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[dovemama]

So it was just decided today! We hired midwives. Now I have to "break up" with my MD. I am so relieved!

This will be my first!

Are any of you having a birth at home??

Edited by dovemama - 4/26/12 at 12:54pm

[ithappened]

I was planning on a homebirth this time and was SO excited!!! and then found out it was twins and decided to stay with my MD one is transverse and the other breech so Im hoping they at least both go head down soon, otherwise I'll likely have a c-section.

[Honey693]

We're planning on one.  My last was born at home (accidental UC) and we're using the same midwives again.  This time I'll be calling them if I even think I'm in labor.  

[FeralFox]

We might be.  We're seeing a midwifery service associated with a pretty good hospital (at least, L&D there is good) but we might end up UCing anyway, if we feel that it's the right choice when labor happens.

[Thandiwe]

Home birthing here!  My first was a hospital birth.  My second was a home birth, midwife-attended.  My third was a home birth, accidental UC because he came really, really fast after a looooooong 24 hours of stop/start labor.  I can't wait to have another home birth!!

[intime0]

UC...will be our 3rd. 

Glad to see you were able to go with this option.

it happened, would they let you deliver whomever is first if they are in the "right" position and THEN have a csection for the transverse?

[Lizbiz]

I've had two homebirths - one assisted and one unassisted.  I love giving birth at home - but we're still not sure what we'll do this time.  I have a feeling we'll be at home.  I'd likely prefer a hands-off midwife present if I had it totally up to me - but I'm in China - and that's not an option here.  So we may be going unassisted again.  

[Knitting Mama]

Sorry to threadhijack (given that I can't homebirth) but I get an involuntary shudder when I see the word "birthers" anywhere. 

[ithappened]

it happened, would they let you deliver whomever is first if they are in the "right" position and THEN have a csection for the transverse?

don't flame me as I realize this is possibly a stupid question- but what would be the advantage of having a vaginal then csection? Espeically in terms of my recovery time (I had a loooong recovery with DS1 even though the birth was vaginal and no tearing-- about everything else went wrong)

[LilyTiger]

ithappened, I don't know if this is what intime0 had in mind, but there are apparently lots of health benefits for the baby that come from being squashed through the birth canal (who knew?).  I just read an article on bacterial colonization with good bacteria, which apparently happens almost immediately in vaginal birth babies while c-section babies don't catch up until at least 6 months (if not longer).  There are a bunch of NIH studies on this.  They're not sure what the clinical significance is, but there's probably something.  Other things I've read have to do with lung function and so on.  Then for you, the benefits of laboring in terms of triggering the nursing hormones and such.  I can't find any of the articles right now because I'm brain dead, but all this would be my guess for why you might want to push out at least one if possible.  Hopefully some non-brain-dead preggos can add some detail to this post.

[ithappened]

Im aware of some of those things lilytiger e.g. the lungs, fluids, etc which I feel is very important and given the option I would go for a vaginal birth.. !!!

I guess what I am curious to know, or rather what I am wondering is if having the long labor of a natural vaginal (and how exhausting that is) assuming it all goes smoothly, then, followed by a c-section.. isn't that just a recipe for total suckage on the mothers side of things?

Its literally having the exhausting long affects of a vaginal labor and birth followed by the drugs/recovery/risk of a c-section. To put it bluntly sounds HORRIBLE to me. . . I am not sure I am hard core enough that if I needed a c-section for one I wouldn't just have it for both. .. I never thought I would say that but given our situation after, I would consider it if it was VERY likely I would need one regardless. .. .

See, I had a relatively good vaginal birth with DS1 but I did have 4th degree uterine prolapse during labor which made sex painful for a good 8 months after birth, it also meant I peed myself for the 3 months following birth, and because of the long pushing I had hemorrhoids develop which literally did not go away for 15 months.. and the list goes on. I had no tearing but I am not sure that mattered given the other 'side effects' of my natural birth.. The prolapse was the worst part and I'm actually scared of having it happen again this time regardless.. it was a rough and long recovery..

