Planning or had a planned UC? - describe yourself!

[flowmom]

I have a friend (who is not a mom yet) who is writing an article about UC for a major publication. She wants to educate her readers about the kind of families who would choose UC. I'm guessing that most of us don't fit into people's assumptions about the kind of person who would UC . It would be great if you could answer the following questions to educate the public:

A) What is/was your occupation (in addition to being a Mother)?

B) Education level? (e.g. high school, college graduate, post-graduate)?

C) Do you see yourself as more of an intellectual, artistic, scientific or back-to-nature type? (Or combination, or something else entirely?)

D) What made you interested in unassisted childbirth?

E) What are your main sources of research on UC?

F) At what age did you have or plan your first UC?

Thanks!

[flowmom]

Me first!

A. Biologist
B. MSc
C. scientist/professional
D. safety, privacy, the experience
E. email groups/web sites
F. 38

[3under3]

A) Current SAHM; previously teacher and sales
B)College Grad
C)Intellectual/artistic/scientific rolled into
D)I thought a lot of the other options stunk.
E) Reading
F) 26 for UC#1...now working on UC #3

[2bluefish]

A) linguist

B) MA

C) all of those!

D) think alot of birth professionals interfer too much, hate hospitals, and there aren't enough out of hospital options where I live - also very committed to giving my child the most gentle entrance to the world possible (they were not gentle at the hospital) - also I just *want* to

E) internet, books

F) got interested in it at 22, planned my first at 27 (but for personal reasons didn't work out), trying again at 28

[augustacherri]

A. SAHM full time now; before worked for a children's charity organization and was a student.
B. College graduate and some graduate work
C. All of the listed.
D. My mom had 4 UCs and really enjoyed them. I wanted a home birth, but midwifery is illegal in my state, so I decided to go the route my mother went.
E. Internet--websites, this forum; Books (Unassisted Childbirth by Laura Shanley, Heart and Hands by Elizabeth Davis, Power of Pleasurable Childbirth by Laurie Morgan, The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin); other women's stories, especially my mom's.
F. 23 when attempted with my first child (hospital transfer for emotional reasons and exhaustion). Had UC at 25.

[MamaRabbit]

A) What is/was your occupation? taught highschool for a couple years, still didn't feel like it was "calling". now I'm where I should be... midwifery student

B) Education level? college graduate x 2

C) Do you see yourself as more of an intellectual, artistic, scientific or back-to-nature type? Intellectual, scientific

D) What made you interested in unassisted childbirth? pregnancy is not an illness, and childbirth is not a medical emergency; birth is a part of life, which I prefer to happen in my own space

E) What are your main sources of research on UC? internet, books, other women

F) At what age did you have or plan your first UC? I'll be 28

[reducereuserecycle]

A) ballet teacher
B) college graduate (5 years of college, but only got an associate's degree cause I wanted to learn a little of everything and didn't focus on one area long enough to get a Bachelor's in a specific field)
C) I enjoy the arts and sciences. it is my goal to be as "environmentally friendly" as possible. I am always looking for a natural approach to everyday living. I like to keep up on current issues dealing with the environment and human impact on the environment
D) I always knew I didn't want to give birth in hospital. A hospital let me bleed internally for 4 days with a ruptured ovarian cyst before they bothered to correctly diagnose me; that made me hate hospitals even more. I always had a gut feeling that I wanted to give birth with only my husband present, but I was so brainwashed by American society. I hired a lay midwife so I could have a homebirth, but was not 100% comfortable with the idea of her attending my child's birth. Then I happened to come across this MDC UC forum and started reading post after post. Then I watched the movie the Nativity Story, which is based on the birth of Jesus. I realized that if Jesus was born with only his mother and father present, then that should be the way for us to do it.

E) I've read a lot of personal experinces/birth stories mostly. Reading numerous personal experiences gives me an idea of all the numerous possibilities of how childirth can be. I read the following books, not that these books are about UC, but they have to do with my overall education of pregnancy and birth: Emergency Childbirth, Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Years, many magazine articles, the Bradley Childbirth Method, & Eat Right for Your Baby (a blood type diet book by Dr. Dadamo).

F) I am 25 and my baby will be born anytime now.

[Turkish Kate]

A) What is/was your occupation (in addition to being a Mother)?
Since moving to Turkiye, I am a SAHM. In my previous life, I was a Registered Nurse with experience in L&D, gen OB, dialysis, cardiac care, and nursing education.

B) Education level? (e.g. high school, college graduate, post-graduate)?
College graduate.

