homebirthers tribe - Page 2

[FiveLittleMonkeys]

We are planning for homebirth #2, and are very excited about it. I'm currently having some placenta location issues, but feel confident that it will move well before the baby arrives.

We've met with our midwife for two appointments, and really like her.

Our first two were born in a birthing center, #3 in a military hospital, #4 at home.

[durafemina]

nice to see we've got a good little tribe going here

[haren.13]

Count me in, too! This is our second baby, first home birth. I am also seeing a CNM in an OB practice as my unofficial backup. I have had 2 ultrasounds already (one at 7 weeks to date the pregnancy and one last week for a strong pain I've been having), and so far everything looks good an no reason I'll risk out I was hoping to avoid unnecessary ultrasounds, but the pain was getting worse and I wanted to make sure there wasn't anything wrong with the baby. Last time I was slightly high risk due to a uterine anomoly but since I have gone full term once already I'm pretty sure I'm not considered high risk this time

[KimProbable]

Originally Posted by Angelorum

I watched the 20/20 segment on orgasmic birth, but where/how did you all see the full documentary, I thought the 20/20 segment was pretty well done and definitely interesting.

I watched the film through a local screening. On their website (orgasmicbirth.com) you can look up local screenings or host one.

[aricha]

Third birth, third homebirth planned (fourth birth and homebirth for my hubby).

I'm planning to try hypno-birthing this time. Also planning to do pre-natal yoga because my current job (consultant) is much less active than the one I had the last two times around (gymnastics coach!)

[Miss April]

I have been piecing together in my mind how (and when) I am supposed to interview baby docs/peds? I highly doubt I'll be vaxing (and definitely no circ if it's a boy), and I don't want some jerk who is going to look down on me and put my baby through unneeded tests because I had a home birth.

My midwife had one that she reccomends, but she's not taking new patients :

Any mamas have any thoughts/advice for me?

[durafemina]

my mw does all the baby checks etc until 6 weeks. we don't vax, circ, etc so felt no need to see a Dr. when it was easy for us to see that dd was growing/developing normally. If she had ever gotten sick we would have taken her to our family dr. or the hospital.

[DahliaRW]

Originally Posted by Miss April

I have been piecing together in my mind how (and when) I am supposed to interview baby docs/peds? I highly doubt I'll be vaxing (and definitely no circ if it's a boy), and I don't want some jerk who is going to look down on me and put my baby through unneeded tests because I had a home birth.

My midwife had one that she reccomends, but she's not taking new patients :

Any mamas have any thoughts/advice for me?

I still take my kiddos to a mainstream ped (found him with ds1 who I had at the hospital and hadn't figured out things like no-vax yet, we didn't circ though). He's ok with not vaxing. He didn't bat an eye when I said I homebirthed ds2, just asked if I had an attendent and I told him a liscenced midwife (I think he may have been concerned with a UC). I think I am his only patient that doesn't hospital birth. Point being, not all doctors care. And if you're really worried go to an ND. I'm seriously thinking of switching, especially since one of my midwives is an ND!

[Quindin]

I had my obstetrician appointment today.
Even though I am having a homebirth with midwives, here in my county you need to see the OBGyn at the hospital at least once.
I did not want to go because they bullied me so badly last time, saying how dangerous homebirth was for me and that I was not being responsible.
Well, they did not bully me, but did insist that my baby and myself were at risk - it didi not matter that neither my midiwife nor I are concerned, and that I have done my homework! DH said I should have asked them about the cases of mutant bacteria in UK hospitals in the past few years when they kept insisting the hospital is the "safest"

So
I just smiled, said that I would not reconsider it and then she gave up.

If it were not the many pregnancies I have had, they would have used my weight to say homebirth is not for me, and if not that, something else.

I am glad it is done and over with.

[eli's mama]

This is my 3rd pregnancy and 3rd HB. Right now I'm debating going to a regular OB to get bloodwork done, but that is proving more difficult than I'd hoped. Anyway, I'm debating whether to look into hypnobirthing or just go with the flow as I have previously.
Miss April: Our ped is surprisingly fine with HB. We don't vax or circ either, and the whole office is just great. My midwife recommended the office, maybe yours has a suggestion too?

[dogmom327]

Originally Posted by Miss April

I have been piecing together in my mind how (and when) I am supposed to interview baby docs/peds? I highly doubt I'll be vaxing (and definitely no circ if it's a boy), and I don't want some jerk who is going to look down on me and put my baby through unneeded tests because I had a home birth.

My midwife had one that she reccomends, but she's not taking new patients :

Any mamas have any thoughts/advice for me?

You've still got time. See if she has a waiting list and then honestly, if your name doesn't come up by the time the baby gets here, wait it out. I personally don't think it's worth going to a doc that stresses you out by looking down on you or arguing with you (unless of course your baby is actually sick--I'm thinking routine WBV here).

Also, you could try posting over in the Finding Your Tribe area. They may have suggestions.

