Who's having a hospital birth (and looking forward to it!?)

[Carolyn R]

Just wondered how many of us are planning a hospital birth, and are actually looking forward to it rather than dreading it?

My story is a bit convoluted, but I'll try to make it concise.

     Birth #1 Water broke at 32 weeks, baby obviously born in hospital

     Birth #2 Homebirth with wonderful midwife. Baby girl stillborn.

     Birth #3 Induced hospital birth (no pain meds or epi) b/c of pre-eclampsia, midwife also attended

     Birth #4 Homebirth with same midwife; also attended by our family doc

Which brings us to this pregnancy. In the almost-three years since our last child was born, our midwife has retired. After all we've been through together, I am quite certain she would have provided care for me, but I felt awkward asking for special treatment. We have remained friend over the years, and I'm thinking of seeing if she would do some post-partum visits.

After our stillbirth, we began seeing a family doctor in a close-by community. He's the same age as my husband and I, and all three of his own children were born at home (attended by the same midwife we used). He's very natural and hands-off, while still being thorough and objective, if that makes sense. When my third pregnancy needed medical management, he did so in a very respectful, conservative way. Our hospital experience was first-rate. It's a small hospital, and the nurses were totally on board with our doctor's way of thinking. I truly felt like I had a "natural birth".

With our fourth pregnancy, both my midwife and doc were at our homebirth. I was very grateful to have some extra hands, as our daughter was over 10 lbs and was "wedged" in the birth canal, for lack of a more scientific term. Crowning was excruciatingly slow; they quickly repositioned me and got her delivered. She was very blue and floppy for the first few minutes and required resuscitation. Very frightening to watch, especially after having been through a loss.

And so, when I found out I was pregnant this time, I felt in my heart as if the hospital was an appropriate choice for us. It sounds strange, but I'm actually really excited for it, knowing what a wonderful experience we had last time.

Anyone else care to share your story?

[AlexisT]

I don't know about looking forward, but I'm okay with it. I never dreamed of a home birth so it's not that, and I know it would be a terrible idea for me--I just had a really bad experience with my first. I had preeclampsia that was not caught as soon as it should have been (OB did not monitor me aggressively despite very high BP) and needed an emergency C without ever going into labor. I did it in a very badly run hospital, and it was traumatic.

My OB has okayed me for TOLAC but neither of us think my BP is going to behave (it's already looking a bit suspicious) and I need to be prepared for a repeat C and possibly an early-term one. I don't think she's being unsupportive; I think it's just an uncomfortable truth, and there was a study showing that expectant management of high BP at term had higher morbidity than delivery at 37 weeks. That's really what I'm not looking forward to; if I really thought I was going to have a VBAC, I could look forward to doing it at a hospital I like with an OB I trust, because I think this experience will be much better than my first.

[livacreature]

I'm pretty darned excited at this point.

I'm a bit anxious about hospitals because I spent about six years as a frequent flyer with my sick dad and the idea of being a patient in one makes me squimish.  BUT, the maternity floor is rather different than the oncology floor and my doctors have really been wonderful.  My endo team will come during the labor if we're having trouble controlling things ourselves and they always have someone on call for after to help me adjust and get sorted out.  My OB is very comfortable with t1 diabetes and said that she doesn't believe in intervening unless it is necessary.  I will be monitored very closely at the end, and decisions about c-sections and inductions will be made after we discuss the risks and benefits.  She was very open that she feels a c-section is major surgury and shouldn't be entered into lightly.  I also like that the hospital is a five minute drive from my house, so if everything goes smoothly and according to plan, (ha) I can labor at home for a while without stressing about traffic, etc.  If I do deliver prematurely, they have a great NICU, my friend who is a doula has had nothing but positive things to say about the unit. 

I'm feeling confident about the decision, I know I would be a nervous wreck to not go in a hospital.  In my ideal mind's eye, things might be different, but that doesn't detract from my excitment about all of this.

