Introduction and a few questions

[Mommyof5Girls]

Hello my name is Lauretta and I'm a mommy of 4 girls, with another girl on the way- due 4th of July. My first 3 births were all vaginal births done in a hospital with an OB, epidural, the whole 9 yards. After a bad experience during my 3rd labor and the epidural being placed wrong/giving me panic attacks & back issues for weeks afterwards, I knew in the future my next birth would need to be COMPLETELY different. So I researched everything natural and decided upon a water birth at a birth center using a midwife and hypnobirthing techniques. Everything was going great until I had a bad car accident around 35wks pregnant. My daughter was born only a week and a half later at 37wks. To this day, I still feel labor began so early because of the accident. The story of my 4^th daughter’s birth is long and I already accidently deleted my first post, which took me a lot of time and emotional gumption to get through. Anyways, while it still ended up being a vaginal birth after PROM for 40hrs and 16min, things went completely off track. I ended up a hospital transfer around 30 hours in and spent the last 7-8 hours of my labor on pitocin all the while using hypnobirthing techniques, which allowed me to do things with no pain meds.  I never got to touch water, my husband ended up not catching our daughter as planned and the photographer I had hired missed the birth by 5 minutes. That all piled with more stuff that I don’t have energy to get into and the NICU ped deciding they needed to keep my daughter in the NICU for 2 days of observation because I “decided to not come in sooner with my water broken for so long” all ended up giving me a bad case of PTSD for at least 9-10 months after birth. That was one of the worst times in my life and I don’t ever want to experience anything like that again.

I am now 18wks pregnant *today* with our 5^th   and from the get go I did not want to go back to the birth center because of bad memories and just wanting to do things on my own turf- at home. Well, we spoke with the only home birth midwife even remotely close and we just cannot afford her $3700 fee.  So after that disappointment I begrudgingly settled on the fact we’d have to do things at the birth center again. I’d considered UC and even mentioned it to my hubby a few times, but each time he said he wasn’t really comfortable with it because of the “what ifs”. Well, last night I just had enough of the stress and feelings of not being comfortable with the thought of doing things at the birth center again. If I got transferred with them once, who’s to say it won’t happen again? Heck, even my midwife said things were fine and I didn’t really *need* to transfer, but they have to keep with certain protocol so they can remain in good standing and keep the ability to help their transfers there at the hospital.  Understandable, but it definitely sucks being one of those that has to transfer unnecessarily just to go by rules. Anyways, I told hubby I just couldn’t birth at the birth center. Something just doesn’t feel right to me and I need to do this at home- period. After a long discussion about why this is important to me, telling him that I have faith in my body and need him to, too and promising him that if something doesn’t seem or feel right that I won’t hesitate to get help- he agreed that we could do this. I pretty much told him I was going to anyways, but his support and understanding meant a lot to me. My “plan” is to just continue doing my prenatal appointments and then when the time comes call my midwives and tell them there wasn’t time to make the hour and 10 minute trek to the birth center. So now that I have his support I am feeling SOOOOO much more at ease and really can’t wait to go on this journey.

Sorry that all of this ended up very long. I appreciate anyone who read it and hope that I can get to know all of you.  I’m pretty educated with things labor/birth related, but am always looking to gain more knowledge and listen to others’ experiences. Since I’m new to the whole UC front I do have a few questions…

1. Have any of you had a complication arise? If so, what tipped you off that there was a problem? Was it something you were able to solve on your own or did you end up transferring/calling for help?

2. Are there any books you suggest I read? I just ordered Emergency Childbirth and have quite a few other natural birthing books already, but I’m up for more suggestions!

3. I’ve never had issues with hemorrhaging before, but obviously anything can happen. If I do a waterbirth, how would I be able to gauge my blood loss? How can you tell if there’s too much?

[Everlong753]

Hi Lauretta, 

I'm happy for you that your husband is using an open mind and is supporting you, that makes such a big difference.  Also glad you found peace with your decision, that is awesome!

I liked Unassisted Childbirth and Birthing From Within.  I know i read more but I can't remember which ones I liked best other then those two.

I have read that you want to be able to see your thighs through the water, or keep it under 2 cups. I got out of the tub after only 10 min or so because I didn't like being in with any blood and it was easier to estimate loss on a chux imo.  Be sure you pay attention to how you feel and plan to have something on hand for blood loss like an herbal tincture, coconut water, emergen-c.  Also, find some good educational material on the subject and go over midwifery techniques and such.  

[Mommyof5Girls]

Thanks so much for your response! I was starting to become worried I wouldn't get any since even though there've been quite a few views no one has said anything I do have Birthing From Within, but haven't finished it yet so I'll make sure to do that. Would I be able to get those herbs for the bleeding at just any health food store?

[Everlong753]

No problem, it's been pretty slow here.

There are a few places online that sell birth supplies.  I'm going to try out preciousarrows.com because they had everything I needed.  There is also 1cascade.com, everythingbirth.com , inhishands.com and some others I haven't visited. 

[BlessedOne]

Welcome! And congrats on your pregnancy! I am pregnant with my 5th and doing my 3rd UC.

To answer your questions. I have never had anything that was that big of deal happen during my deliveries. Although I will say that with my second she *may* have been tangled in the cord (cord around the back of her neck and caught around her leg). The only reason why I think she was, was that she did not come out as easily after crowning like my other three did. I pushed with all of my might and she didn't want to budge. After she was born, I realized that she had the cord behind her neck and around her leg.....although that could have happened after she came out and I was pulling her up.....although it makes sense if she was tangled. Thankfully she wasn't really in danger of being strangled as the cord was not around her neck but just behind it. But even if it was, I had printed out and read over how to deal with that. And many times it doesn't require a transfer...although may need assistance from someone  that can actually see what is going on. Just research it =)

I have a lot of my friends (totally 30+ babies) that homebirth (many of them UC) and only one of them went badly....but my friend blames the midwife for that one. I know more people that have had bad hospital experiences than homebirth.

In regards to books.....if you are of the Christian faith, then I suggest Super Natural Childbirth.

As far as blood loss, I would basically focus on paying attention to how you feel. I have never had to be treated for severe blood loss, but I do  know there have been times that I felt like a train wreck after the birth and times I felt on top of the world......I would assume that blood loss had a lot to do with that. Chances are if you feel great....then you are not losing too much blood. If you feel like you could sleep for a year and a half...then keep a close eye on blood loss. But honestly, I don't know what the proper amount is. I will have to re-research that for myself as it has been almost 4 years since my last UC. I have got to do a lot of refreshing in between now and this spring...lol.