Home, Birth Center, or Hosp?

[SuzyLee]

We had W. at a very natural, crunchy hospital. It was an unmedicated waterbirth with my amazing CNM. I had no issues with it at all.

However...... My water broke, I was immeadiately in active labor, I was in transition and puking as we arrived at the hosp (30 min drive) and the whole things was only 3.5 hours from start to finish. So that freaks me out since I will probably go even faster with #2.

There is an awesome new birth center here, but it is more like 45 min away with traffic. I would pick it hands down if it wasn't so far.

Homebirth is an option, except that DH will take a lot of convincing, and frankly, the cost is an issue. DH just got laid off and my insurance will cover all of a hospital birth, but very little of a homebirth.

Anyone want to advise me? Anyone facing similar decisions? I feel like I need to decide quickly so that I can start prenatal care somewhere.

[busymama77]

I love my OB and I loved my experience that I had at the hospital that we chose, so that's what we will go with when baby #2 is ready to enter this world.

[theretohere]

I've had a natural hospital birth and a homebirth- and I can honestly say barring medical necessity I'll stick to homebirthing now.

Also- my first labor was 4 hours and my second was 12- so it doesn't always go quicker.

[HippieChristianMum]

I have never given birth in a hospital, so I don't have that to compare to, but I personally have loved both of my homebirths (one homebirth and one home water birth), and will continue with that unless circumstances prevent it. We have had to pay about $1,300 for each pregnancy/birth, but to me it is way worth it for the quality of care we received from our midwife (I did have an ob back-up during my first pregnancy, and was always disappointed with how they treated me during visits). We our midwife.

My midwife lives about 2 1/2 hours away, but my first birth was 19 hours, and my second was 15 hours. No real worries there.

[Robynee]

I am still trying to figure out my options. DS1 was breech and a scheduled c-section. DS2 was a hospital vbac.

My first choice this time around would be a homebirth, but it is out of the financial question and our HMO won't touch it. The three hospitals within a 40 minute driving range have a vbac ban. One had a midwife that was going against policy (she's awesome) but now her job has been threatened and she really can't anymore. The two birth centers in the state won't deliver vbac's.

That leaves me the hospital where I had my other two. It's a little further, but I can go to my IL's and labor there for awhile if I need to be closer. I have really mixed feelings the hospital's policies though. The midwife I saw regularly during my last pregnancy isn't there anymore, and I refuse to see the other one in the practice. Even though I really liked my midwife, I could tell she had the Dr. standing over her shoulder during my labor. I ended up with an epidural after 20+ hours of active labor, AROM, and being stuck to the bed with continual monitoring. A UC sounds better all the time. (Though Dh would have a heart attack.)

I have an appt. with my PCP next month. I was told by one of the nurse's at my midwife's office that he was very "midwife-like". He is a family practitioner, but I'm not 100% sure he will take on a vbac patient.
I have awhile before I make a decision.

[Longhorn]

We're going to a birthing center. I'm taking a tour of it in 2 weeks and I'm sure I'll love it. My OB is the only OB in Austin that is allowed to have CM in her practice, but they can't deliver. Plus we all know the lovely odds of getting your actual doctor when you deliver in an hospital. Haha. So a birthing center suites us perfectly.

[Eco_Ma]

After an awful hospital birth I am going to opt for a homebirth!! :

[DocsNemesis]

Hospital for me, unfortunately.

I've had a whole range of experiences though. My first was hospital with OB. Second was hospital with CNM. Third was birth center with lay midwives. Fourth was a homebirth with those same midwives. My last one was supposed to be another homebirth but ended up being hospital with perinatologists I didnt know.

Because I had a cesarean with my last one, I'm having this one in the hospital and I'm probably using an OB? Not sure yet. But I'm trying for a VBAC.

[altbirthservices]

My first two were highly interventive hospital births, my third was a homebirth transport (but completely intervention free) and my last was born at home.

Baring a medical reason, we will be having this baby at home as well.

[2sweetgrrls]

I've had one very hands off, wonderful standalone birth center birth, and one homebirth-turned-hospital birth that was pretty horrific all around--this baby will either be another standalone birth center birth, or a homebirth, I'm not even close to deciding just yet. What's NOT on the table as an option is a planned hospital birth.

[whozeyermamma]

Hospital. DD was a hospital birth (epidural, pitocin, vacuum - but still a lovely experience.) Still, I'm aiming for natural this time for a variety of reasons.

None of the midwives near me take my insurance and we can't afford it otherwise. BUT I found a doc who I really like and her practice is the one that supports the midwives and they are super crunchy. They also deliver at a hospital that has water births is very supportive of natural childbirth and has one of the lowest c-section rates in the state. (A good sign, methinks.)

[Kikelet]

I have a few options. The first that DP and I like the most is a homebirth in our apartment. Because I'm a doula, I heard from many moms about a fantastic midwife in our city. I'm calling her tomorrow to see if she's available.

With the homebirth, we unsure about the location. Our apartment management is probably NOT OK with a water birth in a 3rd floor apartment, so the other option is to give birth in my parents giant jacuzzi tub. That would also involve staying at their house for about a day and having our first family bed experience be in their bed. I don't know how I feel about that.

The second option is a hospital birth in the "Birth Center" section with my midwife. They have a neat contract that you have to sign that includes things like "I will try to avoid any unnecessary interventions, I will room in with my baby, I will plan to breastfeed, etc etc. Every statement of the contract would be in my birth plan anyway! I was really impressed.

