Anyone planning a Unassisted Birth ? - Page 2

[justamama]

Ours is up in the air again. DH and I will both be surprised if the levy keeping our town from being 10' under water lasts through the summer. So, if that happens, obviously we evacuate. We'll be leaving the area we live and not moving back, as this has never felt like home anyway, and we're taking it as our sign that it's time to move on. So, not really thinking it's a bad thing. But, we'll be evacuating in a 12' travel trailer and our vehicles to a new area about 2.5 hrs northeast of where we are. DH's company has a division there, we're sure if we are evacuated they could push an emergent transfer through, etc.

Which means if we're in the RV still, obviously we won't UC unless it's an actual "there's no time" scenario. I'm huge homebirther, but I'm not quite at that level of hardcore. UC in a 12' camper with 3 little ones, 2 dogs, and a cat? No thanks! At that point we'd be planning a hospital birth.

If we were in a rental or a new to us home at that point, UC would be a go.

[carrieb26]

I'm not planning one, but my husband would much prefer a UC.  Our last was a planned homebirth/unplanned UC.  Labor was very fast, and in many ways I preferred it over our first birth. It was just me and DH, labor was pretty easy, no complications during birth/labor, but the membranes got hung up and once the MW got there (An hour after birth) she worked for quite a while to makes sure all of the membranes came out intact. So, while I like just us, doing our own thing, I'm not quite ready to give up having our skilled attendant "just in case." She's willing to just hang out in the other room and let us do our thing and call on her if needed.

But, I'm preparing for the distinct possibility that birth will be unassisted.

Carrie

[IwannaBanRN]

Originally Posted by SoCaliMommy 

 If my dh was to get his way, this baby would be born in a hospital., last time i brought up having a UC he just say "we'll see". I haven't brought it up lately. I really wanted a UC with my son but my hired me a doula so we stuck with the hospital.  

 With my son's med free birth i was walking around at 8cm holding on a phone conversation no problem. 

That's how my fiance was at first. And then I showed him some statistics, and educated him on it as I was learning the information. He knows as well as I do the warning signs of danger during labor and delivery, and we're 5 minutes from the hospital, so his mind is made up also that he wants a UC. At first, he said he only went along with it cuz that's what I wanted, but he is looking forward to a peaceful birth with just us and possibly the kids unless I get loud and dramatic. lol
 

[Abraisme]

This is what my sister did, only she had a regular OB.  Unfortunately, she had a life threatening post-delivery complication and had to be hospitalized for 5 days.  When they got to the hospital they got A LOT of crap, but managed to over-come in the end.  Her issue would have happened whether she was in the hospital for the delivery or not.  She still does not regret doing the UC and then having to transfer.  I hope it all works out for you! 

I would do an UC if my only other option was a standard hospital birth.  Luckily in OR it's legal to have a homebirth and we can afford to pay the midwives ourselves.
 

Originally Posted by SoCaliMommy 

 I haven't bought any supplies and probably wont until September.  I'm doing prenatal care with a midwife. We live 45min freeway drive from the hospital without traffic. I plan on asking what they would want me to do if i couldn't make it to the hospital just to see what they say.

[Jaimee]

Originally Posted by jkseawell 

 we have a great friend who use to be a midwife who will be present with her knowledge. She is so off hands that it really is like birthing with just a great friend. On the flip side, I know that she would be quick to intervene if there was something that necessitates it! I love the arrangement! It gives me the freedom to have my partially unassisted birth but my husband the peace of mind that having a skilled birth professional present allows.

I really envy you this situation!  I would love this.  My sister is a CPM and refused to do this for me b/c she said she would be liable for anything going wrong and could lose her license even if we had not hired her as our care provider. 
 

[abc123xyz]

Originally Posted by Jaimee 

I really envy you this situation!  I would love this.  My sister is a CPM and refused to do this for me b/c she said she would be liable for anything going wrong and could lose her license even if we had not hired her as our care provider. 
 

Yes, it is a great situation. See, here where I live, midwives are unlicensed and illegal anyways, so anytime she attended a birth, she would be liable! It really doesn't change her position any. I guess it comes down to the philosophy behind being a midwife: are you there to facilitate birth and make money or are you there to fight for the rights of women no matter what the cost? I adore the midwives in our state who are willing to put everything on the line to give women, like me, and families, like ours, the birth we want!

Are you hiring your sister, then? That would be special. What constitutes "hiring"? Does money have to exchange hands? Dr's birth their own babies all of the time (men for their wives), so it seems this isn't a conflict of any king. I just wonder what her position is!
 

[Jaimee]

Kristina- CPM's as well as most CNM's (those that are not overseen by an MD) are illegal here in Maryland and are also in Illinois where I'm moving, too.  The legality wasn't the issue.  It was the fact that if she were present in my house while I was giving birth WITHOUT another care provider present that I had hired then she would be liable for anything that goes wrong.  She was willing to be present IF I hired a different care provider to be responsible for my care.   She didn't want me to hire her really b/c she would have had to lug all her equipment across the country plus her care style was not in line with what I was looking for.  I really wanted a very hands off, no-protocol type of mw and my sister is new to the field and very much wed to her training and protocols.  She would have wanted to take frequent FHT's, watch the baby's descent and crowning, etc.  Not what I was looking for.  Anyway, we did hire a different care provider and my sister was present for my last birth, but with everything that went down with her and how she was at the birth was really quite disastrous for our relationship.  I will not be inviting her to be present again (that story can be read in another thread in this forum).

So your situation is wonderful.  It sounds like your friend doesn't mind simply being present and doesn't have any protocols she is requiring. 

