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March Homebirthers Roll Call!

post #1 of 175
6/29/06 at 9:16pm
Thread Starter 
Being as this is MDC and all there have to be a few of us planning to birth at home. Come on in and introduce yourselves and let's chat!
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post #2 of 175
6/29/06 at 9:27pm
Thread Starter 
Ok, I'll start. Ds was born all natural in a hospital birth center with a CNM and doula. It was a great experience but now that we are more settled house-wise, I am really looking forward to a home water birth this time around.

The MW I am planning to see was apprenticing with the CNM I saw with ds and I just love her. She is so excited that I am finally pregnant that she set an appointment to see me at 6 weeks rather than the regular 9 (I have had a couple early m/c's so we've had a couple of false starts together already). That means my first appt is in 2 weeks - thus making this pregnancy seem like it is going way too fast already!

I'm looking forward to hearing form the rest of you!
post #3 of 175
6/29/06 at 9:28pm
Me me me me meeeeeeeeee! The March due month actually pushes off my plans for a year, otherwise I'd be gearing up to apply to midwifery school this fall, so there was no question this would be a planned homebirth baby!

Have you started contacting midwives yet? Already have one lined up? Waiting until 2nd trimester? I live in Portland, OR, which has a glut of midwives (and yes, this is where I'm planning on practicing! ), but the favorites fill up fast, but I want to interview a bunch, so... : Haven't quite figured it all out yet!

And the timeline is complicated by my being in another state next week, otherwise I'd probably start calling around then. When I get back, though, probably...
post #4 of 175
6/29/06 at 9:31pm
Oops, crossposted! Anyway, this is our first, and we're planning a home probably water birth (still looking for the deepest tub we can find and afford - I'm both tall and large, and those 24" pools just seem so shallow!). I've trained as a labor doula, am an aspiring midwife, and we're looking for a CPM or other DEM - kinda a no-brainer for us.
post #5 of 175
6/29/06 at 11:06pm
Paisley, congrats! How great that you get to do your next at home! It's a wonderful experience!! So sorry about your losses.

Arwyn congrats to you too! That's so awesome that you are planning on doing midwifery school! As far as tubs go, I don't really know much but I'm tallish (5'7") and I loved the Aquadoula.

As for me, I'll be definitely having my second homebirth. The question is whether it will be a planned unassisted. I had a 45 minute labor (that I recognized) with my DD, and my midwife made it just in time to watch my DH catch her. This time around, we moved and the nearest midwives are 45 minutes away -- except ONE, who made me cry when I talked to her on the phone!! And I'm not a cryer, darn pregnancy hormones. Anyway, do I pay someone 3000$ to probably not be at my birth, or do I just learn everything I can and go unassisted? Or do I go with the nearby midwife who I apparently have a personality conflict with? Ugh. I'm going to meet with her again just in case she was just having a lousy day...
post #6 of 175
6/29/06 at 11:16pm
Thread Starter 
Hi Astromom! Congrats to you too! :

I can't believe she made you cry on the phone! Maybe she will be better in person because if you two hit it off it sounds like that would be a good answer to your dilemma. Props to you for considering unassisted! I feel like it's not quite the right choice for me but I have a lot of respect and admiration for those who go UC. Good thing we get another 8 months to sort these details all out, right?
post #7 of 175
6/29/06 at 11:23pm
I am going to have my second homebirth. I just found out I am pg today so I haven't started calling midwives yet. Probably tomorrow I will. I am so excited about doing this again. I loved having my ds at home. And so happy this time I have other mamas to talk to about it.
post #8 of 175
6/30/06 at 12:43am
Planning my 6th homebirth (had 1 transfer). Have to find a new midwife this time. If anyone is in the Phoenix area and has recs let me know!
post #9 of 175
6/30/06 at 5:18pm
My DD was born via c-section due to failed induction. Going to avoid all intervention this time and birth at home for my best chances of a safe VBAC.

I've known I am pregnant for about a week and a half, no rush to call the midwife. I'm enjoying the peacefulness of just being pregnant and not worrying about anything else.

I have a great support system lined up, just haven't confirmed the midwife. We are very excited!
post #10 of 175
7/1/06 at 4:22pm
I am planning a home birth and am soooo excited about it. Our twins were born in a hospital and I'm just looking forward to the intimacy and privacy of having a homebirth. There are very few midwives in our area so I already called one and we are going to meet on the 17th.

I'm so excited about this prospect. It just feels so right for our family : .
post #11 of 175
7/1/06 at 9:42pm
Paisley, thanks! You are so right about having a lot of time to sort it out. Exactly what I was just saying to DH. She seemed kind of spacey, like she wasn't listening to me. I got that feeling many times in the conversation, but when she told me her price and I said "Oh, that's more than I expected because another midwife quoted about 1000$ less than that a few months ago," she replied by telling me I was irresponsible for having a child without thinking about the cost. : If only she could see the excel sheets I've written up in the past year figuring out all the finances involved!! Oh my gosh I miss my midwife from California....

kdf, I hope you were able to talk to some midwives yesterday! You'll have to let us know how it went.

Full Heart, I hope you have no problems finding a great midwife.

tika, yay that you have a great support system set up for your VBAC! That's wonderful!!

Alisa, you're right, it is so intimate and private... it's just great. I can't imagine doing it any other way now.