I also absolutely LOVE my OBGYN. He has recently been in a documentary about natural births and home birth, advocating for women and choices. He has already said that he's be my back-up doctor if we decide to either have a homebirth, or birth with the midwives at the hospital. I told him that even though I know he would support my choices for birth, the midwives ultimately have better policies like allowing options like longer labor times and non-continuous fetal monitoring. I feel that despite his efforts, he has to abide by hospital policies, too. He totally agreed with me and is being awesome about the whole thing!

Oh decisions.

[1babysmom]

Aww, what a tough situation! Totally understand the homebirth cost thing, we ran into that with DD1 and it prevented us from a homebirth (it would have cost us thousands more than a hospital birth, and we just didn't have that). We're having a UC again this time, but if we weren't I'd be stuck with a hospital birth as well...the nearest BC is an hour away.

[HippieChristianMum]

Originally Posted by Kikelet

With the homebirth, we unsure about the location. Our apartment management is probably NOT OK with a water birth in a 3rd floor apartment, so the other option is to give birth in my parents giant jacuzzi tub. That would also involve staying at their house for about a day and having our first family bed experience be in their bed. I don't know how I feel about that.

Kikelet, this is actually what I have done for both of my labors, and what we will do for this little one, too. When my dd was born, I was in a duplex apartment, and it was small and I just didn't want to be laboring there. So, we went to my mom and step-dad's house, and everyone had plenty of space (in attendance were me and dh, my sil who took photos and acted as doula, my mom, my midwife, and my former-midwife aunt; everyone else (step-dad, in-laws) was in the house but not in my birthing space). I did labor some in their jacuzzi tub but ended up birthing her on my mom and step-dad's bed. Same story not quite 2 years later with my ds (though we actually lived in our own home by then), though he was actually born in the jacuzzi. After each of my babies were born, our new little family stayed at my parent's house for about the first week.

I didn't think I would like it so much, but it was actually really nice, because my mom fielded all of the calls and visitors, and me and dh were able to rest and love on our new baby, with meals taken care of .

[ishyfishie]

I had a natural, low-intervention hospital birth with my dd that was fine until after delivery...the hospital stay was awful! I know if we have to do it again, we'll at least know better and be more confident in insisting/demanding/refusing the things that really upset us, but the thought of another hospital stay sends my anxiety level soaring.

We're planning a homebirth this time, since the only local midwife who attends homebirths is practicing again! She was on hiatus when I was pregnant with dd. I'm very excited! It took some discussion to get dh on board but he's very supportive of it. My mom lives upstairs and is somewhat skeptical, and dh's family doesn't know yet. I'm not sure what their reactions will be, but so far they've been supportive of all of our "alternative" choices even if they wouldn't necessarily make the same ones, lol, so hopefully that will carry over.

[jennydecki]

Hospital twice, this time we're going homebirth. (I don't know if I'm doing waterbirth yet)

[Danielle13]

homebirth last time, and home water maybe lotus birth this time (hopefully the water part)

I think that the only thing I'd have a hosp birth for would be placenta previa or transverse. I'd consider it for footling breech. Not for twins, not for huge baby and not for butt first breach

Just have to find a mw. I really liked my last midwife in the prenatals. But she doesn't have any kids and was not empathetic during my birth. I thought I was the only one, but then my mom said something about it this weekend so I decided I'd probubly have to go another route. Which is very stressful because my friend is using her on my rec. *sigh* I'm sure I'll figure it out.

[SuzyLee]

Well, DH just got laid off, so paying OOP for a homebirth is definitely not happening. I am ok with that though. I have decided to go with the midwife I used last time and do another hosp. waterbirth. We will likely check out AMA after a few hours though, and head home. That is my compromise.

[sharr610]

I just called my midwife today and am so excited to try for my HBAC. She was just so chill and cool about everything, like, we were just going to hang out again and she was going to take my blood pressure and listen to my heart while we have coffee.

Sigh. Homebirth, even if it goes to a hospital, ROCKS and is worth every penny, in my opinion, but you gotta click with your midwife. I like mine because she is only like 5 years older. i've met some that are my mom's age and I just can't do that...I like feeling like I just have a friend who is qualified to help me birth a healthy babe.

[megamomma]

Need midwife and OB/GYN in Richmond, VA

Originally Posted by Kikelet

I have a few options. The first that DP and I like the most is a homebirth in our apartment. Because I'm a doula, I heard from many moms about a fantastic midwife in our city. I'm calling her tomorrow to see if she's available.

With the homebirth, we unsure about the location. Our apartment management is probably NOT OK with a water birth in a 3rd floor apartment, so the other option is to give birth in my parents giant jacuzzi tub. That would also involve staying at their house for about a day and having our first family bed experience be in their bed. I don't know how I feel about that.

The second option is a hospital birth in the "Birth Center" section with my midwife. They have a neat contract that you have to sign that includes things like "I will try to avoid any unnecessary interventions, I will room in with my baby, I will plan to breastfeed, etc etc. Every statement of the contract would be in my birth plan anyway! I was really impressed.

I also absolutely LOVE my OBGYN. He has recently been in a documentary about natural births and home birth, advocating for women and choices. He has already said that he's be my back-up doctor if we decide to either have a homebirth, or birth with the midwives at the hospital. I told him that even though I know he would support my choices for birth, the midwives ultimately have better policies like allowing options like longer labor times and non-continuous fetal monitoring. I feel that despite his efforts, he has to abide by hospital policies, too. He totally agreed with me and is being awesome about the whole thing!

Oh decisions.

Hi, I'm trying to pick a midwife in Richmond b/c I want to have a homebirth/natural childbirth. Learning that not all OB/GYNs support it, and seems some of the midwives only work with a selected OB/GYN. Wondering, who is your OB/GYN? Who is your midwife?

Thanks for any info.