[MN BabyDust]

This is my first pregnancy and I chose a hospital birth right off the bat - I know I would be too nervous at home. I'm having my regular family doc deliver. She is really open and supportive to whatever choices I make, so I think it will be a good experience. We're also having a doula support us so that we have another person to help out if nurses or anyone else tries to mess with my birth plan unnecessarily. I'm hoping the doula can help to make it is natural as possible, though I haven't ruled out certain things like epidurals. I'm just trying to keep an open mind on everything, knowing I might need to be flexible.

And I'm just excited for the typical birth situation, cheesy as it is.  The photos of the three of us in the hospital with me looking haggard, family sitting in the waiting room anxious to see us, that drive home where my husband and I will probably be saying, " Oh sh**! We have an infant that is all our responsibility! Now what?!?"   Plus my husband works at the hospital so I think it will be fun to be able to show off our little one to his co-workers.

[akind1]

excited, no? resigned yes. my first baby was a c-section post failed induction (well, I got to 7 cm and 80 % effaced, after 26 hours) now I know DS's head was asynclintic or however that is spelled - at anyrate, it wasn't aligned properly.

In our area, HBACs if not out-and-out illegal (for the attending midwife) are strongly discouraged and good luck finding a midwife willing to risk attending you. I am not yet comfortable with UC, so I am resigned to the hospital birth. I am, however, extremely excited about my doula. found her through MDC, and she seems awesome thus far, having also had a VBAC at the hospital where I will be, less than a year ago.

I think wherever you choose to birth, you need to be at peace with the decision. I am trying for that :)

[Snugglebugmom]

Not so much excited as ready for battle.  This baby will be born in the same hospital as my last one, and that was a horrible experience. We don't have any other viable options, and I am absolutely not comfortable with a home birth, so I am preparing myself and arming myself with knowledge, birth plan, and a completely different mindset than last time. This is my baby, my pregnancy, my birth, and by golly it will be a good one! I will be clear about what I want, I will not put up with being treated as a second class citizen again, I will not take any crap from anybody, doctor or nurse. They may not like me after I'm done, but I will have a good experience this time!!

Probably not exactly the kind of answer you were looking for. I guess it shows that my last experience was rather traumatic. 

[akind1]

Iris, have you looked into a doula? Can't say my first experience was traumatic exactly, but it was exactly predicatable, the way it was managed, even as informed as I was, there was a lot that I allowed that I wish I had not.  I feel having a doula this time around will help my voice and desires be heard. Also hopefully will decrease the chances of a repeat c/s.

[Snugglebugmom]

I've considered getting a doula, but right now we are barely able to make ends meet as it is, so hiring a doula is just not feasible at the moment. It does seem like a good solution, to have someone to go to bat for me. DH is not a take-charge kind of person, he usually just sits in a chair nearby and gets me a cold cloth for my forehead if I ask for it. 

[akind1]

You might look and see if there are any doulas in training so to speak who may be willing to work with you on price, or attend you pro bono since they need to attend a certain number of births for certification. There are fully trained doulas who also may be willing. Just a thought.

[MN BabyDust]

You could try asking around to see it there is a doula who has a sliding fee scale. There are some in my town (and it's not a big city) that do a sliding scale so that every woman who wants a doula can get one.

[mambera]

I can't say I'm 'looking forward' to birth particularly (although I'm certainly looking forward to the results!) but in terms of birth location the hospital is absolutely my first choice.  I had a very straightforward intervention-free hospital birth with my awesome and supportive midwife team last time, and with luck things will go smoothly this time as well.  If by chance they don't, I feel very comfortable knowing the hospital's resources are there for us if we need them.

[AKislandgirl]

Well I hope that someday I get to have a homebirth but its not to be for this baby. We have one midwife who is moving out of town in June so a hospital birth is my only option. That being said I had a positive experience birthing my daughter at this hospital. The staff was very respectful of my birth plan and I had no interventions. So its not home but I know I'll get the hospital birth I want.

[KABB]

I am very, very high risk and wouldn't feel comfortable planning to have my baby anywhere but a hospital surrounded by medical staff. I am (gasp) actually looking forward to that security....a hospital birth won't stop me from having the kind of birth experience I want or being content with it. 