I guess if I think about having all that again and a c-section after words.. I honestly cannot imagine how I would do it.. Especially because I have NO help here after the birth... there is some MAJOR reality of trying to balance my recovery with taking care of newborn twins, a toddler and everything else that goes along with it.. In all honesty I want the easiest best birth for all of us, I just have no idea what that birth will look like until much closer to my DD.. .

Sorry to be off topic, I am open to others thoughts or suggestions in either direction..

[dovemama]

Happy to have some experienced moms to talk to.

I would like to UC, mostly for financial reasons (which might not be the good one..ha)

However, the fact that the midwives are allowing me to pay a sliding scale is what really sealed the deal.

Wow, lizbiz, hearing your perspective makes me realize how fortunate it can be to have a lot of practicing midwives around.

Thandiwe...please share, how fast was your 3rd??

[rebecca10]

dovemamma, not a homebirther here, but just want to say congratulations on getting things set. Home birth sounds like it is going to be a great option for you!

[FeralFox]

ithappened, there is another possible advantage.  It is possible (not sure of the percentages or anything, but I know it happens) for the second baby to turn after the first one is out, and come out the right way.  So if you manage to birth the first one vaginally, it's not 100% that you'd have to be sectioned for the second one.  In a case like yours I think I might want to have a chiro, a doula experienced with spinning babies, and/or anyone else I could find who might be able to get that second baby to turn, and have them come right into the delivery room with me.

[intime0]

I'm such a natural birth advocate, that I probably have a different mindset than you.  BUT, no flaming!!!!  Everyone has to do what's best for THEM. 

For me, there are so many benefits to a natural birth, that FOR ME, it would be worth trying.  AND then csection IF necessary.  Because even if the 2nd baby was breech, (NOT transverse) the birth canal and cervix are ready and the 2nd birth should be easier. 

But it sounds like your birth was quite tramatic.  A good book for tramatic births is Henci Goer's Birthing from Within.  (I think that's Henci, anyway.) 

For me, my births are long but I would still have a 2 day labor (which I've had) versus a csection.  And though painful, a good pain. 

Now, I've never had a prolapse, so maybe I would feel differently if I had.

But I DO understand the fear that goes along with birth!  NO DOUBT about that.  So I do understand the desire for the easiest birth.

I hope you understand.  I'm on your side here!  Just wanted to introduce a different perspective.

[Honey693]

Originally Posted by ithappened 

Im aware of some of those things lilytiger e.g. the lungs, fluids, etc which I feel is very important and given the option I would go for a vaginal birth.. !!!

I guess what I am curious to know, or rather what I am wondering is if having the long labor of a natural vaginal (and how exhausting that is) assuming it all goes smoothly, then, followed by a c-section.. isn't that just a recipe for total suckage on the mothers side of things?

Its literally having the exhausting long affects of a vaginal labor and birth followed by the drugs/recovery/risk of a c-section. To put it bluntly sounds HORRIBLE to me. . . I am not sure I am hard core enough that if I needed a c-section for one I wouldn't just have it for both. .. I never thought I would say that but given our situation after, I would consider it if it was VERY likely I would need one regardless. .. .

See, I had a relatively good vaginal birth with DS1 but I did have 4th degree uterine prolapse during labor which made sex painful for a good 8 months after birth, it also meant I peed myself for the 3 months following birth, and because of the long pushing I had hemorrhoids develop which literally did not go away for 15 months.. and the list goes on. I had no tearing but I am not sure that mattered given the other 'side effects' of my natural birth.. The prolapse was the worst part and I'm actually scared of having it happen again this time regardless.. it was a rough and long recovery..

I guess if I think about having all that again and a c-section after words.. I honestly cannot imagine how I would do it.. Especially because I have NO help here after the birth... there is some MAJOR reality of trying to balance my recovery with taking care of newborn twins, a toddler and everything else that goes along with it.. In all honesty I want the easiest best birth for all of us, I just have no idea what that birth will look like until much closer to my DD.. .

