Birth Choices - Page 4 « Back to Group Discussions

[rebecca10]

Thandiwe--what's a strep b regime? I am thinking of trying probiotics. But I'm open to a lot-- I really don't want to be Strep B positive again.

[ilovetchotchkes]

OMG, i had transition symptoms BEFORE transition at like 6cm. Once I got to 7, after 28 hours, I was TOAST. The epidural let me sleep, and boom, 6 pushes later, kid shows up, with his head COCKED. No wonder I had a hellish labor! 

[Thandiwe]

Originally Posted by rebecca10 

Thandiwe--what's a strep b regime? I am thinking of trying probiotics. But I'm open to a lot-- I really don't want to be Strep B positive again.

http://empoweredbirth.typepad.com/empowering_birth_blog/2010/07/part-2-so-youve-decided-to-test-for-gbs-you-still-have-options.html

If you head down the page to "Herbal Protocols for Reducing GBS Colonization", namely "From Midwife Maria Iorillo as found in Elizabeth Davis' Heart and Hands, 4th Edition," you'll find the protocol I've always followed with success. :)

[rebecca10]

Thanks Thandiwe!

[midstreammama]

Firsttimemama- that sounds like you were very exhausted!

Babymakesfour- sounds you were in the right place then. It's amazing to me how our intuition leads us to do things sometimes we dont even realize. I hope that makes some sense. It does in my pregnant brain..lol. I love that about us mamas.


I had a hospital induction with pit for #1. I really don't want to go to the hospital again.

2 and 3 were born at the same birth center with the same midwife.I am very hopeful that this will be the case again..however.. In September 2010 I was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism with no known cause, still never did figure it out anyway, I was on coumadin for a year and came off in September 2011. Got pregnant in December so here I am. I hope that doesn't automatically rule out the birth center..I really hope not. I don't know what I wi ll do. Going to the hospital scares the jeebers out of me. I had such a degrading experience the first time. I was 17 they treated me with no respect. I was beaten down, emotionally. I really don't want that again.

[folkgirl]

I am planning my second hospital VBAC. My first went really well so I am expecting more of the same. :)

[SomethingAnonymous]

I want to stay at home and we're going to hire a midwife. The last was a planned unassisted birth at home, mostly because we couldn't afford a midwife. Then after 50 hours in labor and knowing I was in transition for a long long time, I didn't know why it was taking so long, so I went to the hospital. BIG mistake.  They wouldn't let me even be how I wanted to be (sitting), insisted on rupturing membranes, made me lay on the bed, so many people in my face insisting on monitoring.  We were only able to fight off so much.  My pain went through the roof. And this is a hospital that even has tubs in their birth rooms and they say they are so open to whatever you choose. They had my birth plan ahead of time too...

It was still way better than my first birth which was the most medicalized induction you can imagine.  But I do NOT want another hospital birth.  I hate looking back at one of my children's births and just feeling like I'm going to cry thinking about the terrible things that happened, or just how unhappy I was. I'm never letting it happen again.  If I end up in the hospital, I better be seriously dying. lol.

[lactomom]

Something Anonymous, I completely understand your reasoning and frustration!

Our first birth was an induced hospital birth (trusting my ob was looking out for me and my baby). It was a horrible experience and the root cause to my ppd!

Our second birth was at home with a midwife, affordable because she bartered with us (I worked in the house and garden to help pay some of my bill). And want a healing experience!

This time we are using a midwife again, though we have to use a different one because our last one married and quite her practice.

We are paying this one out of our tax return.

[eleuthia]

I just checked my health record on my insurance website and for my ultrasound (at 6wks) they list the diagnosis as "High Risk Pregnancy (Other high-risk pregnancy)." The midwife in that office, who I talked to that day, said I am NOT high risk and was happy to send me off to the birth center. But now I'm worried that the fibroid/cysts found on the u/s (which she knew about) have bumped me into the high risk category?! I *hope* that they used that diagnosis code to justify an early ultrasound (since they are not routine) & that my "high risk" was just because I was on clomid. My first birth center appointment is on Tuesday and I have copies of the ultrasound report and the mw visit report to give them - I really hope they don't turn me away for things that shouldn't yet exclude me from an out-of-hospital birth. 

[moremadder]

My first was a hospital birth with epidural, and I didn't seriously consider doing anything else. But the epidural drip was in my control, so as I got closer to active labor I just stopped clicking on it. When active labor started I could feel my contractions so I knew when to push. My 9 lb 11 oz baby was out in a handful of pushes. Natural childbirth suddenly made so much sense to me. Given that, and the fact that labor is supposed to get shorter after the first, I am thinking about trying for a natural birth (in the hospital) this time. I haven't started looking into it yet, but I imagine I'll need to do more preparation for labor if I'm serious about it. My "birth class" at the hospital last time was a joke.

[Knitting Mama]

You might enjoy Bradley or Brio childbirth classes-- the focus is on natural childbirth and how to manage that. Also, your partner gets pretty heavily involved, which is why Bradley is sometimes referred to as "husband-coached childbirth."

