Where will you be

[Momma2DoubleCuties]

birthing? Have you thought about that yet?

[Momma2DoubleCuties]

Both my boys were OB attended hospital births. They were pretty good for a hospital birth, but, this time I was hoping to try something different. I'm not sure if I can go all the way with a homebirth and getting DH on board with it as well. But I'm thinking of having a CNM and a waterbirth at a nearby hospital. We've got time to talk about it, but I do need to start thinking about who I'd like to attend.

[sunflwrmoonbeam]

Homebirthing with a direct entry midwife. I live in Illinois, so hopefully she'll be legal soon! The legislation is almost passed.

[zenma]

Probably in the same hospital I delivered dd. My insurance covers it, along with certified nurse midwives - I don't have any financial support for a homebirth or birthing center (my ideal). The hospital was fine, (mostly) not invasive. I could labor, birth and restore in the same private room. They have deep tubs and allowed me to labor in the water, with a ball they provided, and encouraged me to move freely. They listened to what I wanted and helped me carry out my intentions, and the only thing I didn't like was the way they kept trying to listen to the baby's heartbeat - but I think a lot of midwives do that in homebirths too.

[*knittingmomma*]

I'm really really hoping for a homebirth. I had my dd in the hospital and it wasn't the birth I had wanted. I am interviewing midwives in the next couple of weeks and just hope that my blood pressure stays low enough so that I can birth at home!

[pampered_mom]

At home. Either mine or my parents. My ds was a coerced c/s and I'm absolutely not going back there. No way, no how. Especially not with an EDD of 1/1/08 or anywhere around the holidays.

The CPM that I've chosen has never had a mom with PCOS so she's currently "doing her research" and doesn't know if for her it will risk me out of an hb. I've already contacted another CPM that lives near my parents and check with my mom to make sure they'd be ok with me birthing at their house. It's three hours away from home and I'll have to relocate there towards the end, but I'd relocate even further just to have the chance at a normal birth!

If both CPMs fall through...a UC has certainly crossed my mind.

[DoulaLMT]

I am very lucky to live in a very out-of-hospital-birth-friendly part of the country!! I will be giving birth either at home or in a birth center. I haven't totally made up my mind yet, but my DH is on board either way!

[KittyTheCat]

Aiming for UC. I had my son at the local hospital after our homebirth didn't work out because my midwife couldn't come, and that's not something I want to do again.
I'm meeting with another midwife sometime soon who also does homebirths, but I guess I'll just have her do the check-ups and then "forget" to call or something.

[lilylove]

Home
I gave birth to Dd and Ds at a hospital, but I told Dh that this time we are staying home. We went through hell because of the hospitals policies after Ds's birth. I had wanted to have a homebirth then, but we couldn't fund it Now I just have to figure out a way to get our insurance to cover it or find a way to fund out of pocket this time.

[bobandjess99]

We will UC, unless we get the feeling that we shouldn't....in which case we will follow our intuition.

[wobit]

Please share your stories!

How do you go about interviewing midwives or OBs? Do they expect this? Do they charge for interviews? How long of an appointment do you schedule? How nitty-gritty detailed do you get while interviewing, or is it mostly a chance to match philosophy? Do you bring a rough draft of a birth plan to your interview? Does insurance cover CNMs most of the time?
For mothers that have done this before, what were the pitfalls? Did you feel like you were able to follow your instincts?


What about husbands... I think mine may be more worried about natural childbirth than I am, I am really keen on hypnobirth and a midwife and would love to find a birthing center not in a hospital but I don't think there is one around here. I'd feel comfortable exploring a homebirth but I don't know if he could handle it. In fact, as much as he loves and supports me he's a little squeamish and we may have my mom in as birth coach so he can just stand by my head and kiss me, we'll decide after the first few birthing classes. How have all of you covered this with your mates?

[tyisrrs]

We are doing a homebirth with a lay midwife and a doula as my support as both DH and I agree he will be no help; instead he can be camera man. I will have a birthing tub available if I want it for laboring or birthing. Unfortunately, insurance will not cover a dime of my care with my midwife (they only cover CNM who only operate with doctors and in hospitals around here).

"How do you go about interviewing midwives or OBs?"
I scheduled a consultation with a midwife. I just called and asked for a consultation.

"Do they expect this?" Most should.

