Did anyone have an attended birth, but not with a midwife?

[KaylaBeanie]

I was thinking the other day, in theory, a woman married/partnered to an OB/GYN, family practice doctor, etc. could have a homebirth with the husband/partner being the one attending. If I recall correctly, EMTs are also trained to catch babies. Now, it'd be pretty unlikely that a doctor would want to attend a homebirth, and it would have to be unofficial and a natural birth obviously, but it got me thinking. Don't doctors still attend births at home in some places? I thought I remembered that there was a practice in Chicago where that happened...

[Fujiko]

Oh, this should be interesting!

The only anecdote I've ever heard is that the main doctor at the medical clinic our family goes to had homebirths with her kids. My HCP (not the aforementioned doc) told me that her water broke at work, so she put on some Depends, finished her day, went home, and had her baby! I don't know if she was attended by a midwife or an assistant, though.

[thefreckledmama]

There used to be a doctor who attended home births in the St. Louis area, Dr. Duhart. I believe he passed away earlier this year, or last.

My MIL who is an RN has mentioned an RN in her office "attending" his wife for the births of a few of his children.

I think that while some medical professionals would attend home births for their wives, daughters, etc., more than likely the majority would actually be more inclined to want a hospital/birth center birth, as they tend to "believe" in the system more, kwim?

I know I'm seriously generalizing, but from medical professionals I've personally known, that seems to be the trend.

[lilbsmama]

My OB attends home births, and only home births. He *will* *not* attend a birth in the hospital, period. I believe he is the only OB in the state of NC who does this. I love him!

[7thDaughter]

I was flummoxed when the CNM at my homebirth midwifery service asked me if an OB could come to my house & observe my 2nd child's birth. This was 13 years ago in Cincinnati. The woman OB/GYN had never seen an unmedicated birth! It confirmed all my fears about ignorant doctors, that this woman doctor had never even witnessed a normal birth.

I said I'd think about it -- having powerful negative feelings about inviting strangers into the experience, which I wanted to keep private and intimate. How would she react, would she try to take over and start treating me like I was in the Hospital??? I trusted my CNM and her colleague, a direct-entry midwife who had attended my 1st birth. Wonderful women both.

In the end I never had to say no, because before my next appt I popped 7 days early, and my midwives came, and it was wonderful without the OB/GYN.

[kawa kamuri]

Five weeks ago my daughter was born at home and in the water. The OB that lilbsmama mentioned was in attendance. It was lovely and perfect.

[lilbsmama]

Originally Posted by kawa kamuri

Five weeks ago my daughter was born at home and in the water. The OB that lilbsmama mentioned was in attendance. It was lovely and perfect.

CONGRATULATIONS!

[Belle]

I think Martha Sears had a homebirth with only her husband in attendance. After the birth he was bragging that he delivered the baby and she corrected him "I delievered the baby"

[Vespertina]

Originally Posted by lilbsmama

My OB attends home births, and only home births. He *will* *not* attend a birth in the hospital, period. I believe he is the only OB in the state of NC who does this. I love him!

Really? That is somethin'. How cool. Where in NC are you?

[pampered_mom]

The practice in the Chicago area that does it is HomeFirst.

[Carson]

DH is an EMT and baby catching is a very minor part of his training. He also doesn't have any equipment at home. If we were not having a midwife in attendance, I would consider it a UC. If an emergency happens while we are birthing, we will have to call 911.

[jljeppson]

My parents had a friend that was a chiro (I used to babysit for his kids) that had assisted his wife with all their babies. The only time they got close to delivering at a hospital was with their last and her mom was there and freaked out so they agreed to go. She delivered against a wall in the parking lot and they just packed up and went home. I talked to him once (no midwives were we lived and was looking for someone) and he mentioned how each time she would go into labor he would skim through his birth book real quick while she'd be asking him to hurry up so she can push.

[lilbsmama]

Originally Posted by Semper Gumby

Really? That is somethin'. How cool. Where in NC are you?

I'm from Rutherfordton, about an hour from Asheville. My OB is located in Asheville.

[jljeppson]

If only he was willing to travel and give seminars!

[lilbsmama]

I wish there were many more like him to go around for everyone else. He is truly rare!

[lilmamabrown]

hmmmm

I've also wondered about this!! I have a good friend who is a chiro and her husband is an MD (anathesiologist). In our state cnm's are illegal but cpms are the gray area. she said she had asked him about having him "deliver" her at home and he said if anyone found out he'd be "black balled" by the medical community here. i suppose they could just do an oops story and say they didn't take the baby in to the hospital bc he's an md so he checked them out....

[fairydoula]

Originally Posted by KaylaBeanie

I was thinking the other day, in theory, a woman married/partnered to an OB/GYN, family practice doctor, etc. could have a homebirth with the husband/partner being the one attending. If I recall correctly, EMTs are also trained to catch babies. Now, it'd be pretty unlikely that a doctor would want to attend a homebirth, and it would have to be unofficial and a natural birth obviously, but it got me thinking. Don't doctors still attend births at home in some places? I thought I remembered that there was a practice in Chicago where that happened...

I don't know that it relates to what you're asking, exactly, but I am an EMT and have been for a long time, although I do not work in that field. I had my last two unassisted at home, the first unintentionally, the midwife was late by over an hour, and the second on purpose. I was attended by my husband both times, who was well versed on what to do if I was unable to respond i.e. faint or unconscious, bleeding and not responding properly, etc. We were 5-7 minutes away from the hospital, so I felt comfortable with our framework for managing emergencies. I'm also a midwife student, currently on hold due to having to work full time to provide for my family, benefits, med/dental insurance etc.

[dinahx]

Originally Posted by lilbsmama

I'm from Rutherfordton, about an hour from Asheville. My OB is located in Asheville.

That is who I am using too!

[jenfl]

Originally Posted by thefreckledmama

I think that while some medical professionals would attend home births for their wives, daughters, etc., more than likely the majority would actually be more inclined to want a hospital/birth center birth, as they tend to "believe" in the system more, kwim?

I know I'm seriously generalizing, but from medical professionals I've personally known, that seems to be the trend.

I've actually found the opposite to be true in a lot of cases. My DH is a Trauma/ER nurse, and he's the one who proposed a homebirth. The midwives I've used have mentioned that a number of their clients are in the medical profession. A lot of doctors/nurses understand that the norm in their field is that you can't treat patients individually, because of the volume and public health concerns.

In DH's nurse training, delivery and care of a newborn was a very, very minor part. If he were the only one around, he could handle the most life-threatening cases (i.e., he knows resuscitation), but his training wouldn't help him to help me in labor. We would consider it a UC if it were just us.

[pamamidwife]

Sometimes I see those trained medically (EMTs, paramedics, nurses) tend to be wayyy interventive in birth since they rarely see anything hands off.

I cringed once watching a UC video where the sister (and RN) of the father was invited and she proceeded to vigorously suction this beautiful, healthy sweet baby with a bulb syringe. It was so antithesis to what UC is.