At what point is hb usually ok? (how many weeks)

[Earthylady]

I THOUGHT it was around 35 weeks, but is it not?  Anyone have links?  Research?  Articles, etc on this?

Thanks!

[Nicole730]

In WI it is legal at 37 weeks.  My midwife told me at 36w4-5d she could get approval from an M.D. by telephone to attend the birth.

[LittleBirdy]

It's anecdotal, but my midwives would attend at home starting at 36 weeks.  I personally am much more comfortable making it to at least 37 weeks for a HB.

[Lisa85]

My midwife, and the others I interviewed will do from 37 weeks -  42 weeks.  She did lead me to the assumption that she'd be willing to do a day or two outside of those, but that's it.

Personally, I would not be comfortable with any midwife who would attend a homebirth much before that.  It would make me question her judgement.

[Viriditas]

Personally, I would be okay with a hb after 36 weeks, but I don't know what my midwives' cutoff is (I should probably ask them, huh? Lol).  My surrobabe was born at 37 weeks at 7lb 12 oz and was totally fine (and that was IVF, so we were as sure as one can possibly be about dates!), so I wouldn't be worried if I went into labor at 36 weeks.  Before that I would go to the hospital.  I always thought the general cutoff for hb midwives was 36 weeks.

 

[MidwifeErika]

my cut off is 37 weeks. Term is 37-42 weeks and while most babies born at 36 weeks do well, some do need additional help. 35 weeks would be really, really young to do a homebirth with and I would not attend a homebirth for a 35 weeker. That baby may need NICU attention.

[SilverFish]

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Edited by SilverFish - 8/21/11 at 4:42pm

[meesh933]

My midwife won't attend anything before 36 weeks. She is willing to go past 42, though, if mom is going in for NSTs and baby looks good.

[MommyMatsumoto]

I think my midwife told me that 37 weeks is the earliest she would attend a home birth.

[cinderella08]

Before 37 weeks is considered pre-term.  I'm not sure why anyone would want to risk delivering a pre-term infant, at risk for complications outside of a setting where their child could recieve immediate emergency medical attention.   The same goes for postdates (42+)

[2011mama]

My midwife does 37-42 weeks only.

[dogmom327]

Depends on the midwife and the state...my last mw was 36-44 (36 or 44 under the right set of circumstances and after a very thorough discussion of the risks).  

[OllieMama]

My mw will attend a hb starting at 37 weeks, although she said she would be ok with a day or two earlier than that (and has attended one that fits that description), depending on circumstances. 36 weeks is too early, imo.  My ds was born at 36w2d and had some (minor) breathing issues.  If I'd been at home we probably would have transported him to the hospital.

[BeanSprout Mama]

Originally Posted by cinderella08 

Before 37 weeks is considered pre-term.  I'm not sure why anyone would want to risk delivering a pre-term infant, at risk for complications outside of a setting where their child could recieve immediate emergency medical attention.   The same goes for postdates (42+)

late preterm babies can be fine, or they can have really serious problems transitioning to life outside the womb.  I can't imagine deciding to intentionally birth a 35 weeker at home.It's easy to think of 37 weeks as being "ready" but many babies aren't perfectly ready then either. 40 weeks is ideal, and to give birth more than a month early is a huge amount of time in terms of growth and maturity.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by BeanSprout Mama 

late preterm babies can be fine, or they can have really serious problems transitioning to life outside the womb.  I can't imagine deciding to intentionally birth a 35 weeker at home.It's easy to think of 37 weeks as being "ready" but many babies aren't perfectly ready then either. 40 weeks is ideal, and to give birth more than a month early is a huge amount of time in terms of growth and maturity.

While I'm not arguing about homebirth with a preterm baby, why is 40 weeks "ideal"?
 

[Honey693]

Here most midwives say 36-42 and that's the same thing my doctor told me.  I have no idea why I keeping hearing 36 weeks is full term in my area, but the internet says 37.

[texasfarmom]

I interviewed the only midwife left in my area recently and she said she will catch babies as early as 35 weeks. She referred me to an article (that I can't find since I'm not great at googling , any help would be appreciated) in Midwifery Today that was in the Dec 2010 issue about due dates. Each individual has the option to choose to continue with their homebirth plan or go into the hospital if they are going to deliver that early. It is comforting to me to know that my midwife would feel confident in handling that situation though. I also feel confident because she has been the primary attendant at over 3000 births and has been a midwife for 27+ years and said she has never lost a momma or baby.

[carseatqueen]

My midwives are pretty much legally bound to stay between 37 and 42. However, if there is a discrepency with when the due date is they will change it one way or the other if that helps and it's reasonable.

For instance, I *know* my EDD is the 18th (or VERY close) but if they go by my US (at 10 weeks, because I got pregnant with an IUD) it would be the 26th. Since mine have all been born before 40 weeks we are going with the 18th as the "official" edd. If I would go over and everything is fine they could change it to the 26th so I'd have longer before having to transfer care.

Personally I wouldn't even consider having a HB before 36 weeks, and before 37 it would depend on the situation. If I thought perhaps my EDD was wrong I may be a little more flexible.