that was nice to visit after my prenatals. I do highly recommend it, but be aware that it's always possible the baby could wind up being transported to morristown should something go awry (they don't have a NICU there.)

But yes, I highly recommend it! Maybe next time I'll actually get that waterbirth!

[dlm194]

Originally Posted by jlanda

I guess the worst part was when DS stopped breathing 30 minutes after he was born (he had trouble ejecting the fluid in his lungs and even though they kept suctioning, he was still having trouble.) It's a rare thing that seems to be called "lung whiteout" where basically an xray shows white lungs because of the fluid. People I know tried to inadvertently blame me for it with the long labor or because of the attempted waterbirth (which I didn't have so HA on them for trying to blame me!) or any other various reasons, but I saw a show on TLC where a woman with a scheduled c section wound up with a baby with the same thing.

What???!!!! Sorry... but I have to comment here. That's insane that people would try to blame you for that over your labor. Fluid like that is more likely to happen when you have a c-section because the baby does not get squeezed through the birth canal. I'm not a medical profession but I would think that it would have been much WORSE if your baby had been a c-section.

Kinda silly that Hackettstown has to ask you about pain meds. Chances are you are using midwives to avoid pain meds. When I was having my 2nd baby (different hospital), the anesthesiologist walked into my room by mistake. She took one look at my midwife and did a very fact 180 and just said to call her if we needed her.

[dlm194]

Originally Posted by Amandala

Just curious... if your due date is a bit over a month away, is it too late to switch to a different midwife group and hospital?

It's too late to switch after the baby arrives. You can switch right up until you are in labor if you want.

I will say though that there is no substitute for being well informed about labor, birth, interventions, etc no matter who you use. I used midwives for my first birth (not Hackettstown; I used a group that is now defunct) and still wound up with every intervention in the book until my baby came via c-section. I was pretty much set up for c-section upon arrival at the hospital. I think the midwife on call that day was pretty much at the end of her midwifery career (patience-wise not age-wise). I thought she was using intervention judiciously with since she was a midwife (but I *do* agree that there is judicious use of intervention as long as you are properly informed). The Hackettstown midwives induced a woman on A Baby Story because she was "tired of being pregnant." If that wasn't bad enough, the baby had a brow presentation and the midwife went on a couple times about how a first time mom couldn't do that and would have had a c-section. She did this ON camera. Way to instill confidence in first time moms!!! In general I've heard good things about them. I have a friend who had 2 awesome water births with them and a friend who had a c-section for ftp. So just be as educated as you can be and ask lots of questions!!

[jlanda]

Yeah, it was FIL that got it into my husband's head that it must have been the long labor that caused the problem. I told my husband to explain to me in scientific terms how DS could have wound up with a lung infection during labor, especially when the baby hadn't taken his first breath until he was out and already born! When he realized there was no factual basis behind it, he realized his father was wrong.

I did see that Baby Story with the induction LOL Right before my own birth! But I always go into things with the most education I possibly can have (because I get bitten in the butt when I don't, wish I would have researched breastfeeding problems BEFORE all heck broke loose, maybe would have fixed it so I wouldn't be STILL having issues 3 months later ...) My midwife suggested, as time was wearing on and I was beginning to lose strength, that perhaps a pain relief/labor restart would help so I could get rest, but I feared epidurals and pitocin so much I refused and insisted on fighting on to the bitter end. When she suggested pit at the end to help push, I said, "look, I can't take any more pain than I'm already in" but she said that since the cervix was already dilated, it wouldn't be painful, and actually she was right, or I was such a damn mess by then I didn't feel anything extra LOL!

When I transferred from my OBGYN group, I read through my medical records and came across a sheet I refused to sign. It was a sheet authorizing all sorts of interventions (some very questionable) in one bulk package, cytotec, pit, you name it, they listed it, and gave no section to refuse certain ones. You either signed off on it or you didn't, and I said to the nurse that expected me to sign it "I don't agree to any of this" and she did say it was no big deal, to not sign it if I wasn't comfortable. But man, talk about dodging a bullet! Again, education is of utmost importance no matter who you go with.

