Need help deciding homebirth v. hospital

[Mommay]

I posted this on "I am Pregnant". I had an awful first birth at a hospital. They had me monitored constantly, induced me, took my son from me as soon as he was born for hours.

I so want a homebirth, but I am scared that something might happen and I need medical care and I won't be in a hospital to take care of me. Also, I had gestational diabetes. It's a diagnosis I took with some skepticism. But in this state, it is against the law for midwives to homebirth a woman with such a condition, so I would have to have a lay midwife. The midwife I saw today who I might consider working with and who births at a hospital says that the experiences she's had with the work of lay wives have been negative - she's had to repaire botched up jobs like unclosed tears and such. Now she's added to my fears about birthing at home.

Anybody know how risky it is to birth at home with gestational diabetes.

[Evergreen]

Hmmm, you are the only one who can truely make this decision, but I will weigh in with my perspective

First of all, is the hospital where you would have baby #2 the same as where you had baby #1. If so, this would tip the scale pretty far to the homebirthing side.

Secondly, what leads you to beleive that you didn't really have GD? if you are pretty strong with that instinct and want to avoid the mess again, you could refuse the test, but still eat in accordance with the GD guidelines just in case.

Thirdly, how well do you know the hospital midwife? Many hospital personal (midwives included, unfortunately) have strong biases against homebirthing. The only way to really see how competent a hb midwife is is to interview her and talk to previousl clients.

I would keep my options open at this point, interviewing midwives- hospital, home, and lay until you find the one whom you feel clicks with you. Also, it is very normal to feel something may go wrong and to be afraid, but with all of the homebirths that safely happen you should know that while your fears are justified it is sooooooooooo much more likely that everything will be fine, and the best part your baby won't be taken from you after the birth!

[JanetF]

These are links from my web site to help with your research.
Hugs,
J
Try also www.hencigoer.com and read the article on gdd

http://www.radmid.demon.co.uk/
European Midwives site. Stories, research and links from all over the world.. They advocate a woman-centred, evidence-based approach to birth.
www.freespace.virgin.net/home.birth/plan.htm
Homebirth web site UK – written by an Australian woman. Very good practical info plus references.
http://www.maternitywise.org/mw/topi.../evidence.html
Information on choosing a birth setting. US but internationally applicable information and studies.
http://www.homebirth.org.uk/homebirthindex.htm
Collection of international studies on home birth.
http://www.acegraphics.com.au/articles/maggie01.html
Maggie Banks on reclaiming midwifery.
http://www.birthinternational.com.au/
Provides support and resources for midwives, childbirth educators and expectant parents.
http://www.birthingalternatives.com/
Information, resources and support for empowering child birth. A site for parents and alternative birth professionals. Links to Ina May Gaskin’s work.
http://www.birthingthefuture.com/
If we want to create a less violent world, we must begin with the "primal period"
http://www.midwiferytoday.com/
Professional journal – the heart and science of midwifery. International links to articles, conferences, education. Unmissable!
http://www.communitymidwifery.iinet.net.au/
Community midwifery programme Fremantle, Western Australia.
http://www.homebirth.org.au/
Australian homebirth information, news and support.
http://www.gentlebirth.org/format/my...earFormat.html
Is homebirth for you? booklet.
http://www.acmi.org.au/text/corporat...guidelines.pdf
Minimum standards of care for midwives in Australia.
http://www.acmi.org.au/text/corporat...guidelines.pdf
Minimum standards of care for midwives in Australia.
http://www.clininfo.health.nsw.gov.a.../polpro10.html
John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia – protocols and procedures for labouring women. A good introduction into exactly what various procedures in the hospital system entail. These are instructions for staff on how to perform vaginal examinations, amniotomy etc. Includes seeking consent from the woman.
http://www.familyhealth.uts.edu.au/m...MAP/index.html
University of Technology, Sydney, Australia midwifery project.
www.leeds.ac.uk/miru/miriad/home.htm
Midwifery research database. United Kingdom but applicable internationally.
www.cochrane.org.au
Cochrane database of research. The Centre aims to promote the equitable provision of effective health care in Australasia by facilitating the preparation and maintenance of systematic reviews and their dissemination and application to influence service provision and clinical practice.
www.bmj.com
British medical journal. Free electronic subscription to your choice of articles.
www.capersbookstore.com.au
Books for parents, midwives, doulas, birth attendants on health, birth and related topics. Also an online forum.
www.aims.org.uk
Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services... at the forefront of the childbirth movement for more than forty years. Working towards normal birth, providing independent support and information about maternity choices and raising awareness of current research on childbirth and related issues. Database of articles on all aspects of pregnancy and birth.
www.maternitywise.org
Maternity Wise is the US Maternity Centre Association's long-term national program to promote evidence-based maternity care. "Evidence-based maternity care" means using the best research about the safety and effectiveness of specific tests, treatments, and other interventions to help guide maternity care decisions.
www.childbirth.org/section/ICAN.html
International Cesarean Awareness Network & VBAC Information This is a collection of fact sheets and information put out by the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) and other sources. Information includes how to prevent an unnecessary cesarean, Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), how to find resources in your community, information about ICAN, and how to become a part of ICAN.