C) Do you see yourself as more of an intellectual, artistic, scientific or back-to-nature type? (Or combination, or something else entirely?)
All and none of the above. I defy categorization. I am as comfortable in my business suits as my Birkenstocks.

D) What made you interested in unassisted childbirth?
The medical model of childbirth in Istanbul is horrendous and I've seen far too many bad outcomes. I was unable to find a midwife and decided that I'd delivered enough of other people's babies, surely I can do this. So far so good (knock wood).

E) What are your main sources of research on UC?
I wouldn't say that I've researched "UC" particularly, but pregnancy and childbirth in general. MDC has lots of great resources, other people's brains to pick most especially. I have my own resources from nursing/OB texts to midwifery texts, to mainstream literature, the entire gamut is represented in my bookshelf. I have a tremendous amount of faith in God and his creations.

F) At what age did you have or plan your first UC?
I am 35 and days away from our first UC.

[crissei]

Originally Posted by Ksenia

I'm guessing that most of us don't fit into people's assumptions about the kind of person who would UC .

Well... I probably do fit the stereotype.

A) Homesteader, Craftswoman

B) Unschooled from 10th grade+

C) All (although others would probably choose, back-to-nature, and artist)

D) Instinct led me to it, open-mindedness led me to accept it.

E) Observing nature, books, internet

F) I'm 25, and TTC.

[ananas]

A) What is/was your occupation (in addition to being a Mother)?
I'm just now beginning my photography career.
I also hope to look into midwifery someday.

B) Education level? (e.g. high school, college graduate, post-graduate)?
I'll be taking a few community college courses pretty soon.

C) Do you see yourself as more of an intellectual, artistic, scientific or back-to-nature type? (Or combination, or something else entirely?)
Hmm...more spiritual than any of these things. I'm definitely a back-to-nature type, though.

D) What made you interested in unassisted childbirth?
Research, and the natural progression of my thoughts as I did the research. I went from being interested in home birth but expecting that I'd probably have a home birth, to knowing I would never give birth in a hospital, to knowing I would never give birth with assistance. It's just the right choice for me.

E) What are your main sources of research on UC?
This thread, and websites on the topic. Books.

F) At what age did you have or plan your first UC?
I plan to have my first around age 19-21. It all depends on how things work out

[SublimeBirthGirl]

A) Before having kids, I worked in finance, first at a mutual fund company, then a wealth management firm. After my 1st was born I started teaching childbirth classes and attending births as a doula.

B) I have a 4-year business degree, and 2.5 years of law school (left school when I was pregnant with my 1st; too much stress).

C) Mostly an intellectual type.

D) I started thinking about UC late in my pregnancy with my 1st, realizing how little control a birthing mother has in the hospital and that insurance often doesn't cover HB. I initially planned an attended HB w/ my 2nd but halfway through my pregnancy realized that the call to UC was too strong to ignore. I didn't want anyone else there. I've read about a million books and articles on pregnancy and birth as part of my job and my passion, and felt very comfortable that UC was a safe option for me.

E) Books, friends, web.

F) Month and a half shy of 31.

[EFPookie]

A) What is/was your occupation (in addition to being a Mother)?
I'm currently an assistant to an escrow officer, full-time.
B) Education level? (e.g. high school, college graduate, post-graduate)?
As they say on most surveys, Some college.
C) Do you see yourself as more of an intellectual, artistic, scientific or back-to-nature type? (Or combination, or something else entirely?)
Not really any of those, but of those, intellectual most. Definitely not artistic or back-to-nature.
D) What made you interested in unassisted childbirth?
First - hospital's refusal to do a VBAC this time, then as I learned more, a complete faith in my ability to birth this baby without help.
E) What are your main sources of research on UC?
Internet
F) At what age did you have or plan your first UC?
31

[mrskennedy]

A) What is/was your occupation (in addition to being a Mother)?: I'm a freelance writer and journaling workshop facilitator.

B) Education level? (e.g. high school, college graduate, post-graduate)?: B.A in Professional Writing, 6 more classes to finish B.A in Spanish

C) Do you see yourself as more of an intellectual, artistic, scientific or back-to-nature type? (Or combination, or something else entirely?): Intellectual, artistic, independent, questioning "normalcy," especially in the medical field.

D) What made you interested in unassisted childbirth?: Belief that OB's fuss too much and the fact that I've accepted whatever experiences and outcome I have, as well as the child I'm given. Confidence to birth on my own, and I have trouble trusting others I don't know. So why would I want them at my birth? (I have 8 potential OB's if I go to the hospital, and only know 3, don't like any.) I believe UC is empowering and every woman's right, if she's comfortable with it.

