4th birth...1st Home Birth in SC...AHHHH!

[candybar74]

Hi! I am a 31yo mother to a ds, 6, dd, 4 and dd, 11 months. I just found out I am unexpectantly pregnant for the 4th time. My 3 previous births were run of the mill hospital births but I've opted for a home birth this time for several reasons. With the birth of my last child, I was miserable and ready to be home and hated the feeling of being held prisoner. The medical staff never listens to me and because of that, I did not deliver for an hour & 15 minutes after I was fully dilated. The baby's head fell out as the doctor ran across the room, at the same time telling my husband to turn off the camera. Then I sat in bloody clothes for 4 hours while they held my baby captive in the nursery. Ugh, not good. Also, my beloved ob (who was not on call the night I delivered) is moving to FL to do a type of medical missionary work down there. So, I now live in a nice big house with a whirlpool tub and I am planning a homebirth. However, as excited as I am about it, I'm also that nervous! We live in the country, 20 minutes from town so that is a bit of a concern. Also, I tested positive with group B strep the last 3 times and that is also of concern. I would love some feedback just to help calm my fears. Thanks!!!

Candy August 2006

[alicia9178]

Hello....I also have had INTERVENTION-full run of the mill hospital births for all of my previous babies and I am now opting for a homebirth. I am ECSTATIC!!!! I too tested + for GBS with the last 2, but after doing some reading and talking it over with my midwife we are not even going to test this time. GBS test results can vary from day to day, so whos to say that if I were to test + one day I would not be - the next or visa versa. I wish you tons of pleasure birthing at home, I know we are so happy and so much more at peace then with our others about our impending birth expereince.
Alicia

[LeosMama]

Hi Candy, I am planning a homebirth for my next as well (just have to get pg first!).

As for the distance, 20 min isn't a terribly big deal as it takes 30-45 minutes for most emergency c/s anyhow.

GBS+ is mostly an issue if your membranes have been ruptured a long time. You can choose to not take antibiotics and just learn about symptoms of strep in the baby (this is very rare, it is much more common to get horrible thrush from the abx than to get strep from not getting the abx). Also, your m/w can administer the abx if you choose to get them.

I was just reading that SC has one of the highest rates of c/s in the country. You are safer at home than in the hospital. This is statistically proven. Please try not to be nervous about doing the safer thing.

Ask around at all of the crunchy mother's groups you can find and see who everyone recommends as a good midwife. Go to the tribes forum here on MDC and ask about midwives in your area. Then meet with her and keep up an email dialogue throughout the pregnancy. She will address your concerns such as distance from the hospital, GBS, etc and I bet you will find that you will be safer and more comfortable and supported, etc at home.

-Lindsay

[3+2=5:-)]

I am planning my first homebirth, too...I hope!! My first three were in a hospital but all natural and with a CNM. I moved and don't have that option here, so...even though it's twins, I am hoping for a homebirth!! :-) I COMPLETELY understand your fears!! Deep down I definitely do feel like the safer way to go is at home, as strange as that sounds to the average person.

[mommaem]

Just make sure you have a midwife who you trust and has experience. home birth is the most wonderful experience anyone can have/experience! trust in your self that little voice deep inside you. just believe that you are doing the right thing....the mind and tHE body connection are soooooo INCREDIABLE! Trust in your body, it knows how to do this with out intervention. And if at all possible try meditating and birth affirmations are GREAT!! i had used some that came with teh book A joyful pregnacy, hypno birthing(cant remember the whole title) it is well worth it to have a home birth!




momma to jc : : : and love of my life jorge

[candybar74]

Thanks so much for all the reassurance. I know that a homebirth will be a wonderful experience, there is just always that little nagging thought, "What if something goes wrong?" My midwife does not administer antibiotics so that is not an option but I don't want the antibiotics. They have wreaked havoc on me and the babies the last 3 times. My membranes are never ruptured more than a couple hours before birth and I don't ever go into labor early so I don't think I really have anything to worry about with that. If everything goes the same as it has the last 3 times, we'll be fine. I've been watching a lot of the baby shows lately and it really disgusts me how quick doctors are to stress out these poor mothers for no reason. For example, they did a AFP test on a women which came back positive so they told her her baby most likely had down's but the only way to know for sure was to do an amniocentesis which could cause miscarriage. She had the amnio and of course it came back negative for down's. I never did the AFP test because of the high rate of false positives, plus it just didn't matter to me. Or they will tell a mother they have to do a C-section because her baby is 10lbs and they proceed to cut her open to deliver her 7 or 8lb baby. Oooooh. It just burns me up. Well, thanks again. I am going to do all the reading I can to prepare myself. The only thing I am really going to miss is the technology. I love the ultrasounds, actually getting to see my baby, and in my past pregnancies I've had several but this time I'll be fortunate to have 1 so that is probably the only thing I am going to miss but it'll be ok.

[Sassafrass]

I'm in SC and am planning my second homebirth, here. My first 2 were hospital births. I would never willingly go back to a hospital. If you have any specific questions about SC, I would be happy to answer, if I can.

Good Luck!

[applejuice]

Good luck with your plans!

[JesseMomme]

NC mama here, I've a homebirth in both NY and here in NC for my third and fourth babes.

"What if something goes wrong?"

Just ask yourself, what if what goes wrong? You'll find most fears are just blowing smoke in our brain but there's no real fire. When/if you do center on a specific fear, just do some research, or come here and look within and ask why it is a fear you have .
When other people ask "What if something goes wrong?" Just ask them what if what goes wrong right back and often times people dont' know how to answer!

at the same time telling my husband to turn off the camera.

That's disturbing. I hope he continued filming... At the very least to see how the Dr has nothing magical in his hands that is required to have the baby birth.
And I think the more you learn about GBS the more you'll realize it's quite the silly, overtreated "diagnosis" indeed. A GBS infection in an infant is very rare and I think oftentime created by attendants who have to "check for dialation" once an hour.

Those baby stories on cable get me riled up too....I'm so glad I don't have cable b/c like a train wreck, I can't look away, then I spend an hour afterwards mad as a hornet!!