Would you homebirth?

[seren]

Would you have a homebirth if you were in my situation?

With dd1 I went to an OB. He induced me 12 days early because the baby was *looking kinda big* and I had Group B strep and I was dialated to a 3. My labor was rough. My iron was super low, like 6. THey put me on pitocin and I would have a few contractions, then they would stop until they turned it up. They broke my water at noon and dd wasn't born until just after 10 pm.My iv wasin my hand, it infiltrated and I didn't get the pit to help stop the bleeding. I passed out. I woke up a few minutes later and said I couldn't see anything, what i saw looked like the snow on tv. THen I passed back out. I woke up sometime in the middle of the night to find dh and my mom trying to get dd to nurse. Then I went back to sleep. I did not nurse dd until 8 am.

With ds I went to a birth center. My water broke and after 20 hours of my labor starting and stopping he was born. I had been taking 8 chlorophyll pills a day, plus eating iron rich foods and my iron was still too low to have the water birth I wanted. But not problems with my delivery or after.

With dd2 I went back to the birth center. No problems with her, a fast (compared to my other two) intense labor. After the birth I got a standard shot of pit. I still bled a bit more than normal. My midwife was a bit concerned.

I just found out that the birth center might be closing. I would love to have a homebirth, but dh is a bit nervous. So, if it was you, would you?

[magemom]

I want a homebirth, and it is no longeranoption. If I could do it again, I would. They are illegal here to have a midwife or somewoene acting as one outside a hospital, but they are done.

Dh was concerned and i had stuff for a UC last time but he found out too soon in my labor and was fighting to get me to the hospital. I was not able to assert myself. He later said there was nothing they did for me that made a hospital needed. ugh...

It is my only regret, not breaking the law. He would have been ok if he wasn't alone with me.

[zoebird]

while i want to UC for all of my births (i haven't birthed yet), i answered that i would utilize a midwife if i were you.

i would, personally, just UC, but you do have to consider your DH and what he can 'handle' emotionally and what he can prepare for--reasonably--during your pregnancy (you are pregnant, right? if not, then yu may have enough time to prepare him for UC).

and, considering some of your 'special needs' if you want to take over them yourself (the bleeding/passing out stuff), then that's great--study and be prepared--but if you don't want to have to rely solely on yourself for this (and DH isn't prepared willing either) then having someone there is a great solution.

there's nothing wrong with wanting and having a midwife; it can be the best thing for ya!

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by seren

I just found out that the birth center might be closing. I would love to have a homebirth, but dh is a bit nervous. So, if it was you, would you?

There is no difference between a birth center and your home; a mw cannot do anymore for you there than she can do in your home.

[momto l&a]

Yes I would.

Edited to add I bled a lot right after birth, it just me. With my last birth the mw didn't make it in time and her helper just made it. She was really concerned about the bleeding and wanted to cut the cord. I told her NO, it normal for me to bled lots, wait for the cord to stop pulsing. She did and everything was fine.

If I where in your shoes I would make sure I would stay far away from Dr's, it seems they caused you much problems with your first birth because of their medaling.

[seren]

Originally Posted by i'mmykid'$mom

There is no difference between a birth center and your home; a mw cannot do anymore for you there than she can do in your home.

I forgot to say that the midwife is 5 minutes or less from a hospital and I am closer to 20.

[seren]

Originally Posted by zoebird

(you are pregnant, right? if not, then yu may have enough time to prepare him for UC).

Nope, not pregnant yet, but hopefully will be around the end of the year. I'm looking ahead right now.

[seren]

Originally Posted by momto l&a

If I where in your shoes I would make sure I would stay far away from Dr's, it seems they caused you much problems with your first birth because of their medaling.

This is what I am thinking. Especially because I had gestational diabetes with my last pregnancy and I know an OB would label me high risk. Of course, I am planning to decline testing no matter who my provider is. I will just test my sugar several times a week on my glucose monitor and adjust my diet accordingly.

[mama_at_home]

So is your concern hemorraging and that is why you are hesitant about a homebirth? If I were in your situation I would still homebirth. Continue to up your iron intake with lot's of greens and Floradix is good, too. If your midwife brings pitocin she can always give you a shot after the birth if it looks like it will be necessary. It is really common to have alot of bleeding in twin births so that is one thing I tried to prepare for. I took lots of greens supplements and took Floradix, etc. My iron was low (which is common with twin pregnancies) but everything ended up being ok. My midwife gave me some homeopathic drops after the babies were born and I also ended up getting a shot of pitocin as a precaution since I gushed a bunch of blood when they transferred me from the pool to my bed. Besides that one big gush my bleeding was totally normal, just like a singleton pregnancy. Anyway, to sum it up, yes I would still homebirth.