E) What are your main sources of research on UC?: MDC, unassistedchildbirth.com, birth stories, midwifery magazine for what they call complications--breech, etc--but what I call variations.

F) At what age did you have or plan your first UC?: planning first UC for first baby at 22

[barefoot mama]

A) What is/was your occupation (in addition to being a Mother)? SAHM. Up until my oldest was a year, I worked as a social worker in a domestic violence shelter.

B) Education level? (e.g. high school, college graduate, post-graduate)? I have a BS in Sociology/concentration in Criminal Justice
I have just started school again to become a homeopath (last week!)

C) Do you see yourself as more of an intellectual, artistic, scientific or back-to-nature type? (Or combination, or something else entirely?)
I think a little of each. I wish I were more artistic!

D) What made you interested in unassisted childbirth? I looked into it when I found out I was pregnant with #4. The more I researched, the more I knew it was the right decision for us. I knew it on an intellectual and spiritual level.

E) What are your main sources of research on UC? Books. I'm fairly certain I've read them all. Also the internet. Laura Shanley's stuff was important for me. And I love reading the UC birth stories.

F) At what age did you have or plan your first UC? 30 at the birth

[Jenlaana]

A) What is/was your occupation (in addition to being a Mother)? I was a Software Project Manager prior to moving to SC with my husband to start our family

B) Education level? (e.g. high school, college graduate, post-graduate)? Associates Degree in college

C) Do you see yourself as more of an intellectual, artistic, scientific or back-to-nature type? (Or combination, or something else entirely?) I would probably say an intellectual, definitely not a "back to nature" type, a bit artistic now that I'm a SAHM and have more time to explore that side of myself.

D) What made you interested in unassisted childbirth? For me, it was the absolute lack of control over my pregnancy and birth with my Obstetrician. I would have blindly and happily continued with the highly medicalized route if they had been more about a partnership in my pregnancy and birth and not about "telling the mother how its going to be". Every OB I dealt with made it clear that having input was only an illusion and in the end their "reccomendations" were demands and nothing less, and I tried EVERY one that Blue Cross/Blue Shield listed as an approved provider in 2 counties. I felt like I truly had no choice but to research other options.

E) What are your main sources of research on UC? The internet and books, lots and LOTS of research, as well as ICAN (International Cesearean Awareness Network), email groups of people who have UC'd already, reading outcomes of other's UCs, every bit of documentation from ACOG, and every other medical group that has studied births and the inherant risks involved.

F) At what age did you have or plan your first UC? I was 28 yrs old

[yvonnemlv]

A) What is/was your occupation (in addition to being a Mother)?

Worked with Children, tutoring and other activities

B) Education level? (e.g. high school, college graduate, post-graduate)?

BS in Psychology

C) Do you see yourself as more of an intellectual, artistic, scientific or back-to-nature type? (Or combination, or something else entirely?)

All of the above

D) What made you interested in unassisted childbirth?

I've always thought birth should be this way

E) What are your main sources of research on UC?

Laura Shanley, Yahoo!Groups cbirth, LJ unassisted birth group, MDC unassisted birth forum

F) At what age did you have or plan your first UC?

First one planned at age 8 years old, or sometime under age 10 years old anyway. First pregnancy that resulted in birth was age 24/25, transferred due to...acynclitic head not descending after a couple hours of pushing... 2nd pregnancy/birth at age 27/28, was unassisted pregnancy and birth

[rajahkat]

FUN! I like this idea =)

A) What is/was your occupation (in addition to being a Mother)?
I'm currently a promotional model again. =) Have been off and on the last ten years.

B) Education level? (e.g. high school, college graduate, post-graduate)?
Some college. I always think this is a shallow question though, especially coming from a homeschooling viewpoint. Would a college teach me the things I'm interested in knowing? Am I able to learn these on my own or from another source? My knowledge base isn't accurately defined by the amount (or lack there of) of college classes.

C) Do you see yourself as more of an intellectual, artistic, scientific or back-to-nature type? (Or combination, or something else entirely?)
I'm as granola as they come, baby! =) Back to the woods, birkenstock wearing appalacian trail hiking recycling trying to figure out how to build a green house in the middle of the woods organic eating vegetarian. But I've always been a thinker (I would never call myself an "intellectual" too many icky stuck-up friends from Berkeley have tainted that word for me.) For a (short) time, I considered studying philosophy intensively.