http://www.freestone.org/
Jeannine Parvati Baker and Family invites you to know conscious and healthy parenting as a spiritual path. This web site explores and affirms the value of Conscious Conception, Prenatal Yoga, Free Birth, Gentle Parenting, Home Education, Lotus Birth, Home Business, Herbal Health, Gender Balance, Eco-Activism, EarthBirth and much more.
http://www.glorialemay.com/
Childbirth educator and activist.
http://www.hencigoer.com/
Ditto.
http://www.inamay.com/
Ina May Gaskin – writer, activist, innovator, midwife.
http://www.childbirthinternational.com/
International links to training for doulas and birth educators.
www.sheilakitzinger.com
Pioneering and influential birth information.
www.wonderfulbirth.com
Lina's Clerke’s site – Melbourne birth educator.
http://www.pregnancy.com.au/index2.htm
Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond web site run by independent midwife, Jane Palmer. Loads of great pregnancy info and links.
http://gentlebirth.org/nwnm.org/
I, Jock Doubleday, will pay $25,000.00 (U.S.) to the first person who sends me, both by email and postal mail, a study published in an industry journal in any country, in any time period, demonstrating hospital birth to be safer, in any category (i.e., infant or maternal mortality or morbidity), for most mothers and babies than home birth with a trained midwife in attendance. The term "midwife" does not include Certified Nurse Midwives, who, because of their conventional medical training, and in spite of their good intentions, may bring the fear-based medical model of childbirth with them into the home, thus skewing home birth data toward the technological. Fear, in any guise, is contagious. This offer has no expiration date and supersedes all previous offers of a similar nature. Contact: [e-mail]
http://www.womenofspirit.asn.au/sarahjbuckley.html#top
Essays by Sarah Buckley, pro-natural birth and parenting doctor in Brisbane.
http://www.birthworks.org/
Michel Odent’s site.
http://www.breastandbelly.com/index.html
Natural Pg and Birth site
http://www.earthmamasweb.com/article...y/katrina.html
One of Australia's natural parenting community’s sites – an article on pregnancy and birth.
http://www.lamaze-childbirth.com/
Gentle birth information.
http://www.maternitycoalition.org.au/mippslist.html
http://www.birth-sex.com/
Exploring the sacred feminine with Elizabeth Davis.
http://www.birthingwisdom.com.au/home.html
Rhea Dempsey, birth educator and attendant. Melbourne, Australia
www.activebirthcentre.com
Janet Balaska’s active birth site.
www.acegraphics.com.au/index.html
ACE – Associates in Childbirth Education.
www.birthrites.org
Australian. Loads of useful links. Includes info on recovering from traumatic birth. Very empowering. Encouraging of a consumer-type attitude to your health care.
http://www.cfmidwifery.org/
A US community site organised around improving women’s access to midwifery.
http://www.victoriousbirth.com/index.html
Cesarean and Traumatic Birth Support ~A site for women who want to truly heal spiritually and emotionally after a difficult birth experience
http://www.eheart.com/cesarean/index.html
A site by, for and about those born by c-sec.
http://www.postpartum.net/
International site on postnatal depression also known as postpartum depression.
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~midwife/asim.htm
Australian Society of Independent Midwives. Midwives and midwife advocates committed to supporting continuity of care, the protection and promotion of breastfeeding, sensitive midwifery practise and women’s birth choices.
http://www.tabs.org.nz/
New Zealand site on traumatic birth and recovery – PTSD and PND.
http://homebirth.www.50megs.com/main/main2/
Illawarra home birth online. A group of women who provide support and information for those who would like know more about giving birth in the peace of their own home. A non-profit organisation with a birth pool, regular newsletter, and videos (both professional and our own). Midwives and experienced 'home birthers' are welcome, as are those just wanting to find out more before making a decision.
www.egroups.com/community/HBAC
Online support for home birth after caeserean birth
http://www.sheilakitzinger.com/Birth%20Crisis.htm
Kitzinger on birth trauma.
http://www.birthlove.com/petition/womens_rights.html
Petition and declaration on the rights of birthing women.
http://www.birthlove.com/
A US site devoted to improving women’s experience in birth. Excellent for birth trauma.
http://www.bsb.bendigo.net.au/
Bendigo Birth Support. Information and support for women with an emphasis on natural birth with support for home birth.
http://www.yoni.com/healerf/templedoor.shtml
Healing the Temple Door – a guided meditation on healing from rape which can also be excellently employed in recovering from birth trauma.

[Mommay]

The MW I saw today used to be a homebirth mw, but she said she got sued unjustly and feels really raw about it. She now follows all protocols. I am interviewing mw's now, so I will see how that develops.

I really need to arm myself with knowledge about gd, and your links really helped, Janet, so thanks!

[Electra375]

IMO the biggest GD problem is size of baby. I do believe you can control GD with a low carb diet, much they same way my dm controls her Type II diabetes with an "alternative diet" according to her doctor. I know a woman who had GD and she was eating the diet recommended by her doctor and she was eating rolls with dinner and desserts to boot! I can't see the logic in that b/c carbohydrates turn to sugar in the body and your body treats them the same way.

So, a controlled and followed diet to controll GD should not produce a bigger baby than normal. And if this is the case, I see no reason to rule hb out based on GD.

Good MW are usually well versed in nutrition and have very good outcomes because their mamas are proactive in their health and the health of their babies.

Some DEM do surture tears, some don't. It is a question to ask. My mw would have surtured the tear if I wanted her to, I didn't want her to.

Take some time to look around thread here, there are some thread about what to ask a midwife etc.