Prenatal Care?

[love4bob]

Did you have prenatal care with your planned UC? I think that I am going to be seen at a birthing center here, but I really want a home birth. Home birth is illegal here, so I don't know what to do. I am confident that I can have a UC, but I still want prenatal care.

[zapzipzee]

I have prenatal care. I do it myself. I make sure I eat right (I have a nutrition analysis program on my computer), I do weekly urinalysis (package of 50 so I might as well), my DH measures my fundal height and takes my BP. I also listen to the baby's heart now that we can hear it with the fetal scope.

Good Luck!

[love4bob]

Thanks! I think I would feel a lot better about a UC if I did have care from someone. That way I KNOW everything is OK, and I could always have the option to birth at the center. I just don't know if they would be supportive.

[Illiana]

i have medicaid so OBs are paid for me. I just don't plan on telling them that I"m planning a UC. Just means that I'm stuck doing all the dumb tests they "require" to be done. But He is at least NCB friendly in case I freak out and go to the hospital last minute. and so he knows my history ect in case i need to transfer.

[Lucy&Jude'sMama]

I'm having prenatal care through nurse-midwifes. They can deliver at a hospital but not in a home setting. I went to them with my daughter and my favorite one delivered Lucy.

I was planning to tell them about my plans to UC, but I've had so much negativity from people outside of my close family and friends (all very supportive! thank god!) that I think I'll be keeping that tidbit of information to myself. I'm super emotional (5 months preggo with a boy... with Lucy I was happy all the time) anyways so I don't think I can handle any more negativity about how I want to give birth to my child.

[crittersmom]

I had prenatal care last time.Most of it wasn't very helpful to me but it prob. made getting the birth cert. easy and since DH is military it def. made it easier for him.This time I am planning a HB but if the MW doesn't get here in time I'm fine and told her so.I just want the prenatal care in case I need to show up at a hospital it'll hopefully make things smoother.

[AllieFaye]

For this pg (and the previous one,) I've had chiropractic prenatal care which has been wonderful. I get to decide what I want. She can do virtually everything that an ob would do short of vaginal exams (which I'd refuse anyway.) She has a scale, urine strips, blood pressure cuff, listens to the heartbeat, etc. Plus, I get the Webster technique, comfort measures (try getting that at an ob!) and emotional support. I can't imagine going back to an ob after this experience. I don't understand why this isn't the standard. She doesn't do any deliveries, obviously, but then I want UC. It was no problem in my state having her letter as proof of pregnancy, but that may not be true in every location.

[mommycrunch]

Since My doc has NOTHING to do with the delivery, I plan on letting him know that I will delivery at home w/out a doctor and if something goes wrong, then be taken to the hospital.
I only have to go to the OB once a trimester!

[Ottbabies]

I waited until I was 25 weeks to go see and OB and then I had wished I would have waited longer lol, the only "tests" I wanted was the blood panel, pap & group B strep. I declined EVERYTHING else. Oh and 1 U/S at around 33 weeks. I have switched providers about 3 times now because although I plan on UC'ing I want the practice to be people I am comfortable with in case I do transfer. I am currently seeing CNM's at an OB practice.

Next time I think I will just continue to check my BP, Urine etc at home on my own and start seeing an OB at 30 weeks or so. Unless of course there is any indication to me that something is wrong and I need to see a doctor earlier.

[zoebird]

i think it's a great idea to have prenatal care with the birth center. if you choose to go in, you have care for the birth, if you choose to stay home, you UC and say it happened faster than you thought.

a friend of mine had two UCs--both unplanned. the first she was going to the birth center and gave birth within 5 minutes of arriving (didnt' even get to her room), and the second happened at home (planned home birth) but the midwife didn't arrive until 30 minutes after the baby did. he came fast, her third.

anyway, it's all good.

[SublimeBirthGirl]

I did it all myself. I wouldn't do it any other way, but I know that a lot of women feel more comfortable with someone else watching over things. For me it was very low stress, not having to worry about trying to refuse things and having to fight with someone over them.

[mariekitt24]

Originally Posted by AllieFaye

For this pg (and the previous one,) I've had chiropractic prenatal care which has been wonderful. I get to decide what I want. She can do virtually everything that an ob would do short of vaginal exams (which I'd refuse anyway.) She has a scale, urine strips, blood pressure cuff, listens to the heartbeat, etc. Plus, I get the Webster technique, comfort messures (try getting that at an ob!) and emotional support. I can't imagine going back to an ob after this experience. I don't understand why this isn't the standard. She doesn't do any deliveries, obviously, but then I want UC. It was no problem in my state having her letter as proof of pregnancy, but that may not be true in every location.

that sounds great! do regular chiropractors do that or do you have to find some sort of specialist? what sort of things like "proof of pregnancy" do we need in order to get the birth certificate anyway?