[moremadder]

Thanks, I will see if there is anything in my area. I live in a small town a long way from anywhere though. Maybe I can find a book.

Speaking of my husband, I haven't told him that I think I want a natural birth yet. I bet he will look forward to being "heavily involved"!

[Knitting Mama]

I wrote a reply, but the Internet monsters ate it. So here we go again:

This is the book that Dr. Bradley wrote: http://www.amazon.com/Husband-Coached-Childbirth-Fifth-Bradley-Natural/dp/055338516X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1326156521&sr=8-2

However, I don't think it was as good or as hands-on as this one (which he wrote the introduction to as well): http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Childbirth-Bradley-Way-Revised/dp/0452276594/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326156521&sr=8-1

[LilyTiger]

I'm starting to worry that I won't get the birth I'm hoping for with my current practice.  My first OB appointment, where I expected to discuss plans and so on, was basically a simple pelvic exam and then she was out the door.  I had to track her down to ask some questions I had about being Rh -.  I did manage to ask a question about when people start putting together birth plans, and she was pretty dismissive.  She said the practice is "superstitious" about birth plans because the opposite tends to happen.  I left feeling really depressed and feeling like the entire process was out of my control. 

As far as birth choices in our area, we have birth centers attached to hospitals (and I like the one birth center I found, but it is definitely in a hospital) but no free-standing ones.  My husband is totally, 100% against a homebirth, but he's also been concerned about how the doctor's have been treating my concerns.  I want things like delayed cord clamping, no IV setup, and so on, but I feel like I'm going to get laughed at.  It's hard to find a balance.  I hate hospitals, needles, and so on, and I do not want my child's birth to feel like a medical procedure, but that seems to be the direction it's going.

I have an appointment with another OB in the practice in a few weeks, so I'll see how I feel with them, but I'm starting to think I may have to switch practices altogether, and starting over is frustrating.  I'm going to start looking for family practitioners and I'm planning on doing some research on midwives, but I think there has to be an OB somewhere in the picture in order to deliver at the birth center in the hospital near my house.  Sorry for the super long post, but I'm getting really really worried about being forced into things I'm not comfortable with.

[Knitting Mama]

Yeah, for sure work on finding an OB who is supportive of a more natural birth. Mine thankfully is, though I didn't end up with it last time. She also was very supportive of my birth plan.

[lactomom]

Lilly Tiger, I would feel the same way if my appointment went like that. Definitely start looking at other options and talk to your husband about your concerns. You have lots of time, find a provider that respects you and your birth!

[eleuthia]

I'm sorry your current OB was so dismissive, LilyTiger. I hope you're able to find the right practice who can deliver at the birth center. 

I may not get my birth-center birth because of my fibroid, since it is near my cervix. They will know more after my 12wk ultrasound. I'm really hoping it is getting smaller or at least not getting bigger, and that it's not going to block my cervix. Part of me is glad they want to make an early decision so I would have time to find a new practice (hopefully they would help with that) and to adjust to different expectations. But I don't like the idea of being risked out for something that will probably not be a certainty that early. 

[rebecca10]

LilyTiger--I'm so sorry you had that bad experience. For what it is worth, your OB sounds a lot like mine, and I spend almost my entire last preganancy, up until about 38 weeks, debating whether to switch practices since having a natural, intervention free as possible birth was really important to me.  But I didn't, and in the end I had a really great birth experience where my wishes and birthplan were all accomodated.  For some things I found it easier not even to discuss it with my OB before hand, but just be clear about my preferences once I was at the hospital.  And strange enough, after such a good birth experience last time, I think I'm going to use my OB again , despite my constant struggle about it (she has some plusses too, and is absolutely the person I would want there if something did go seriously wrong).   Anyway, none of this is to say you shouldn't switch.  If I you can find a practice that you mesh better with that's obviously ideal.  But just wanted to let you know it's possible to have an OB that is not particularly receptive yet still get the birth you want. 

[Mama Chickadee]

LilyTiger - just throwing in another vote for looking around at other providers and finding one you like. With my first baby, I switched FIVE times and was at 16 weeks before I found a practice I was happy with. I thought every practice was going to be so mad that I left, but they really could care less.... they charge your insurance for your visit, and if you cancel your next appointment, its no issue to them. 

To Rebecca10s point, though, when you are at a hospital, the birth experience you have is many times largely determined by factors present on that particular day - your labor nurse, whether you get a room with a tub, if you come prepared with a birth preferences sheet, etc. So, if you are birthing at a facility that will generally respect your wishes, that can have a much greater impact than who your OB is (especially because in many practices the OB you see for all your prenatal care will not be the one who is on call at your birth)

[Justmee]

Hospital. I fully support homebirth but it's not something I have a desire to do. My other kids were pretty much non invasive stress free hospital births, and I'm hoping for the same with this one. I'd love to see a poll, can one be added?