[DahliaRW]

So I FINALLY heard the heartbeat yesterday! I have a tipped uterus, and have never heard it prior to 14 weeks. SO I was fine waiting until my 16 week appointment yesterday. Silly baby decided to run away from the doppler and hide down at the bottom and back of my uterus, so it took forever and I was starting to panic and get ready to request an u/s. Then the MW FINALLY found it, very faint from the baby's position, but it was there! The other good thing is that ds1 has been insisting I'm pregnant with twins, but I'm measuring right on and I figure with that much trouble finding the hb there is no way. I think he just WANTS twins.

[mamaveggie]

Originally Posted by DahliaRW

So I FINALLY heard the heartbeat yesterday! I have a tipped uterus, and have never heard it prior to 14 weeks. SO I was fine waiting until my 16 week appointment yesterday. Silly baby decided to run away from the doppler and hide down at the bottom and back of my uterus, so it took forever and I was starting to panic and get ready to request an u/s. Then the MW FINALLY found it, very faint from the baby's position, but it was there! The other good thing is that ds1 has been insisting I'm pregnant with twins, but I'm measuring right on and I figure with that much trouble finding the hb there is no way. I think he just WANTS twins.

: We heard ours on monday, so i know what you mean about waiting. At my appointment my mw asked if I wanted her to do any bloodwork and I was wondering what everyone here is doing. I'm not seeing an ob at all and she has the access to have the labs run. She gave me a huge pile of papers to read through about it but I haven't gotten around to it. I also filled out my paperwork and we are declining the GBS and the eye goop. I got the list of things to gather up from around the house and the list for the baby and I am so tempted to round everything up now. I don't think I'll wash any of the baby's things quite yet, but it might be nice to check it all off.

[Angelorum]

I did bloodwork, and while I think they ran all the standard tests (honestly I'm not even sure what they all are) my midwife was primarily wanting to know what my iron levels were, we didn't even talk about any of the screening tests they probably ran, as neither of us feels they are necessary or worthwhile.

[dogmom327]

Ultrasound Today

I'm having an ultrasound in a couple of hours. I'm so torn. On one hand, I'm trying to be excited because we get to see our baby today. But on the other hand I'm scared. Scared they'll find something that could be something or not and I'll end up spending the rest of my pregnancy worrying. I'm also nervous because up to this point, I've had a hard time believing we are having another child and it's about to become very very real. Likely we'll even know if it's a boy or girl.

I'd rather skip the whole thing but it's really important to DH and I let him almost nothing in relation to the pregnancy so I'm doing this for him.

Ugh. I'll be back in a few hours to update.

[MOMYS]

Hoping for my 3rd HB (this is my 6th pregnancy). Here in Ontario the midwives can only do a home delivery after 37 weeks and since I've had 3 babies before 37 weeks before (1 at 36 weeks; 1 at 35 weeks, 4 days and one at 35 weeks, 1 day - all fine with no medical issues), I'm not to sure if it is going to happen.

BUT dh and I are seriously considering an UC, anyway!

[Reha]

That is too bad that 37 weeks is the cut off mark in Ontario. My son was a planned UC and he was born at 36.5 weeks. (And he too was perfectly healthy.)

Here in Oregon, its legal for midwives to attend homebirths as early as 35 weeks.

[rjruiz_415]

Originally Posted by mamaveggie

At my appointment my mw asked if I wanted her to do any bloodwork and I was wondering what everyone here is doing.

I am planning a UC, but I did go in to get bloodwork done ONLY because I am RH-. I don't really think the routine stuff is really needed. Isnt it just to check iron levels and HIV status and what not?

[dogmom327]

Back from the ultrasound. Baby had his/her legs crossed so we have didn't learn the gender. We do however seem to have a very healthy baby on target for his/her dates. I'm a little disappointed and I don't know why. I originally wanted a surprise.

[aricha]

Originally Posted by Miss April

My midwife had one that she reccomends, but she's not taking new patients :

Any mamas have any thoughts/advice for me?

When we lived in CA, we were required to take our homebirthed babies to the pediatrician within 5 days of the birth... We took them to a ped for the first check-up, then ended up with another one the few times we went for illnesses or the rare well-baby checks we actually made it to. Perhaps the ped your midwife recommended would at least agree to the first check-up? That way you at least don't start getting harrassed until you're feeling a little stronger, and maybe it will give you some more time to find a pediatrician you are happy with? If you end up finding one before the birth, you can always switch.

We also opted for our youngest to go to a naturopath for her 3-day-old check up... in CA he had to work with an osteopath who signed off on the records, but in VT a naturopath is considered a "real doctor." Anyway, my sense would be that a naturopath, if that is an option for you, would tend to be supportive of homebirth, no vax, no circ, etc, etc.

Since we have other kids, we are lucky to have already found a pediatrician we like. Thank goodness, because I remember your stress! Good luck!