[maciascl]

Originally Posted by nancymom

So is your concern hemorraging and that is why you are hesitant about a homebirth? If I were in your situation I would still homebirth. Continue to up your iron intake with lot's of greens and Floradix is good, too. If your midwife brings pitocin she can always give you a shot after the birth if it looks like it will be necessary. It is really common to have alot of bleeding in twin births so that is one thing I tried to prepare for. I took lots of greens supplements and took Floradix, etc. My iron was low (which is common with twin pregnancies) but everything ended up being ok. My midwife gave me some homeopathic drops after the babies were born and I also ended up getting a shot of pitocin as a precaution since I gushed a bunch of blood when they transferred me from the pool to my bed. Besides that one big gush my bleeding was totally normal, just like a singleton pregnancy. Anyway, to sum it up, yes I would still homebirth.

: That is pretty much what I was going to say. Do what you can to keep your iron up & the mw can still bring a pit shot. Plus there are lots of herbal & homeopathic remedies to help with bleeding. Just check out the mw & be sure she is familar with these things & educate yourself as well.

I had DS in a birthcenter & am anxiously awaiting a homebirth anyday now, but I am really not seeing where there will be any significant diffrence between home & birthcenter birth.

[Pandora114]

keep your iron up. You can do it.

And if you are bleeding right after, ask your MW for a bite of placenta..that usually more often than not, slows the bleeding right down.

[laohaire]

Florodix is like a miracle potion or something. DEFINITELY get it. It tastes good (you get used to it after taking it 2-3 days, and even the first time it isn't bad, just sort of new). It doesn't constipate in the least. And it's EFFECTIVE (it got my iron levels up through the roof when I got tested 2 days after starting Florodix). Sorry to sound like a commercial, but it is AWESOME stuff.

Next, I would definitely home birth in your situation. I think you would benefit from having an unmanaged birth. You may have long labors - that's ok. Or, you might have better labors without the pit, etc. I don't understand why the low iron had anything to do with qualifying for a water birth. DH being nervous is entirely understandable, your DH loves you and is nervous because we've all been taught to believe that birth is dangerous, and he's even seen things go wrong at the hospital - and it's hard to see what was CAUSED by the hospital. For me, I would get a midwife, for both my sake and my DH's sake. I'd set up an interview and encourage DH to ask as many questions as he has - and to feel free to challenge anything he thinks is baloney. If you think he might clam up, get an idea of his worries before the interview, let him ask the questions, but if he doesn't, butt in and ask questions for him (but just ask like they are YOUR questions instead of saying "My DH is worried about X, my DH wants to know Y" since that will probably make him feel awkward and disempowered).

I had a homebirth, and it would have been a guaranteed C/S three times over if I were in the hospital - for no good reason whatsoever (due to length of labor, length of pushing, and PROM).

[DreamsInDigital]

I would definitely stay far, far away from intervention. Increase your iron as others have suggested and have the homebirth you want.

[huggerwocky]

I would have a homebirth, from what I know all homebirth midwives check your iron levels in advance enough tom do something about it before the birth. Mine does, I'm taking Floradix.

[DayDreamer]

I would have a hb, i voted 'with mw' but i would do an UC too.

As for the iron, I suggest this http://www.solgar.co.uk/solgar%20cat...icapsE1249.htm
In my last pregnancy my hemoglobin dropped to 7. My MW would not do a hb with me if my hemoglobin was under 9 b/c of the hemmorage risk. I tried EVERYTHING, even the floradix. My hemoglobin would not budge. Finally my MW called me and said there was another woman under her care in the same situation as me, and she found the Solgar Chelated Iron and her hemoglobin shot up immediately. I got the solgar iron right away and at my next apt (which I had been on the supplement one week) my hemoglobin was at 12!! So I can't say enough good things about this supplement!

[kathan12904]

I voted for you to homebirth with midwife, just because having her there would probably ease your concerns more than interfere with your birth. Also, pit is not the be all and end all of afterbirth contractions and bleeding. Less expensive and more effective ways of releasing oxytocin, the real deal that pit is a half*ssed knock off of, are nipple stimulation and (i know, yuck) chewing on a piece of placenta. Just holding your newborn, something a lot of hospitals seem to have a policy against, can cause those hormones to release. There is no reason to believe that your previous problems will repeat themselves, and if they do, there is no reason a midwife can't handle them for at least as long as it would take for more high tech medical interventions to reach you. Have faith.

[bobandjess99]

i voted for UC, since i am a UC'er, and would UC, but i would also use a midwife, if I were you......I thikn your biggest "problem" is going to be mentally getting over the stuff that has happened to you before, and REALLY believeing you are healthy and can have a baby by yourself.

[Max'sMama]

I agree with the pps. Homebirth, find a hb provider that you feel comfortable with and understands your concerns.

[Attached Mama]

i plan to hbac for my next one.

in your shoes, yes i would - with a midwife. you can always transfer if needed and you can get a shot of pit from a home midwife if needed - after birth that is, not during - at least not where i last lived.

anyway, a midwife will monitor things so you can concentrate just on birthing and you can transfer before anything gets bad.

have you tried a no constipating iron suppliment? i took one a few times per week and even as a vegetarian had excellent iron -just an idea. i know everyone is different.

follow your heart and good luck

[cryspanimal]

I would plan a HB with a midwife. I would think that she would be able to provide just the same services that you would find in a birth center. (Unless your birth center is attached to or in the hospital and it's that super-close proximity to a hospital that you were wanting.)