So who here is planning/considering a UC? (and who's had one before?)

[MaWhit]

I'm due near Halloween and am definitely planning a UC.

Next?

[JesseMomme]

I had my first UC last year after two hospital births. You can read my birthstory here. It was a very empowering and loving experience, and helped me to move on from the traumatic feelings of my first two births. The other side of it though was that the senselessness of my first two births was realized anew, and that was painful. They (and I) would have been so much safer birthing at home.

[Leonor]

I had one

UC's are a great idea, but you have to educate yourself. Be informed. Make sure you and baby are top healthy!

[starfairy]

I am! Due Decmeber-ish with my 5th baby, 4th UC Had my 4th just 11 months ago today! After the first UC, I could never birth any other way! Dh has informed me I need to get a new copy of Spiritual Midwifery - he skimmed it when we were expecting our first together (my second) & it was what he recalled from that that helped him get our 3rd child unstuck ! He also told me I need to get some oil so he can start perineal massage for me! LOL! I think this is gonna be the best birth ever! LOL!

[Cathi]

We're having an unassisted HBAC in October!

[cottonwood]

My last birth was unassisted.

[bloobug]

I had my first UC second baby in December 2002. My first baby was a homebirth with a very hands off midwife. UC was absolutely incredible. Won't do it any other way from now on.

Megan

[mahdokht]

*

[indigolilybear]

We had one assisted HB and one freebirth. Good luck.

[FreeRangeMama]

I'm planning my first UC (second birth) this September. I am very excited!

[Aurora]

I've been planning on a UBAC for months, dh has been resisting. Finally he agrees UP/UC is the way to go!(I knew he would)

I feel like a weight has been lifted off of me. I won't have to go back to the midwife and I can birth how I want!

[cottonwood]

*bump* because I know there are others out there! Jc_cat just outed herself on another thread!

[citizenfong]

Hi, I'm newly pg and we are planning a UC. We are soooo excited about it. My first was a hospital birth with a CNM.
I can't wait to see how different, better, and NORMAL it is! I love reading up and researching in preparation, too.

[Louise]

We are expecting our fourth wee one on Halloween and will be having our first uc. I have never felt more at peace, normal...

Our first two boys were born naturally in hospital with a fabulous physician ( she even did home visits), our third at home with a registered midwife. For odd reasons the home birth was the least satisfying- didn't want either one this time.

With this pregnancy I find the most pleasurable part NOT reading book after book! I find that they undermine my intuition. Perhaps I love not reading anymore because I have already given birth 3 times and know the process and what to do ect. in an emergency if I have to. Although I try very hard not to think about it and just revel in the natural process and trust myself. Positive things happen with positive thoughts.

[Augustine]

I've had all mine unassisted!
It is great!
Although, thankfully, I don't know another way!
Lily was born UC with my husband, mom and a photographer there in '98, Cooper was born with DH and a friend to help with childcare in '00, and Abigail was born 5 months ago with a professional photographer ( you can see the pictures at my website) and childcare helper and a freind to cook,.

I loved it!
I absolutly love that it is my day and everyone does what I tell them, not the other way around!
I also love that my kids were welcomed by those that love them and that is it!
I alos love that nothing plastic touched them ever!
oh I just love the whole thing!
love and light,
Augustine
www.artofbirthing.com

[Spark]

Oooh, this thread just gets me so excited, I looked at it a few months ago when we were TTC and wanted so badly to post. Now, I can!

I'm pregnant with our second child due in March sometime (haven't had a single period since before my 19 mo son was conceived!).

Our son was born at home with a wonderful midwife who fully supports UC. She said last time that we may want to consider it for future pregnancies. During the birth she was very hands off. She would come take the heartbeat every now and then but nothing else. Once she suggested a different position because I wasn't listening to my body. I learned a lot from Jude's birth.

I've been thinking for a long time that I want a UC the next time. I just love the idea of me being in the bathtub by myself with no one around.

My husband is very much against the idea. He's told me before that he thinks babies should be born in hospitals, but then again he really loved Jude's birth and shudders whenever anyone tells him of a hospital birth. I think he's just scared. He told me the last time we talked about it (2 weeks ago) that it would be fine if the midwife didn't get there on time, but that he doesn't feel comfortable planning it that way. He said it was non-negotiable for him. Hmm, I know we have eight months... perhaps he will change his mind.

I'll be calling our midwife on Monday to set up an appointment. She supports UC so much and always says, "When the mother tells you where/how she wants to birth, believe her." She may help talk to my husband. He really trusts and respects her opinion. Sometimes he just needs to hear it from someone else. I think I'm the only person he's ever heard the word UC from.

[cottonwood]

I think my husband was also reassured by our midwife's strong support and encouragement in going unassisted. I always had the feeling that he would go along with what I wanted to do, he trusts my judgment, but he was not really on board with me until near the end of the pregnancy. Watching the UC birth videos available through the yahoo email list CBirth really helped him understand the difference, as well as all the birth philosophy I was constantly reading to him. The only book he read himself was Gregory White's manual Emergency Childbirth -- he liked that it was straightforward and written by a doctor. Some of it has to be taken with a grain of salt but in general there is this attitude in it that birth is generally not something to worry about. He makes this comment that after an unplanned unassisted birth the father will be getting these big accolades for being the hero, when he did nothing more than an eight-year-old would be capable of (in terms of, say, comforting the mother and cutting the cord.) My husband loved that observation.

[indigolilybear]

My husband (a scorpio!!) was more gung ho than me. However, the only book he liked is G. White's book as well. He liked listening to what I read but didn't really read too much himself.

HOwever, I think what also helps is having them realize that you are reframing the whole thing. They do *not* have to be your MW or be really trained. It is a major shift in the way you view it. IT's wonderful that your MW is supportive. Maybe this will help.

Also, it's great to look at this as an opportunity to work out your issues together, esp. regarding birth, no matter what you decide. There is soo much to talk about....fears, sexuality, etc.

GOod luck.

[FreeRangeMama]

What really helped with my dh was to explain to him that he would be doing not much more then he did with the hospital birth. I only really want him to get supplies when necessary, bring me food and drinks, fill the bathtub (and help me in and out), etc. That put him at ease as he was worried about what would be expected of him (and leaving it up to his imagination would not be a good idea). Once he understood *exactly* what was expected of him (and that he was not expected to act like a doctor or midwife) he felt a lot more comfortable with the idea. Also, explaining all the things that caused even slight problems in my first labour and birth that were caused by the hospital made him realize how much better homebirth is. You've got lots of time to bombard him with information Good luck
Laurie

[Spark]

Thank you so much. Yes, I really do have time to "bombard" him!

He has a lot of fear surrounding birth that he overcame a lot during our last pregnancy. He also has a fear of losing me, since it seems to be his family's trend. (His grandmother died due to childbirth and his other grandmother was greatly injured and his mother developed a blood clot and was told, "We'll keep you as comfortable as possible until the end. Have you made arrangements for your children's care?" after her last delivery with her 2 day old in the nursery and two older ones at their grandfather's. Granted this is all taking place in hospitals and can pretty much be pinpointed to poor care.) Thank goodness his mother lived or else he probably would have had a vasectomy at 18.

So, yes, he is dealing with fear. I come from a happily birthing farm family that believes in the natural ease of childbirth. My grandmother had 10 kids and talks about her orgasmic birth of my Aunt Connie. (It's rather odd to hear an 80 yo widower talk about having an orgasm, but fun, too!)

I've heard so many good things about G. White's book. It was on my list of things to get. I guess I'll get that one first!

Thank you so much!