Some friends and family members get bothered by the fact that every time they suggest something I come up with factual reasons why I won't do it. I had one close family member tell me "You read too much, it's not good!" Of course she comes from the angle of "you do what your doctor tells you." Yeah, thanks, but doctors are humans, not God, and I feel if you don't research recommendations, procedures, and medications for yourself, you're doing yourself a disservice. I'm not saying to go into every doctor interaction looking for and starting a fight, but at least educate yourself on what's being recommended. My husband started cholesterol medication on the quick advice of a doctor he had seen once and only went to for a physical. I told him to research first but he immediately started the drugs, then felt awful in a fog for the days he was on it. After I showed him side effects and further information, he stopped. BTW the high cholesterol reading occurred because it was the day after Thanksgiving and he wasn't even fasting for the blood test :

[Taryn237]

I used Hackettstown with DS and ended up being induced and had an unnecessary c/s The other girl in my Bradley who went to them ended up with a c/s too. Since they practice so closely under the doctors there they are a bit too medical once you hit 42 weeks. Just be willing to refuse and you should be fine. I didn't do enough research first and stupidly agreed to the induction. Lisa was attending and I really really feel like she just gave up on me. I was 5-6 cm. after cervidil and pit, baby was fine, he was -3 still, my water had just broken.... but she started saying things like "You have to think about whether or not this baby is going to come out of your vagina." "I'd stay and labor with you all night but you'll be so tired if you end up having a c/s in the morning after all." She mentioned a c/s and left us to talk about it but when she came back and we consented she said the OB was already on her way... I really think she just wanted to get home. DS was born at 6:52 on a Sunday night. ALSO, she did not stay in the room with me. I was under the impression that they would stay. Instead she popped in for about 5 min. every 2 hours.

And then at my postpartum check Cindy said "I thought something was wrong since his head was still so high at 41 weeks" but she never mentioned that to me. Never recommended chiropractic or trying to get him into a good position, etc. It took me a long long long time to get over DSs birth. Once I have this VBAC baby I think I'll finally be healed from it.

(I am going with different midwives this time, Pam & Louise, out of Pennington)

[dlm194]

Originally Posted by Taryn237

I used Hackettstown with DS and ended up being induced and had an unnecessary c/s The other girl in my Bradley who went to them ended up with a c/s too.

I was wondering if you would chime in. Your story should raise a red flag. “Failure to progress” is a fairly bogus reason for a c-section, especially when mom and baby are doing fine. To have a c-section with a midwife for “failure to progress” is crazy. Any midwife can seem great for a pregnancy and delivery that follows “textbook” but the truly great midwives can get you through complications or issues that arise which veer away from “normal.” I still think women need to educate themselves on birth but a good midwife should be guiding that. Interventions are not all bad but you should feel absolutely comfortable that everything else was tried first. I had 3 midwives in my old group. Only 1 talked to me about using EPO and raspberry leaf tea. She also suggested the possibility of using EPO vaginally if I got to my due date. But when push came to shove and I hit my due date, she wouldn’t tell me what to do. I had assumed she would instruct me on using EPO if necessary and when I asked her, she gave me odd reasons about why I shouldn’t. Instead, the group scheduled me for an induction at 42 weeks. I frantically tried to get my labor started (which I did!) and arrived at the hospital too soon. They reasoned that I was 3 days away from a scheduled induction and resorted to intervention right away rather than encouraging my natural labor or sending me home. At the time of my 1st baby’s birth, there were positive reviews on here of that group. The problem is that you don’t know ahead of time how your pregnancy and deliver will proceed. Had I known then what I know now, I would have had a homebirth. My 2nd birth had a pretty clear case of labor dystocia again but this time we waited it out. Baby and I were doing okay so there was no need to intervene. I think the best thing you can do is ask a lot of questions, read up a lot about birth and plan to be in control!!!

[HinesMaMa]

Edited by HinesMaMa - 12/23/12 at 10:43pm

[Amandala]

It's great to see all these reviews of different kinds of birth at Hackettstown with the midwives there. I really wish somebody would have posted some stuff like this about Palisades and the Childbirth Center midwives in the post I made asking about that

All this talk of doing your research is starting to make me really nervous...we've done so little of that, we don't even know where to start. We procrastinated too long and now haven't been able to find any childbirth classes that we can take in the next few weeks, so we haven't taken a childbirth class. And it's really hard to find out what you need to know when you don't know what you're going to need to know! If anyone could suggest some reading materials and places where my husband and I could find some information - especially where HE could find information about what HE's going to need to know and do and what he can do to help - I would appreciate it SO MUCH.

35 weeks...getting pretty nervous, now!

[dlm194]

The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin - it's a VERY complete book detailing labor, delivery, what to expect and how your dh can help you.

As far as understanding options, interventions, etc, read The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer.

I started the hypnobabies homestudy course at 35 weeks. The woman who oversees the homestudy sent me info on how to fast track through the course. (When I purchased it, she asked for my due date and sent me back personalized information on completing the course).

[jlanda]

Originally Posted by Amandala

All this talk of doing your research is starting to make me really nervous...we've done so little of that, we don't even know where to start.

If at all possible, get yourself a doula that's consistent with your beliefs (for example, I wanted absolutely no epidural because they scare the crap out of me and my doula was just fine with keeping me away from them.) I have to add that much to all of this, because when my midwife would recommend something, I would cross-check with my doula, more to see if that's what I said I was okay with before my brain went to laborland. After my experience, I would never give birth without a doula. She's there for you and your needs above all.

