New to this UC thing, have a few questions...

[fezinafelina]

Hello everyone
I'm a coastie wife in Key West FL expecting my third baby in August.
There is a de-facto ban on VBAC at the only hospital anywhere close to us and no midwives practicing in my area so we have been doing allot of research and weighing our limited options.
Instead of trying to force a VBAC at the local hospital by refusing surgery my husband and I have decided to just plan for a UC at home.
I'm looking for good how-to/instructional books on UC, I've ordered Emergency Birth already but any and all recommendations would be much appreciated

I also have a few questions:
-I'm RH- and my husband is RH+, how do I handle that without giving birth at the hospital?
My OB will give me the first shot at 20+ weeks but I don't know how to go about getting the second since I will no longer be her patient by the time I give birth.
AND
-What should I do if I test positive for GBS?

I've had one VB in the hospital and one "emergency" c-section so all I have experience with is the medical side of birth. TIA for pointing me in the right direction

[wrappedupmama]

I did a lot of reading before my UC, but the most comprehensive books I found were Holistic Midwifery 1 & 2. The first covers pregnancy and prenatal care, the second covers everything birth.

If you want the shot you can simply go to the hospital after the birth and say "oops the birth happened too fast and I didn't make it, but I need this shot." Just stop by the ER and have your husband wait with the baby in the waiting room. If the baby isn't admitted, then you have a much easier time getting released. Once they have a newborn in the hospital, they don't like to let it go home right away, so try to avoid admitting the baby if you don't want a long hospital visit.

-Or instead-

You can also keep getting prenatal care from your current OB if you'd like. Then after the birth you can call their office and ask to make an appointment to get the shot. If they ask you to go to the hospital, you can just decline and say "no thanks, everyone is healthy and doing just fine so there is no need to go now that the big event is over with."

As far as GBS there are a lot of different options. Some people do Hibiclens washes, garlic, choose to not worry about it, etc. Research online and search for past threads here on MDC. There have been lots of good discussions on this in the past.

Good luck and happy birthing!

[jessica_anne010]

Originally Posted by fezinafelina

I also have a few questions:
-I'm RH- and my husband is RH+, how do I handle that without giving birth at the hospital?
My OB will give me the first shot at 20+ weeks but I don't know how to go about getting the second since I will no longer be her patient by the time I give birth.

After my birth center birth almost 3 yrs ago, my mom took me to the local ER (left baby and dad at home, didn't want to take any chances). I explained that I'd had my baby at a birth center and they didn't have the shot available, so I needed it. I got a LOT of very confused looks. lol But eventually got the shot. I plan on doing the same thing this time.

Just an FYI, I usually refuse the during pregnancy shot as it still contains mercury and I see no need to expose my baby in utero. (We don't vax.)

[iluvmy4girls]

Just as an FYI, You only need the rhogam shot if baby is +. You can buy a kit and test blood from the cord of the placenta. This is the card that we used. (I didn't buy it from this place, but it gives a good explanation)

http://www.craigmedical.com/Blood_typing_kit.htm

[jessica_anne010]

Originally Posted by iluvmy4girls

Just as an FYI, You only need the rhogam shot if baby is +. You can buy a kit and test blood from the cord of the placenta. This is the card that we used. (I didn't buy it from this place, but it gives a good explanation)

http://www.craigmedical.com/Blood_typing_kit.htm

Crap, I meant to mention that, but I forgot. lol Some of the midwives that I've talked to have also mentioned that you should buy three of those kits, do 2, if you get the same answer that your good, but if they don't agree do the third and see what it says. They are apparently somewhat notorious for being wrong. I find that really scary personally, but as far as I know there isn't any other way to easily get your child's blood typed. I got mine from BirthWithLove.com.

Good luck!