[MOMYS]

I'm not planning a hospital birth unless I go into labour before 37 weeks (which is possible, since I've had a number of babies before that date before).  But to be honest, I am not stressed should I have go into hospital.  With some of my previous births I was so worried and stressed and this time I'm at peace that if I needed to go in, I will do so.   I think that being willing to do whatever is best for you and your baby even if it isn't what you would prefer is great!

[yellowdart]

At first I was pretty hesitant about a hospital birth, but I've gotten more comfortable and excited about it.  I like the midwives I'm seeing and I think they will support my desires about the birth.  I visited the labor & delivery unit and I think it looks fine.  I like that they do all the cleaning and provide supplies and that the birth rooms come with big sanitized hot tubs, and I've heard good things about birth at that hospital.  I also have a doula lined up.  I do get nervous sometimes thinking about nurses yelling at me, but I hope that with my midwives and my doula and a birth plan and just me standing up for myself that can be avoided.  So yeah, in general I'm looking forward to my hospital birth. 

[frugalmum]

I am looking forward to my hospital birth, and my epidural!  Yes, I said it.

I have had 4 unmedicated births.  With the 3rd I experienced leg and hip labor where the contractions were as strong in my legs as in my abdomen.  I was paralyzed during contractions and could not use my legs (so I couldn't walk through them to stay active).  I also felt like my hips were being ripped apart.  I assumed it was a fluke and that a home waterbirth would solve things next time.

Next time turned out to be the most horrific experience of my life minus the fact that I got my beautiful daughter out of it.  I was so traumatized by the pain (hip, leg labor, prolonged pushing stage because she put her arm up at the wrong moment and was stuck-- and the midwife tried every trick in the book, nothing helped) that I was diagnosed with PTSD afterward.  I knew there was no cause or reason in the universe for any mother to experience that kind of pain.  When I conceived again I had a moment of revelation that I would simply have epidurals from now on and all would be fine-- and it was more than fine-- I have since had 2 beautiful hospital births with epidurals and brought my daughters into the world with no pain or complications at all.  I am looking forward to doing it again!

[penguintattoo]

I'm mostly looking forward to it, just a little nervous because its a different ob practice since my previous ob left the area. I had dd in the same hospital and the nurses were great, I'm just hoping the doctors are patient. I will most likely get an epidural though, I'm pretty wimpy :-P

[Snugglebugmom]

Originally Posted by penguintattoo  I will most likely get an epidural though, I'm pretty wimpy :-P

Warning: deviation from original subject, and by no means an invitation to heated debate:

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

Objection! Getting an epidural has absolutely nothing to do with being wimpy. I've had two, and I assure you I am anything but a wimp. And I would bet good money that neither are you! 

Back to your regular scheduled programming! 
 

[penguintattoo]

Originally Posted by Snugglebugmom 

Warning: deviation from original subject, and by no means an invitation to heated debate:

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

Objection! Getting an epidural has absolutely nothing to do with being wimpy. I've had two, and I assure you I am anything but a wimp. And I would bet good money that neither are you! 

Back to your regular scheduled programming! 
 

Thanks I had one last time, it wore off at 8cm and that was no treat. My  mom heard me say a lot of words she never thought she would hear me say lol

[Snugglebugmom]

Ouch! With my first they did an awesome job, I got it after 33 hours of labor at 4 cm dilated, and it had worn off exactly when I was ready to push! By then I was so focused on the task at hand that I don't really remember a lot of pain, just a whole lot of hard work and being exhausted at one point (after an hour and a half).

Having my baby yanked out with the vacuum pump, yeah, that hurt. But it was necessary, her heart rate was dropping drastically and it was either that or an emergency C section.  Being stitched up without analgesics hurt too (my OB was freaking out because I was bleeding all over the place and she could't figure out where it came from, so when she finally located the tear caused by the pump, she just started stitching away lol). Even so, it was an awesome birth!! 

Second birth they did a lousy job, I was completely numb until hours after the birth.