[alla7619]

Water Birth at Hackettstown

Hi all,

I delivered my first baby on 12/8/08 at Hackettstown hospital. The whole experience with Hackettstown midwives was just amazing. I don't know how to thank all of them to this day!!! Even though I was planning for a water birth, I had to step out of the jacuzzi... b/c I couldn't dilate to 100% even after 30 hours of long labor. Roxy administered the right dosage of pitocin and she helped me out manually too. Water labor was much much better than just laboring outside of water. Water is a very powerful pain management techinique. The one thing that I regret about that I didn't hire my acupuncturist (many studies show that acupuncture during labor can speed up the progress and if a woman desires, she can also have acupuncture for pain relief). Hopefully, you wont' need to go through the same. Lisa was there during my early labor, but Roxy was with me almost all the time. I also had Teresa Fisher (who was our childbirth educator) to be my doula. Teresa was also wonderful!!! My boy was also bit - 8lbs 12ounces and I didn't tear besides not bringing an acupuncturist I wouldn't change a single thing about my labor/delivery Besides, girls, you can't really plan it, you can prepare as much as you can, but you don't really know in advance how it'll go. I will use Hackettstown midwives in the future even though it takes us 1 hour to get there (we live in Glen Rock, Bergen county).

All the best to everybody and congrats!!!

[alla7619]

Materials

I read all the magazines about pregnancy/birth that came my way... Also, I highly recommend Teresa Fischer's childbirth course: http://www.yourownbirth.com/

They recommend Ina May's Guide to Childbirth on the course, but I didn't really like it. I liked "The Baby Book" by dr Sears more

[alla7619]

I'm sorry, I meant "The Birth Book" by dr. Sears in my previous reply. I read their "The Baby Book" right now

[alla7619]

I don't know why, but for some reason I didn't click with Lisa's personality, but Roxy was my choice! She's not pushy at all, very friendly, I would say motherly I tried so many birthing positions during my pushing stage and she was very very patient. Teresa and Roxy helped me so much!!! My boy was born after 32 hours of labor and 3 hours of pushing with 10 on the Apgar score. He had no sigh of distress during labor/delivery. Both Teresa and Roxy admitted that if I gave birth at any other locations they would've diagnosed me with a FTP and section then.

I switched to the practice on my 26-28 week (don't remember exactly) and I also regretted that I didn't switch earlier!!! All three of them sat down with me for about an hour during each prenatal visit, answered all of my numerous questions and made my concerns disappear.

I was also "overdue" by 10 days when I went into labor, but you really need to count 40 weeks from the ovulation date (thus i think it's normal to go up to 42nd week). I tried different natural techniques to induce myself. On my last prenatal visit I had a normal non-stress test and Cindy recommended to have primrose oil taken orally and vaginally (I wasn't dilated or effaced by even 1%). So, on 12/5/08 I had my primrose oil taken, then on 12/06/08, I ate spicy foods (though I think spicy foods is BS, but at least I tried...), walked a lot (probably more than 2 hours), but I walked almost every day (for about 30-40 min) during my pregnancy and had another session of prenatal yoga. During childbirth courses/prenatal visits they also recommend to have sex especially after 37 weeks, since male sperm has a hormone that softens the cervix. I went into labor on 12/06 in the evening and my baby was born on 12/08/08.

[curious4ans]

I gave birth at Mountainside hospital. They had a "laboring tub" however, my son arrived faster than anticipated and caused the hospital to rewrite policy...

[Tigress42]

Hello everyone! I am a mom-to-be in Warren County, NJ. I am mearing the end of week 30 and I have decided I would like to have a water birth, possibly in my own home. Does anyone know midwives who would do a home water birth? or if not, could someone give me more details about the Hackettstown midwives and hospital? I would really appreciate it! Thanks! :)

[*GreenMama*]

Hi Tigress!  Check out Jessica Lawlor.  She was totally on board with my home waterbirth!  http://www.newjerseyhomebirth.com/
 

[budwana birth]

Jessica is amazing, I love Dina Aurichio too. Hackettstown Midwives are out of Midwives are out of Morristown Hospital now and they do water birth there. dr. Judy Banks also does water birth at Morristown. Good luck!

[katniss]

We just took an amazing childbirth class with Teresa Fischer (yourownbirth) and felt really prepared for our natural birth at home. We took the class with three other couples who were all having their baby with Judy Ann Hagan CNM (www.babycatcher.com) and everyone has had a great experience. I can't say enough good things about Teresa and our experience with Judy! Our birth was wonderful...