[Lula's Mom]

We are planning a UC. This will be our third one.  With my first baby, I had a homebirth with a midwife in Texas.  She was nice, I liked her, but she was a CNM and had to follow some protocols I didn't care for (like iv antibiotics during labor for a +GBS test weeks before).  And I hated her backup, who blew in like the wicked witch and pretty much ruined everything.  So for #2 (and then #3!), we chose to not hire anyone.

DH was really unsure about UC the first time I brought it up.  He was raised in a very medically-minded family, where his Grandma was a nurse and his mom works in a hospital lab. His mom was very worried about our plans, like "Tell me when she goes into labor so I can start praying!"  But he trusts me so he just asked for more information and said whatever I wanted is what we'd do.  Nowadays, I don't think he can imagine doing it any other way.  He is very vocal about birth, breastfeeding, etc in his group at work (it seems like somebody's wife is always pregnant) and has told everyone how amazing UC is for us.

[sara-on-the-lake]

I'm planning to UC.  This will be my third UC, fifth homebirth, eighth baby. 

My dh has been on board for every change toward autonomy and away from the medical model every step of the way.

I'm due 11/29, but I'm always 6-8 days late (and one birth was 11 days late), so I feel like I should be in the December DDC.    My own birthday is 12/5.  Not that I'm hoping she comes on that day!  Just sayin'...it's possible.

[IwannaBanRN]

Dang! I am way too vain to have 8. lol I complain about my body so much as it is. Kudos to you. :)

[sara-on-the-lake]

Ya know, I'm vain too.  But I love growing babies, birthing babies, nursing babies so much.  I love watching my children with their new sibling.  I love watching them all grow together, homeschooling them, all of it....well no, but most of it.    My husband keeps promising me new boobs.  He says, "Next year's your year, hon."  Then I'm either pregnant or nursing.  Otherwise, I think my body's negotiated these births rather well.  I have a few stretch marks, but they're on my hips, ew, so I don't know that I can truly say they're from pregnancy, or me just eating too much ice cream.  My belly and breasts have come through without any, really.

And um, my oldest and dearest friend, who only has two kids, and is 37, has been talking about vaginal rejuvenation surgery.    Yeah.  I think she's nuts, but her vanity is irrefutable and she has no problems copping to it either. 

[IwannaBanRN]

Oh I agree! Birthing them is the BEST part for me, in my opinion. Even when I had my first one at 17, I was like "I am so ready to do this again when I can afford it!" lol I mean, I didn't like how my body looked afterwards, but for the experience of everything leading up to the birth and then the birth process, I love it.

PS ( If I could EVER afford it, I'd have my breasts lifted, and get a tuck from the extra skin on my belly after I hit a goal weight) But this is a total YEAH RIGHT! for me, cuz I'm broke as hell. lol

[sara-on-the-lake]

whoops

[Paigekitten]

LOL when I was in labor with my first I told my husband we were adopting all our next children.  As I pulled her out of the water I said "We are SO doing this again!"  I'm looking forward to this birth. : )

[SoCaliMommy]

how is everyone feeling?

[justamama]

Originally Posted by SoCaliMommy 

how is everyone feeling?

Great! I've not much of an appetite today, but am keeping back plenty of water, and my doctor said as long as I'm hydrated and eating healthy when I can to not worry about it if I don't gain (I'm still -2lbs for this pregnancy). I plan to buy a juicer tomorrow since I keep liquids down easier, so that the bulk of my nutrition can be gotten in an easier form for me and juice assimilates quickly. That way I can focus food on what I like, and what I feel like eating instead of trying to eat any crap I can just to get some calories in me. I'm hoping the new outlook means I can stop taking my nausea medicine as well, since it makes me so tired that I wind up sleeping TOO much the night/next afternoon after I take some, and then unable to sleep for 24 or so hours afterwards. Not good when you have kids to keep up with and take care of. They get tired grumpy mama!

I'm trying to get some walking in each day, whether it's around my neighborhood or a store or wherever. My SPD is a LOT better when I can manage this. I still get pain, but it just isn't AS bad. And I know from past experience it can help with the insomnia as well. It also can't hurt to get in shape before the marathon of labor, right?

I'm getting really excited about the birth. We had our anatomy scan, verified placenta is in a good place for UCing, baby is healthy with no apparent need to be in a hospital, etc. I'm really excited to meet the baby! For a while I was unsure, as I knew DH planned on this being our last, and while I'd be fine with that, I wasn't interested in hearing that right now. Well I suggested a second middle name if baby is a boy- it's a name I REALLY want to use with a lot of personal meaning to me. His response was "We're going to have a gazillion kids anyway, chances are you'll get to use it on one of the next ones." :D That just made me much more excited about the entire thing, lol!
 

[IwannaBanRN]

Originally Posted by Paigekitten 

LOL when I was in labor with my first I told my husband we were adopting all our next children.  As I pulled her out of the water I said "We are SO doing this again!"  I'm looking forward to this birth. : )

I'm rolling laughing reading this. lol That's how I was in the most painful parts of labor. But the intensity and the pushing and holding baby immediately afterwards, just....there's nothing like it.
 

[Chena4]

No ma'am. I do think it's amazing for those that do.

[Paigekitten]

Originally Posted by SoCaliMommy 

how is everyone feeling?

I started cutting back on carbs, and all the sudden I'm not peeing a million times a day and I have more energy!  I was really dragging, and I can feel a HUGE difference if I eat too many carbs or sugar for a meal.  Everyone was telling me it was normal to be so tired, but I never was to that extent with my first two.  I am so happy I figured it out. : )

[SoCaliMommy]