Would you UC again?

[afr2010]

Where I live, home birth is being challenged and the midwife I was seeing will not deliver my baby at home.  This is my second pregnancy.  My son was born in a hospital and the nurses/doctors were rude and rough.  They did not have any faith in me or my body.  I ended up with pitocin, Demerol, and an awful episiotomy.  Not the worst that could happen, I know.  But none of it was necessary and I was traumatized. This time around I don't even want to go that route.  Right now I am casually seeing a midwife/Ob team at a near by hospital, although I feel that is unnecessary also and just a huge ball of stress for me and therefore my baby.  My husband and I are secretly preparing for an unassisted home birth.  Only telling those who support us (my sister, who had a home birth, and my mother are all supporters)

I'm asking all mothers who have had a home birth with a midwife to share if they think they could have made it without one.  I'm also asking mothers who have birthed unassisted (planned or not) whether they would do it again.  I've read tons of birth stories and I'm not interested in reading a ton more.  I'd just like to know how experienced homebirthers feel about being unassisted. 

I personally feel prepared mentally,physically, and spiritually for this

[IamIris]

I hired a midwife for my 1st 2 births. I loved her, she was an awesome lady and she helped shape my attitude and feelings around birthing. But I realized after having my 2nd that i didn't want her at my births =J not for any reason but that the births were my job .. my responsibility and having another person there with those same job descriptions was wrong for me. So when I found out i was expecting a 3rd I fully planned for UC. That birth went really really well for me .. better than my MW attended births 

To answer your 2nd question, after my 1st UC (3rd birth) I had another UC for my 4th child and am currently pg with #5 and planning another UC. # 4 was a really great birth and I am expecting this one to be as well.

You need to feel this situation out for yourself. I wish you all the best and hope that you find lots of support on your journey!

hugs

Angel

[scrabblelover]

my 1st was an intended UC with a hospital transfer (i freaked in transition, no need for transfer) she was born perfectly 7 min. later.  the hopital was horrible to me and to her.

my 2nd was a UC.  it was perfect. normal. 

I am now pregnant with my 3rd and will UC this one.  there is no way you could convince me to go to a hospital after my 2 experiences.  Yes, there are reasons for hospitals - placenta previa, placenta abruption.  true reasons, of course i would go.  but other than that I cannot imagine doing it any other way.  Even if i found out it was twins i would UC.

[scrabblelover]

My first was an intended Uc with a hospital transfer (i freaked in transition, no need to transfer) she was born 7 mins. later.  our whole experience there was horrid.

My 2nd was a UC waterbirth.  It was perfect. normal.  fun.

I am now pregnant with #3 and will definitely UC waterbirth again.  I know there are reasons for a hospital - placenta previa, placenta abruption, etc. - real emergencies.  other than that there is no way i would ever consider a hospital again. 

The UC at home was amazing and perfect for us.  But each family has to make their choice.

good luck!

Cayce

[onyxravnos]

I think I may of just posted in the one in homebirth but YES. My first was a c\s 2cd a planed u\c and this one will be a u\c as well unless something comes up during pregnancy. 

[dreammama]

This sounds like us!  Our midwife was no longer able to care for us so we are seeing an ob.  We hate it, but really wanted to make sure everything was great with baby along the way.  Now we are secretly preparing for our first UC!  The last 2 were with home births with midwives, which was great, but we really feel like we want it to just be us and baby this time.  We're due in 2 weeks!!!

[afr2010]

thank you for your responses! dreammama, good luck!

[mleawicks]

we uc 9 days ago. i hate Dr and anything to do with them. our uc was beuatiful as God ment it to be. i would do uc again in a heartbeat and so would my hubby. study so u know what to do and follow what you feel. everything goes good 98% of the time. you will know if you need med help http://www.unhinderedliving.com/childbirth.html

[afr2010]

congratulations! and thanks for sharing that link, I read through it all a while ago. It really is the best site for UC.

[eknuckles]

I love midwives, but I didn't need one so i had a UC. Everything went perfectly, thanks be to god.
I would definetly UC again if I felt everything was progressing normally and I was healthy still.

