I want to UC this time

[Adaline'sMama]

I thought I'd introduce myself, since Ive always just lurked here and never posted. We just found out we are expecting # 2 and we have agreed that unless something goes wrong, we'd like to UC this time. I had a natural hospital birth last time, and it was fine except for the people who kept getting in my way and distracting me, so I think Id feel better at home. I dont want a midwife because they are over an hour away, and have been known to be very late coming to births in my area. Id rather DH and I take on the responsibility ourselves, with the help of a friend of mine. I to plan to have concurrent care, with my same OB as last time. Im sure I'll have fifty-katrillion questions for all of you, but for now, Id like to ask you for your book/article recs for positive UC birth stories. Is there anything like Ina May's guide to childbirth for UC?

[bluesk1es]

Me too!  I'm excited to have this group here to gain some insight.  I'm new here; a friend of mine told me about this forum and I jumped at it.  Our first child was a home birth with a midwife, but it took a long time and I think that just being watched so closely made me nervous and slowed things down, you know?  Since it all went well we want to give it a go on our own this time and see if it goes more easily, especially since we're very near a hospital "just in case."

[Adaline'sMama]

I will say, that is my one fear. We are not "near" a hospital. It is a 2 minute drive at best (going 65 in the middle of the night last time). I feel like I was that rural hospital's one and only natural birth ever and Im scared that next time they will really try to crack down on me. "Oh, here comes that girl that we had to wrestle to get a monitor on." Or "Oh, no its the girl who made us almost have a heart attack because she wouldnt let us check her progress every hour." They made me sign consent forms while I was in transition because I refused vaginal exams and to get strapped to the bed so they could monitor the baby's heartrate. Im afraid that if I go there this time they will be more pushy because last time I think they were so shocked that they didnt know what to do with me. Three of the nurses told me that no one had had an intervention free birth there since they began working there 2 years ago.

[ElizabethE]

Holly, that's pretty near a hospital. I was/am a thirty minute drive (even via ambulance). Two minutes sounds pretty good, to me.

[Adaline'sMama]

Oh, Okay. I moved here from a place where a there were hospitals 6-8 minutes away in pretty much every direction. I guess its all relative to what you are used to. I was wondering how many people were comfortable with UC living in more rural areas. Good to know.

I would never get in our ambulances either. About a year ago, DH helped our local ambulance crew (volunteers and ONE paid person) of three women aged 40-60 get a 150 lb woman that lives next to us on a stretcher. Even with my DH hurrying everyone, it still took a total of 22 minutes to get her out of the house, into the ambulance, and on the road. The emts were trying to diagnose her the whole time, and she was obviously having a diabetic reaction. So, ill ride in our truck if i need to go to the hospital


Where is your book for sale?

[ElizabethE]

Originally Posted by Adaline'sMama 

Oh, Okay. I moved here from a place where a there were hospitals 6-8 minutes away in pretty much every direction. I guess its all relative to what you are used to. I was wondering how many people were comfortable with UC living in more rural areas. Good to know.

I would never get in our ambulances either. About a year ago, DH helped our local ambulance crew (volunteers and ONE paid person) of three women aged 40-60 get a 150 lb woman that lives next to us on a stretcher. Even with my DH hurrying everyone, it still took a total of 22 minutes to get her out of the house, into the ambulance, and on the road. The emts were trying to diagnose her the whole time, and she was obviously having a diabetic reaction. So, ill ride in our truck if i need to go to the hospital


Where is your book for sale?

Wow, that's horrible. I had to be taken to the hospital via ambulance in labor once and that was a major fiasco. I don't blame you at all for opting for your truck!!!

Thanks so much for asking. :) Well, the best place right now to get it is at my site-- the total is cheaper, and more it's direct [www.theperfectbirth.com]. But, you can also find it on Amazon in paperback and Kindle; and, Barnes & Noble. More locations coming soon.
 

[lookingforaname]

Originally Posted by Adaline'sMama 

I will say, that is my one fear. We are not "near" a hospital. It is a 2 minute drive at best (going 65 in the middle of the night last time). I feel like I was that rural hospital's one and only natural birth ever and Im scared that next time they will really try to crack down on me. "Oh, here comes that girl that we had to wrestle to get a monitor on." Or "Oh, no its the girl who made us almost have a heart attack because she wouldnt let us check her progress every hour." They made me sign consent forms while I was in transition because I refused vaginal exams and to get strapped to the bed so they could monitor the baby's heartrate. Im afraid that if I go there this time they will be more pushy because last time I think they were so shocked that they didnt know what to do with me. Three of the nurses told me that no one had had an intervention free birth there since they began working there 2 years ago.

Are you saying 2 minute drive or do you mean 2 HOUR drive?  I'm confused by the wording surrounding your 2 minute comment - you seem to think 2 minutes is a long time?  So was that a typo?  I just mention it because 2 hours would be too far for me - my 2nd labor was an hour and a half total, and in an emergency situation during late active labor, you would want to be closer than 2 hours. . .
 

[Adaline'sMama]

Oops! I mant to type 20 minutes

[SoCaliMommy]

 I'd say 20 mins is still pretty close to the hospital.  I"m planning my first UC and  our hospital is a 45minute major freeway drive away and that is with no traffic, it could be up to a hour or more with traffic, but we do have another hospital if it was really life or death that is 35mins away by side streets and would then have to contact our insurance to get them to transfer me down to their hospital.

[ElizabethE]

Oh, 20 minutes! Yeah, that makes sense! I too was thinking "is 2 minutes really far?"  :)