[shepremiers]

Originally Posted by mariekitt24

that sounds great! do regular chiropractors do that or do you have to find some sort of specialist? what sort of things like "proof of pregnancy" do we need in order to get the birth certificate anyway?

[Illiana]

http://www.homebirth-usa.org/baby/birth-cert.html

This has a list of the states and the requirements to get birth certificate for each. For example here is the listing for my state.

Obtaining a Birth Certificate in Louisiana

Regulations:

* The birth must be registered within fifteen days in the parish where the baby was born. (RS 40:44)
o There is a local registrar in each parish, in the office of public health; in Orleans Parish, you shoudl register directly with the state registrar (504-219-4500). (RS 40:37)
* Out-of-hospital births may be registered by a physician, midwife, birth attendant, or parent. (RS 40:45)

Beyond this, the law is very vague. However, the following requirements were provided by McMandy (MotheringDotCommune, 3-11-08) based on her experience:

* Proof of Pregnancy: a statement from a Louisiana licensed midwife or physician stating:
o The date the mother was first seen by the doctor or midwife (this date
may be after the date of birth).
o The results of the mother’s prenatal or postpartum exams or pregnancy
tests.
o The date of the mother’s last menstrual period
o The date the baby was born, or was expected to be born (due date)
* Child's Information (one of the following):
o A Statement from the child’s pediatrician or Health Care Provider
o A Baptismal or Christening Record
o Child’s Immunization Record
o A Copy of the Child’s Health or life Insurance Policy
* Photo Identification of parents: either
o Louisiana Drivers license,
o Louisiana Identification card, or
o Passport
* Proof of Louisiana Residency (at the time of birth): either
o Utility statement or bill, or
o Lease

[MittensKittens]

If you don't want to do your own prenatal care, there is absolutely no reason why you could not have prenatals with a midwife at a birthing center, or anywhere else! Having prenatal care records does make registering your birth so much easier, and you can even say that you had an accidental UC, if you don't want all the hassle. If you feel the need to go to the birthing center for whatever reason during labor, doing prenatal care there also makes that a loss less complicated! Good luck!

[AllieFaye]

I just needed a letter for my state. I didn't go to a regular chiropractor, but one who I knew would be okay with UC and prenatal care. Plus, not all chiros do the Webster technique.

[MidwifeMegan444]

I've been seeing a midwife who is also supportive of UC. It's been a great relationship. I am also a midwifery student so I have access to a variety of resources to learn about what tests/technology/etc.,I want to be exposed to. When I decided on UC I knew I would still want the care of a midwife prenatally. I feel so lucky to have found a midwife supportive of my choices!

[tammyswanson]

With our first, I went to my first check up at 4 months, did the prenatal care stuff, but had preterm labor at 5 months. The next appt after that, they didn't even check me for dialation, so I figured, why waste time? I stopped going at 32 weeks anyway and had a UC at home.

This current one I'm doing no care, because I'd be declining everything anyway. Just trying to eat right, get enough sleep, drinking rrl tea. Already go the birthing pool, birth ball ready, have to test it and make sure we know how to get it all set up before hand this time.

[LilMamiBella]

I'm having prenatal care with a midwife who knows about the UC. She has been awesome about it. I wanted her especially so I could have the records and so I could get the ultrasound.

[mitintraining]

I have been trying to figure out what to do this time around. I had an OB for DS1(disaster), and a CNM at a hospital for DS2 and DD1 for both prenatal and birthing. DS4 was an unplanned UC after a very short labor, but I had prenatal care with a hospital CNM. DD2 was a planned HB with a CPM, I did have prenatal care up to 30 weeks with the hospital CNM, but then moved out of state and found the CPM at 35 weeks. I am 24 weeks preggo and trying to decide what to do. I am planning a UC and the CPM I used last time is a 2 hr round trip for prenatal appts. I have thought about getting shadow care from a hospital CNM here, but I am really worried. I decline all testing, the only thing I do is BP, fundal height and listen to the heartbeat(I do everything except heartbeat checks at home anyway). The problem is I do not know any of the ones around here and I am and have been measuring over 6 weeks ahead this whole time. I could be off on dates, or have twins. I really do not want to go in and have them freak out, especially since I feel fine! (just big) I feel like a stranger in a strange place and I also do not want to deal with not supportive staff members or comments about my family size. I didn't have shadow care with my CPM for my last birth and it didn't bother me at all. I think I am just getting worried about the idea that if I need to transfer no one will know me!