[Bitzy]

I had two hospital births, first one was a horrible experience while the second was probably as pleasant as it gets in the hospital.  I UCd my third and currently pregnant with my fourth.  This time around I was certain I wanted a midwife and after a long search, found one that would travel to my area.  All it took was one rescheduled appointment on the part of my midwife and I thought, why am I paying someone when I already know I can do this myself?  So at this point I'm having another UC and my midwife will basically just charge me a small flat fee to come out after the baby is born to check us out and take care of the paperwork.  Sounds perfect to me :)

[Almi]

I would despise birthing in a hospital, and be annoyed/hindered by a midwife.

I freebirthed my twins and I recently freebirthed my third baby.  I'd definitely do it again.  I fear getting an epidural more than I fear natural childbirth.

[Novella]

UC'd with #6 (5th birth, b/c twins). Was my longest labour - which surprised me and led to self-doubt near transition. YES, I would do it again - it was finally RIGHT (and my other births were so low-intervention that many women would think them ideal).

[babymonster]

I had a hospital birth first time, planned mw assisted home birth for the 2nd, which ended in transfer to hospital.  The 3rd was UC only because there is no option for home birth where we live now (in France).  I would totally do it again if we have another while we are here, but if I was back in the UK I would have a midwife.  Not really for the labour and birth, I loved doing that with just DH and I, but I think it would be nice to have someone come and do the newborn check and stitch if necessary.  

[aisforazebra]

edit - didn't read the op thoroughly and my situation doesn't really fit what you're asking.  sorry!

[amberskyfire]

Yes! I had both of my children unassisted. For the second, I did want a midwife in the next room, but only because we had moved and were so far from a hospital. As it turned out, my midwife was going to be out of town during the time I was going to give birth so I ended up having to UC again anyway, but we didn't need to transfer at all. I would definitely UC again if I were having another child, but I'm all done having kids. Hubs is getting a vasectomy.

[BlessedJess]

I'm with you, afr2010, even my "world's best" crunchy midwife who was as sweet as pie and so non-controlling was unable to stop from stressing me out a couple of times. It's just the nature of what they do. And both stressor points were for nothing in the end.
 

I've had 2 full UPs and 3 UCs. This is my third UP, and anticipating, God willing, a 4th UC. I am especially in need of avoiding stress put on me as I suspect (healthy) multiples this time. So I'm not interested in raising our risks via all the fearmongering an OB and midwife could provide. I know what I need to do. I don't need further information shoved down my throat by worriers at this point.

I could've already been pushed into 2 c-sections without being able to free birth/homebirth my way. As it was, all my children are happy and healthy, and what's more, my husband and I grow closer with each new pregnancy adventure we do on our own together.

[Lizbiz]

I've had two homebirths - one midwife assisted and one unassisted.  Loved both of them.  This third is planned as an unassisted birth as well.  Will proceed this way unless there's a problem. None anticipated!

[Devaskyla]

I've had 3 UC's, so yes. :)

[quantumleap]

First, let me say that I'm not anti-UC. Second, I may have a UC if I get pregnant again, but I would really rather not. My last birth was a planned UC, but at the last minute, a friend of mine found a midwife for me. Honestly almost didn't call her to come, but in the end she was there. I'm totally healthy, fit, well-nourished, very educated, a trained first responder, NRP, have half of my midwifery degree, etc,etc, etc. When I felt my son grind to a halt with his head half-born, all I could do was say, "He's stuck!". Granted, there is the argument that if no one had been around, I would have taken action. Shoulder dystocias are actually my "thing" (I always seemed to get assigned them in exams or see them at births I attended), but there are a few maneuvres that I could, physically,

NOT have done on myself. I'm sure I could have talked someone else though them, but it would have taken time and luck and, quite honestly, I do not want to mess with my kid's health and well-being enough to rely on my being able to talk someone through unfamiliar moves during a stressful situation. Never mind trying to explain to a lay person what/how to do things in a coherent manner with a baby literally sitting in that "ring of fire". 

Anyway, the whole experience shook my faith in UC a bit. I think we would have been ok (as in, no one would have died) on our own, but I do believe that one or both of us (probably my son) would have had long(er?) term issues to deal with. As it was, it was not pretty. I am forever grateful to the midwife who met me at 38w2days and came to my birth a mere 6 days later. I think there's a lot of blind faith in birth in the UC community. I do support UC, but I think that the people who chose this path MUST be aware of the fact that, sometimes, birth doesn't go as smoothly as it could and, sometimes, a baby or a mama needs help. I guess I'm trying to say that, for me, no, I would not have a UC if there was the option of a midwife.