So, I am starting to lean more toward unassisted as a preference instead of a last resort. My SIL (a nurse) was telling me she would come and stay here with me for a week so she could be here with me when I go into labor, and she would check the heartrates, and she would "only do vaginal exams if necessary", and etc, etc... and it made me stop and think. I had the most peaceful, beautiful experience with DD's birth.. no midwives, no dopplers, no checks, no stress, no nervousness. Yes, we were happy to see our last midwife walk in our house at the last minute as DH was catching her because we weren't expecting to do it alone. But now I'm not sure I even want the low interventions of a midwife. Anyway, yes, lots of time to think it over!
post #12 of 175
7/1/06 at 10:15pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Astromom
...but when she told me her price and I said "Oh, that's more than I expected because another midwife quoted about 1000$ less than that a few months ago," she replied by telling me I was irresponsible for having a child without thinking about the cost. :
WHAT??? Nevermind what I said before about meeting her in person! And hello, doesn't the fact that you got quotes from other MWs show that you have been thinking this out?

Your SIL sounds like an awesome resource. I would be thinking that UC looked really good in your situation.

Oh and where were you in CA? I'm on the central cost.
post #13 of 175
7/2/06 at 12:10am
So how do you decide which midwife? I have talked to one on the phone. I really like her. I am meeting another in person on the 6th, I know her already shes been at 2 of my previous births. And setting up a phone interview with another midwife for after the 9th. Then I have to choose. How will I know? When I choose before it never occured me that I could actually interview people like for a job. Kinda just figured you just picked one and went with it . Of course it will be made very easy if one or both of these last 2 won't take me because I am always post dates. But in case I have 3 to choose from, How do I choose?
post #14 of 175
7/2/06 at 9:10am
I would base my decision on two important things:

1) Who do you feel most comfortable with?

2) Who do you think will give you the birth that you want? What kind of interventions are you willing or not willing to accept and who is likely to be more comfortable with your decisions and not pressure you?

Yes, definitely ask them how they feel about postdates.

Another suggestion, perhaps you could "pad" your due date a little bit to give you more time without having pressure? Perhaps by only a day or a few days.

As for me, I really don't have many options if I want an HBAC. I have one midwife option or to go unassisted if I want a home birth and to avoid another unnecessary cesarean. I wish I had several to choose from! You are so fortunate.
post #15 of 175
7/2/06 at 9:59am
There are four mw clinics where I live so I have to call all four and do an intake with them. Then the mw in the clinis meet and decide if they are going to take me. So I have only had one clinic call me back which was the one that I had last time. So the chances are good that I will get her again b/c I am a repeat client and I am having a homebirth. But the clinic told me that I should start prenatal care with a dr. I am not doing that b/c I refuse to have a dr or the baby in the hospital. I will have to figure something out if that is the case.

Good luck to everyone else trying to find a mw.
post #16 of 175
7/2/06 at 1:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tika
I would base my decision on two important things:

1) Who do you feel most comfortable with?

2) Who do you think will give you the birth that you want? What kind of interventions are you willing or not willing to accept and who is likely to be more comfortable with your decisions and not pressure you?

Yes, definitely ask them how they feel about postdates.

Another suggestion, perhaps you could "pad" your due date a little bit to give you more time without having pressure? Perhaps by only a day or a few days.

As for me, I really don't have many options if I want an HBAC. I have one midwife option or to go unassisted if I want a home birth and to avoid another unnecessary cesarean. I wish I had several to choose from! You are so fortunate.
I actually probably would have more to choose from, there are alot of mws here. Like 20! Last pg I padded my edd easily since I did have a pp af and it looked like I delivered 2 weeks early. That was sooooo nice. No pressure. But this time it will be very difficult to pad my edd. My lmp was May 6th, I didn't have EWCM till June 5-7th. So if I went with my LMP I would have an edd in Feb - which would make me a whole mos past my edd! I did however have bleeding the 19-23 so I can lie say I had af and would give me a edd of March 26 so I would again deliver early. But then we have the whole problem of measuring huge and hearing hb way early etc. So I am just going with my O days. Later on if we have to we can change my edd to reflect the bleeding I had.

Since I am a vetern hber I know there are some things I am just not willing to bend on so if a mw just can't see around them I will just not choose her. In the end I just hope I make the right decision.
post #17 of 175
7/2/06 at 10:18pm
I'm considering homebirth. My last two births were straightforward. (1st son, 12 hours start to finish, 2nd son, 4 hours start to finish). No complications. I would rather stay at home than have the drive to the hospital I had last time!
post #18 of 175
7/3/06 at 10:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by paisley
WHAT??? Nevermind what I said before about meeting her in person! And hello, doesn't the fact that you got quotes from other MWs show that you have been thinking this out?

Your SIL sounds like an awesome resource. I would be thinking that UC looked really good in your situation.

Oh and where were you in CA? I'm on the central cost.
Yeah, it was a really weird conversation with that woman.

My SIL definitely IS an awesome resource -- she's had several homebirths herself, and she is an amazing source of knowledge. If she wanted to be here as my friend, that would be fine. However, the thought of her here being a medical professional and worrying about me doesn't appeal to me so much.

I was in the bay area, south of San Francisco. (If anyone's there, I can recommend the best midwife!) We were only there a few years, and I miss California a lot -- but we went back east to be near family, and we could actually buy a house where we are now. Are you from there originally?
post #19 of 175
7/3/06 at 10:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kdf
But the clinic told me that I should start prenatal care with a dr. I am not doing that b/c I refuse to have a dr or the baby in the hospital. I will have to figure something out if that is the case.
kdf, do you know why they are wanting you to start prenatal care with a dr? It's the same clinic you went to before, right? Did they ask you to do that last time too?
post #20 of 175
7/4/06 at 1:22am
We're planning a homebirth. Very exciting! One of the doulas I know also owns and rents waterbirth tubs in the area, which is really nice! She comes and sets the up, then comes and drains and takes it all away after the birth. We have our first visit with the midwife on the 17th.
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