anyone have Hospital birth w/o interventions? - Page 3

[~Boudicca~]

Me.

And they followed my birth plan to a T.

[momoftworedheads]

I really think you have to be open with your practioner about the type of birth you want. Write everything out, give them a copy, the nurses a copy. I think as long as the lines of communication are open between you and your practioners, you can have the typr of birth which you seek.

With my last birth, I wrote out everything, down to not bathing the baby,where to get the diapers from if they needed one (we bring our own to the hospital - cloth). I plan on staying 12 hours after this birth (in a hospital) and my Dr is fine with it. He knows that this is going to be as intervention-free as possible. The only thing I really have to do for this practice is be monitored for 30 mins when I first get there.

Good luck!

Jen

[laohaire]

Originally Posted by mamatoady

I have an experienced doula coming with me who vows to stand up strong for my birth plan and knows the nurses at this hospital as well as my doctor.

Just as a heads-up, standing up to the doctors and nurses is not part of a doula's job, nor should it be. If your doula thinks it is part of her job, this might not turn out as intended.

And on the "how could you possibly get an AROM you don't want" question, most of the stories with AROM I've heard of, it was done without their knowledge or permission. Most of women who have described it didn't object per se, even after the fact, but just described the doctor just doing his thing without telling them what he was doing or why or getting permission. So it's entirely possible - and extremely common, it seems - to consent to a cervical check and end up with AROM.

[laerhk]

My first birth was identical to gurumama, except I was at the beginning of true labor (3-4 cm dialated). I LOVED my CNM, who happened to work in an office with her OB Husband. After the initial strip, I was left alone to do whatever, no i.v., no nothing. My second birth wasn't as fun (different area of the state, practictioner, hospital), but I had a doula with me and she made it soooo much better!

[russsk]

I had an intervention free birth with a CNM at a hospital. No IV, no meds, I was able to move where/when I wanted, etc. Labored in the tub, but DS didn't want to be born in water, apparently. I was prepared to stand up for myself if necessary, but I never had to make a peep. Everyone respected my wishes.

[SandraS]

Originally Posted by alegna

Right. It's bad here. Learned recently of a mom a couple years back who exceeded the "time limit" on pushing and was wheeled into OR for a section screaming I DO NOT CONSENT. Then as punishment they kidnapped her baby to NICU claiming he was going to die (when nothing in fact was wrong)

-Angela

That devastates me. It's stories like these that scare people from hospitals (not that I think you have to birth there - given my druthers, I wouldn't have, but hubby really took issue with home birth - if God gives me #5, we will not be wasting the gas, I assure you!). I really think if one finds a good OB who is very comfortable and confident in his or her's hospital procedures, a birth in those facilities can be wonderful. I hope someday that's the rule and not the exception.

[philomom]

Originally Posted by ~Boudicca~

Me.

And they followed my birth plan to a T.

Yep. Same here.

CNM at hospital, Bradley trained hubby... arriving already 9 centimeters gone both times. No interventions of any kind. Just me, naked and pacing.. the midwife occasionally slipping up to me with the doptone. No biggie. All the baby checking was done with the baby on my body, we delayed cord clamping. I nursed right away. I was home 12-14 hours later and back in my own bed. A truly joyous experience both times.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by SandraS

That devastates me. It's stories like these that scare people from hospitals (not that I think you have to birth there - given my druthers, I wouldn't have, but hubby really took issue with home birth - if God gives me #5, we will not be wasting the gas, I assure you!). I really think if one finds a good OB who is very comfortable and confident in his or her's hospital procedures, a birth in those facilities can be wonderful. I hope someday that's the rule and not the exception.

It depends on politics where you are (hospital/medical, not government) You would not be able to have what you describe in any hospital in this city.

-Angela

[badgerbaby]

I had what I consider to be an intervention-free hospital birth with my first dc at the hospital- even with a 43 hour labor!
The only "intervention" I had was AROM, by MY request after about 39 hours of labor. That was what it took for me to finally get fully dilated and pushing. I definitely don't regret it. (I also had my midwife AROM at my last birth, which was a home birth).
But, back to the hospital, the midwives left me alone, checked me maybe a total of 3 times in the 20 hours I labored in the hospital, all by my request. I was free to eat and drink, move around in the tub, bed, ball, use the squat bar to push baby out. I did not have an IV or anything attached to me. I had intermittent monitoring with a doppler, never had the strap on my belly. They didn't even do a urine/blood draw on me when I got there. I did not have pitocin to expel placenta, or an episiotomy. My midwife stitched up a tear afterward and I accepted a local anestetic for that.
It can be done, with the right hospital and the right caregiver. I was glad to have the midwife I had on duty (I saw a group of 3). There was one I know would have been pushing me to have pitocin to speed up the labor.
I had a very thorough birth plan and a very supportive husband to coach me along.
Good luck with your decision!