"Do they charge for interviews?" They shouldn't, but I bet some do.

"How long of an appointment do you schedule?"
Mine lasted an hour, which is longer than the midwives expected.

How nitty-gritty detailed do you get while interviewing, or is it mostly a chance to match philosophy?"
I brought a two page list of questions, and it got really nitty-gritty and specific.

[DoulaLMT]

wobit: Sounds like you need a doula! www.dona.org for more information and to find one near you!

Andrea

[sunflwrmoonbeam]

I didn't interview mine because, well, I don't have any other option. Midwives are illegal in my state, and there are only so many who are willing to risk prosecution. HOwever, I also view birth as a natural, normal thing, so I don't feel like i need a ton of care. I'm not concerned. I'd almost consider UC but I'm too nervous for that.

[frogleymom]

DoulaLMT - I'm happy to say that I'll be joining you in the wonderful Pacific NorthWest in a few weeks. DH and I will be moving to Hillsboro, Oregon the last week of June. We're expecting #3 and really want a homebirth this time. #1 and #2 were both nice drug-free hospital births... but we really want to avoid the hospital this time. We will be living with my parents, and my mom is not *into* homebirths, so I'm not sure yet if her skeptical-vibes will interfere with my labor. So we'll be spending the next eight months debating between a home-birth and a birth-center birth. Thankfully my DH is totally on board with either also.

Emily

[paniscus]

We are planning a homebirth this time around with a CNM.

DS was born in a hospital with a midwife. I was in a different state and was unable to find out info on homebirth (it was illegal but I know someone must have done it) - plus I wasn't sure how I would handle birth so I liked having all the options a hospital offered.

KittyTheCat - my friend is interested in doing something very similar to what you want. She was very upfront with the midwife and the mw has no problems with it. So my friend is going to call her when she feels ready but the mw is going to stay away in another room. That way my friend can call her in if she wants/needs her or not. Maybe your mw would be willing to do the same??

Wobit - I have been lucky (I guess) both times my choices were really limited. With my son I could either do an OB (which I didn't want) or there was a midwifery clinic - so no interviewing. This time around there is only one mw who does homebirth in the area. I have been going to a Birth Circle here that is mostly homebirth support and from the stories I have heard about the mw - she sounds exactly like what I have always wanted. I am very excited.

I think something I learned was that you don't have to rush into making any decisions. With my son I felt I had to get into the clinic right away - like the afternoon I tested positive. It is funny to me now - I mean - I have got 9 months!! Also, you can always change your mind later about what you want. My bff found the *perfect* mw and then halfway through the pregnancy the mw called and told her she wasn't going to do births anymore. So you never know what is going to happen.

Oh, one more thing - DH read The Birth Partner and fell in love with birth!!! His brother's wife had a regular hospital birth, induced, no labor at home, etc. DH was stomping around the house spouting out facts and saying but don't they know . . . . It was so funny. I would highly recommend it. It also has a little section on newborn care (like cord care and stuff) which I never thought of but most dhs don't really know anything about that stuff either.

[DoulaLMT]

frogleymom - Definitely check out Andaluz Waterbirth Center in Tualatin, OR if you are thinking about a birth center! (http://www.waterbirth.net/) I've attended a birth there as a doula and loved the atmosphere and the midwives. It's a little far from where I live, but may be one of my options too, we'll see!

[matey]

I would love a home birth, but it is not a realistic option right now. Only Certified Nurse Midwifes are legal here, and there is only one in the area. It costs $3500. She is REALLY nice and knowledgable, but I dont have 3500 to spend onthe birth. I dont know how muchg a doula costs, but I have known a few people with my insurance plan who ended up spending between $250-400, with medication. So, I really see the hospital as being the choice I need to make for financial reasons, someday I will have a home birth though.

[frogleymom]

I've heard some awesome things about the Andaluz Birth Center, plus I think it's one of the closest to my parents house.

We'll probably end up using that as our birth center if we go that route.

As for the finances. DH is only working part-time and doesn't get benefits, so we have private insurance. Unfortunately, since we're moving out of state, we have to change insurances and unless we can get group insurance when DH gets a new job, private insurance will consider pregnancy a pre-existing condition and won't cover it at all. That makes a homebirth the most financially savvy option we've got right now.

Emily

[happyfrog]

home.

My dh and I agree that a hospital is the most dangerous place for me to give birth.