Home Birth Questions

[jazzybaby9]

I'm 18 and wanting a natural home birth/water birth and was wondering what are the complications?? What are common things that can go wrong??

Lots of love.

[attachedmamaof3]

Nothing! That's why we choose birth at home. A normal labor/delivery is one where there are no complications and nothing goes wrong! And since that's normal, why be hospitalized?

A little about me...3 kids ranging in age from 9 to 2 months all born naturally one in a birthing center, two at home. Two with midwives, one unaccompanied birth.

[alegna]

Homebirth has a lot fewer things that can go wrong that hospital birth!

good luck!

-Angela

[koofie]

Generally almost anything "abnormal" that would require any medical treatment can wait for transport to a hospital OR it is something that could not be changes in a hospital. Having a birth at home means that you're usually more relaxed and that makes the labor go more smoothly.

Just my 2 cents! I was planning a birth center birth with #1, but had to be induced at the hospital, and it is not something I would wish on my worse enemy.

[rad]

I agree with the others. Very little can go wrong. ALot more can happen inteh hospital because of all the interventions. That's why homebirth is great. Andin the rare chance that anything does go wrong, there's plenty of time to transport.

I've all 4 of my babies at home and have never had a single complication during the births.

[Carolinamidwife]

See if you can grab a copy of Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.

Most people are surprised by how short the list of complications are.

[SublimeBirthGirl]

The "common" things that go wrong are the things hospitals cause w/ their routine interventions. At home? Sure, something can go wrong, but it's not common for anything to happen.

[flyjawn]

i believe the most common reason for transferring to a hospital is meconium in the amniotic fluid and that is definitely not an "emergency" transfer.

95% of complications give lots of warning so there is lots of time to transfer to a hospital if neccessary. and of course, like the other ladies have said, complications are more common when you start out in hospital.

good luck!

[Carolinamidwife]

i believe the most common reason for transferring to a hospital is meconium in the amniotic fluid and that is definitely not an "emergency" transfer.

Actually it's for maternal exhaustion.

Mec in the fluid isn't necessarily a reason to transport.

[flyjawn]

Originally Posted by Sheena

Actually it's for maternal exhaustion.

Mec in the fluid isn't necessarily a reason to transport.

oh yes, i forgot about exhaustion. i realize meconium isn't neccessarily a reason to transport - my daughter had a small amount and we continued with our HB but i know it's a very common reason for people to decide to transfer to a hospital.

[supermuma]

I just wanted to say that I also had my first at home when I was 18 . What really helped me decide, and feel good about it was reading Spiritual Midwifery. It put my worries at ease and I had a lovely birth

I hope that helps!

[Carolinamidwife]

Originally Posted by flyjawn

oh yes, i forgot about exhaustion. i realize meconium isn't neccessarily a reason to transport - my daughter had a small amount and we continued with our HB but i know it's a very common reason for people to decide to transfer to a hospital.

Thoughts on mec are changing, I don't know any midwives who transport based solely on the presence of mec alone. If the baby looks well mec can be considered a variation of a normal birth.

[flyjawn]

Originally Posted by Sheena

Thoughts on mec are changing, I don't know any midwives who transport based solely on the presence of mec alone. If the baby looks well mec can be considered a variation of a normal birth.

in ontario midwives let the parents decide whether to transfer to a hospital if there is a small to medium presence of meconium so this probably accounts for why it's a common "reason". it's the parents, not the midwives who are making the decision.

[Isaac'sMa]

If you find a good MW, she will help you with this info, such as any underlying health problems that might prevent you from having the HB you want. Generally, if you're a healthy woman who eats a varied diet during pg and takes care of herself, there are *very few* reasons a HB would not be indicated. The other posters are right--HB is safer that hospital birth!

Congrats on your pregnancy!

[jazzybaby9]

Originally Posted by attachedmamaof3

Nothing! That's why we choose birth at home. A normal labor/delivery is one where there are no complications and nothing goes wrong! And since that's normal, why be hospitalized?

A little about me...3 kids ranging in age from 9 to 2 months all born naturally one in a birthing center, two at home. Two with midwives, one unaccompanied birth.

Thing is, with all the females in my family who have given birth all had babies with the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck and doctors had to twist the babies around so they wouldn't be strangled...it's happened around 5 times in my family...my aunts, my mother, my cousins.....

So that's what I'm really worried about.......

[jazzybaby9]

Originally Posted by supermuma

I just wanted to say that I also had my first at home when I was 18 . What really helped me decide, and feel good about it was reading Spiritual Midwifery. It put my worries at ease and I had a lovely birth

I hope that helps!

Yes, that helped a tremendous amount. Thank you!

[the_lissa]

A cord is nothing to be concerned about. A midwife can unloop it from the baby's neck as it is born.

With a doctor and a hosptal, it is more likely to be an excuse for a c/s.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by jazzybaby9

Thing is, with all the females in my family who have given birth all had babies with the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck and doctors had to twist the babies around so they wouldn't be strangled...it's happened around 5 times in my family...my aunts, my mother, my cousins.....

So that's what I'm really worried about.......

Cord around the neck is very normal and no big deal. Dd's cord was around her neck twice and shoulder once No big deal. Really.

-Angela

[jazzybaby9]

Originally Posted by the_lissa

A cord is nothing to be concerned about. A midwife can unloop it from the baby's neck as it is born.

With a doctor and a hosptal, it is more likely to be an excuse for a c/s.

Wow, I didn't know that, sounds very true...seeing as how they told my aunt she had to have an emergency c/s!

[Vicitoria]

Originally Posted by jazzybaby9

Thing is, with all the females in my family who have given birth all had babies with the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck and doctors had to twist the babies around so they wouldn't be strangled...it's happened around 5 times in my family...my aunts, my mother, my cousins.....

So that's what I'm really worried about.......

I had a birth center birth with midwives. My son was born with the chord arond his neck. His first apgar wasn't great but the second was. They cut the chord right away (obviously) and gave me a shot of pitocin to deliver the plecenta faster to make sure everything was OK with it. They had oxygen standing by but it wasn't necessary. Midwives can do the same thing a doctor would in that case. And, since you didn't have the baby in the hospital, the baby will stay with you. I'd imagine, in the hospital they would take the baby for observation just because even if all was well with the second apgar.