[buckeye_bebe]

I didn't have an intervention-free hospital birth as some might define interventions, but mine was really a great experience in terms of what they did to me/for me/at me. At home I had a seizure and uncontrollable fever, so I got punted to the hospital in an ambulance. They started an IV enrt, but at the hospital I was already in hard labor and ready to deliver. All I got was some 02 and they "tried" to put on the fetal monitor but was not able to place it optimally. The only other "intervention" I got was a nurse trying hard to massage and stretch the perineum because I was tearing pretty bad. She was trying to support the area and applying counter-pressure with the palms while trying to massage with the thumbs. After all was said and done, I got stitched up, another intervention I guess. No meds, no c-section. During the pushing part, there were some sticky moments and the nurses told me what was going on and helped to position me, which involved a lot of weird and rotated positions. Since they were able to see and feel the position of my daughter, they were in a good spot to suggest how my body should go to get her out. All I could feel was that I needed to push, I couldn't tell how she was oriented. It was like yoga during birth.

But honestly, the baby was coming so fast and I was largely incommunicative because I was post-tictal, that there wasn't time for any interventions save for a crash c-section.

Good luck to you though.

[columbusmomma]

I had a great experience at the hospital with DD. Had a CNM,doula,no IV, no continous monitoring, walked around,ate,got in and out of the tub, no meds, no episitomy. My birth plan was followed to the T! I did push lying down on my back though, my choice. I was going to use a stool or try squatting, buy I felt so exhausted that lying on my back was nice(BUT only between contractions when I wasn't pushing).

[MegBoz]

Originally Posted by SandraS

Why didn't you refuse the AROM and stuff? NO is an easy word!

I could be wrong, but it sounds as though you're somewhat blaming Mom's for inteventions they didn't want. If so, I think that's wrong & very unfair.

because... It's just not that easy.

Originally Posted by SandraS

I guess I just can't wrap my head around a bunch of people physically having to force, with great effort, my legs apart and doing AROM or cervical checks.

Perhaps you don't read many birth stories? As already noted, AROM is often done without even telling the mom let alone obtaining permission first.

I also just read a birth story from here in Baltimore of a mom who was a UC transfer. For some crazy reason when the OB on call did a VE, he wouldn't remove his hand. Then he inserted a finger into her rectum as well & left both there while she pushed - despite her screaming for him to remove them.

But putting aside those stories where "NO" is blatently ignored, um... women in labor are kinda vulnerable!! It's hard to argue. Particularly if you must do so repeatedly. I can imagine you might just be worn down & just "Cave in." Labor takes a bit of effort & energy to say the least!

So, I can see how a mom could lack enough energy to argue! How many times can a woman in pain lacking adequate non-phramacological pain relief methods (i.e. no bathtubs) continue to say 'no' to repeated offers of an epidural?

How long can a mom continue to say - PARTICULARLLY when they are "playing the dead baby card." Think about it - Moms being pressured to have CEFM (To be sure baby is safe), Vacuum if pushing is going too long (& pressing on poor baby's head), ABTs for GBS (one of my CNMs gave me a lecture on that & I didn't even say I was going to decline! Just questoined it.)

& finally, I've also heard stories of women, even in homebirth, who literally couldn't speak and articulate their needs. They just couldn't form sentences & communicate their needs. Or they could verbally speak, but somehow felt a disconnect in their ability to articulate their needs.

So, I implore you, please realize it's so much more complicated than "Just say no! You too can have a perfect natural birth in a hospital." & stop blaming the victims.
I'm not saying it's NOT possible to have a perfect natural birth in a hospital, but it takes a LOT of work - and it's much more complex than "Just say no." & even with all the right preparation, sometimes it still doesn't work out (doctors misrepresent themselves. etc.)

P.S. Personally, I was 100% mentally lucid! So *I* could have EASILY not only refused any unwanted interventions, but entered into a debate about each intervention & quoted stats! But I think I'm probably the exception, rather than the rule - both in how lucid I was, plus I'm way more hard-headed than the average human. So I realize it's just not as simple as "just say no."

[claddaghmom]

my aunt has, 8 times. she just got another positive so keep your fingers crossed.

ive heard her birth stories and i know i would never get a birth like that in the hospitals around here.