Sorry to be off topic, I am open to others thoughts or suggestions in either direction..

I'm probably in the minority here, but the bolded would have me seriously talking with my doctor about the risks of the same thing happening.  I've had two natural births, one an accidental UC so I incredibly Yay homebirth, but prolapse and crappy sex for almost a year would terrify me, especially if another vaginal birth could make things worse and possibly cause irreparable damage.

[Thandiwe]

Originally Posted by Honey693 

I'm probably in the minority here, but the bolded would have me seriously talking with my doctor about the risks of the same thing happening.  I've had two natural births, one an accidental UC so I incredibly Yay homebirth, but prolapse and crappy sex for almost a year would terrify me, especially if another vaginal birth could make things worse and possibly cause irreparable damage.

Definitely worth asking.  But I had some very severe damage with my first home birth, too.  I had my first in a hospital with the whole kit/kaboodle: epidural, AROM, full episiotomy, pitocin after birth.... He was 8# 4oz, 20".  My second was born at home: 11.3#, 23.25" with a 17" barrel chest.  I couldn't push fast because of his size, but even as such, I sustained very severe damage.  I had tearing that went through all flesh for a good distance, then only 1/2 way or so through continuing into my rectum.  It caused me to cry and bleed with BM's for nearly a year...  In hindsight, I should have been sent to the hospital for stitches, and I spent some time angry that it was not caught by my m/w.  She did a brief check afterwards and just told me to "keep my legs crossed" for the next week.  Sex was painful, but the worst of it was in my rectum as it took forever to heal.  For me, I was worried about the next birth.  But that was the opposite in birth: he was 8# 10oz, but very petite and kind of "slid" out in just under 2 minutes.  I pushed hard and furious with him, and only received "skid mark" tears.    Though it's different from a prolapse, and I would *definitely* talk about your concerns with an open-minded doc, it might not happen again.  This birth, I'm going to be even more conscious to slow down when he's crowning and be careful to push gently as the flesh is fanning out, hoping to prevent any further problems.  Although at this point, I also don't think there's much flesh left to tear.... I really wish I had the "extra stitch" option to fix the damage as things just aren't the same anymore.   

[ithappened]

OH my.. THANK YOU guys all so much for your opinions- I SO appreciate hearing all sides.. it really helps me think about this at a deeper level. Keep them coming!!

One issue is there are NO doulas here. You get a midwife but only the one the hospital assigns you- so her level of experience or knowledge is a crap shoot from my experience there. I had some good ones and some new ones and some really bad ones (they rotate every day and you stay here in the hospital for 3-7 days after your birth).

I spoke with my OB about the c-s 'risk' and we decided to wait until 38 weeks or so to decide based off of their positions, if they are both head up, I would not attempt a vaginal- but to be honest, I am concerned about the prolapse, however not fearful enough to schedule a c-s based off of that -- esp. if the babies are head down!!

But yes, the horrible crappy sex after my natural birth sucked. So did the peeing myself, the tendons healing too tightly and feeling like my uterus was going to fall out every time I went for a run for the first 6 months after birth.. that part I really need to talk to her more about.. Although from what I have read the prolapse can be caused by pregnancy as much as it can be by labor (although the labor triggered mine, no exception there).

[NewMumJoy]

ithappened and Thandiwe - I can barely sit, just reading what you went through!  I hope your upcoming births are much kinder to your parts and that you have a speedy recovery this time around!

I LOVE the idea of the home birth - I think it's the ideal situation, under ideal circumstances.  I'm very excited for those of you who will going this route!  As for me, not everything's lined up in my favor, and we can't even find an available midwife (and I'm too chicken to go unassisted).  We'll have to make the best of it at the hospital....  Best of luck to you all, whichever way you do it!

[ithappened]

I agree. I would LOVE a homebirth and I am very excited for everyone who gets the honor of experiencing one!

I can't imagine anything more wonderful if you have the pregnancy and support to warrant one.