D) What made you interested in unassisted childbirth?
Nothing MADE me interested in unassisted birth. From the time I was a child and pictured myself eventually having baby, I knew I wanted to have them at home in my own bed "like they did in the old west". =) My dh and I don't really have anything to do with western medicine or surgeons unless it is a life and death situation and all other methods have been exhausted, so it never even entered my mind to hire an OB when I got pregnant with #1. I DID begin searching for a midwife/ looking for pregnancy books online/researching birth a bit which led me to Mango Mama's website where she talked about UC. That was is for me. THAT was what I was doing.

E) What are your main sources of research on UC?
Initially with my first baby, I read a few UC books (there aren't many). But I mainly researched the birth process itself online. I don't think one needs to study "UC" per se. They just need to understand birth, normal uncomplicated, un-messed-with pregnancy and birth. Now, after 3 UCs, I'm reading lots of medical OB, and midwifery texts.


F) At what age did you have or plan your first UC?
23

[NatureMama3]

A) What is/was your occupation (in addition to being a Mother)?
Medical Assistant (similar to a clinical LPN/LVN)

B) Education level? (e.g. high school, college graduate, post-graduate)?
Technical College Graduate, Partial Associate Degree work

C) Do you see yourself as more of an intellectual, artistic, scientific or back-to-nature type? (Or combination, or something else entirely?)
Probably a combination. I could wear all of those hats, though they're usually filtered through 'back-to-nature'.

D) What made you interested in unassisted childbirth?
My experience with homebirthing my youngest son. Also, learning more about taking the responsibility of caring for the health needs of my own family using natural methods rather than going to the doctor.

E) What are your main sources of research on UC?
Books, internet, discussions with those who have had UC. I couldn't list them all, I've been researching it for over 4 years.

F) At what age did you have or plan your first UC?
I will be 32 when this baby is born, it will be my first UC.

[JesseMomme]

Originally Posted by Ksenia

A) What is/was your occupation (in addition to being a Mother)?

My last job before becoming a SAHM was a Home Health Aide

B) Education level? (e.g. high school, college graduate, post-graduate)?

Graduated high school, did some college, may return in the future

C) Do you see yourself as more of an intellectual, artistic, scientific or back-to-nature type? (Or combination, or something else entirely?)

I'm always open to learning, relearning, unlearning so intellectual fits me even though I know I don't know everything. I'm definately artistic though I haven't had the time to channel it anywhere (drawing, music). Some people see me as a back-to-nature type even though I don't "look" like it. I love reading about science (say, Discover Magazine, Sky and Telescope, etc) but I flunked my high school chemistry class and couldn't pick apart a study to save my life (my brain goes into a fog over anything mathmatical)

D) What made you interested in unassisted childbirth?

I had this overwhelming feeling that something wasn't "right" about the way I was being treated when preg with my second son and no one was hearing me. I wanted to hide from them and everyone and became an emotional wreck. I was learning about what went wrong w/ my first over managed hospital birth and thought "if I just gain control then, I'll have a better birth!" but those people didn't want to give me any control. Then I was opted out of the in-hosp birth center, that was when the #$% hit the fan for me physcially and emotionally. I then found cbirth (UC yahoo group) from a friend who'd had a home mw-attended vbac a year prior, and Laura Shanley's site as well. My feeling like I wanted to hide from the world just totally made sense from there on out.

When I told everyone I wasn't going to prenatals anymore and was going to homebirth by myself (with Dh) it got so ugly (long story) I ended up going to prenatals just to get everyone off my back while continuing to learn more about UC. I think the Dr's suspected this and at 39 wks was emotionally arm-twisted into an induction via cervadil. When my healthy ds2 was born five hours later and I felt as fantastic as I did, I turned to my mom and said "I could have done this at home!". The birth bubble was popped soon after and post partum at the hospital was a very sad and emotional time for me and I got no peace from staff at all. I had a severe case of PPD for a year afterwards.

E) What are your main sources of research on UC?

The internet and books (usually found via the internet!)

F) At what age did you have or plan your first UC?

I was 21, almost 22 while trying to plan on UC with my second. I was 23 when I UC'ed my third baby, and 25 when I UC'ed my fourth baby.

[~Yola]

A) What is/was your occupation (in addition to being a Mother)?

None (ohh, teacher?, we homeschool)

B) Education level? (e.g. high school, college graduate, post-graduate)?

None of the above..

C) Do you see yourself as more of an intellectual, artistic, scientific or back-to-nature type? (Or combination, or something else entirely?)

All of the above in combination..lol, how much detail do want here?

D) What made you interested in unassisted childbirth?

The idea of letting the birth controll itself I suppose, as apposed to having someone trying to dictate how it goes..

E) What are your main sources of research on UC?

The internet...websites and discusion on an email group for UC'ers

F) At what age did you have or plan your first UC?

25 when I decided on it, 26 when I did it..