babies don't cry when born?

[mama_kass]

Ok, this thread will show you just how uneducated I am about homebirth so please be patient with my ignorance

I've been reading a lot of stories about hb experiences and the babies never cry. Sure, they make noise. But not the ear screaching cry of a hospital baby. Is this true? Is it just due to the stress that babes cry so brutally when delivered at a hospital? I was always told that the hard cry is necessary.

[Carolinamidwife]

Well, I don't know for sure but I can tell you that I have never seen a homebirth baby cry for more than 30 seconds to a minute and some of them don't cry at all. We like them to cry because it means they are breathing but it is not the only sign of an adjusting and breathing baby.

When a baby is born in the hospital it is whisked over to a table, away from it's mom, it is deeply suctioned, it's heart is ausculated by a cold stethescope, and it's newborn exam is done before he or she has even seen their mom's face. When a baby is born at home she goes immediately to her mom's chest where she is covered with heated blankets. We don't suction unless she is having a hard time getting started, we watch her for signs of acclimation to the extra-uterine world, and we don't remove her unless she is not having a successful transition. Most babies are perfectly happy on mom's chest so maybe that accounts for the difference in the screaming babies at the hospital.

Amy

[MossbackMeadow]

I've had 3 babies gently at home ( waiting on the 4th anytime now). One just looked around and blinked, one gave out a yell, and one actually cried.
If you're worried about draining fluids, you can turn baby over on your lap and rub his back, or tilt him head down, face down on your forearm while massaging.

[Greaseball]

I did not cry when I was born, I just looked around at things. My brother was born asleep. We were both born at home.

No, it's not necessary for a baby to cry, although if you give birth in the hospital and the baby doesn't cry, it will get a low APGAR score.

Babies can breathe and clear their sinuses without crying.

[cottonwood]

I honestly don't remember with my first two... I mean, I know they weren't crying once they were in my arms, but I don't remember if they made any sounds or not when they came out. My third did -- more like a bleat than a cry, must have been when she first took in air, and then she was completely calm.

[miriam]

My midwife delivered the grandchild of a celebrity.

This celebrity has four daughters.

One daughter had her twins delivered in a hospital and the details were reported blow by blow in every woman's magazine you can find at the supermarket checkout counter.

The other daughter quietly had her child born at home. No big news or fodder here for the rag magazines.

The celebrity noted to the midwife that the grandchild born at home did not cry as the ones born at the hospital did. She agreed.

This is one of those dirty little secrets that most people suspect - - - that babies are born into a more peaceful environment at home than at the hospital, and babies sense the difference.

From reading these threads and forums, I know that mothers who have delivered in both hospital, birth center and home have noticed the difference also.

[bloodrayne]

My baby didn't really cry. I think he went 'waaah, wahh' really lusty once or twice right when he came out, then he was completely calm and sleepy.

[blessedmomof3]

My first two were hospital births. The oldest did cry a bit. Second dd didn't cry much but the RN's made her (*grrrr*). My third was a home waterbirth, she whimpered a little.

[birthinglau]

pea was born at home in the water 3 mo. ago. she made about 2 little cries after she was put on my chest and looked around. she didn't breathe at first either, and sometimes I wonder if the delay in cord cutting at most HBs helps with the no crying thing. they don't have to gasp for air.

she did sing alot the first day, but it wasn't crying.

-Lau

[gurumama]

I had two hospital births and in both cases (1998 and 2002) the baby was imeidately put on my chest or to breast with the cord still attached. With ds2 we waitged 30 minutes to cut the cord while he sucked all of the colostrum and then some LOL out of me. Neither son cried in a hysterical way--the way tv depicts it. DS1 was taken away after 5 minutes to be weighed, measured, blah and he did cry then. DS2 was taken away 1.5 hours after being born but DH stayed with him and ds was in my arms within 10 minutes.

I will say with ds1 I had an epidural (drugged) but with ds2 I was drug free and ds1 cried more overall at birth. Again, I think part of that was being taken away--even for the 3-4 minutes it took to weigh and measure--and manhandled.

[lilyka]

I remember my first one crying but she was deep suctioned, seperated and whisked to the NICU and given the vit. K shot before I got my whits about me. Number 2 didn't cry a peep. #3 had a trumatic/dramatic birth but settled down quickly once everything got normal (she suffered extensive bruising and a broken collar bone from crashing into my pelvis on her descent - she went from so high the MW could barely reach her to out in 3 minutes.) Then she just refused to breath and then when she did she was annoyed by all the rubbing and massaging going on. poor girl. as soon as I snuggled her into me though she instantly stopped crying. Oh and my kids were born in the hospital, home and somewhere in between (hence the drama - unassisted is fine if you expect it )

[3_opihi]

my first was a hospital birth and screamed (in terror probably). It still haunts me to this day. Second wasa home waterbirth. Don't think he even knew he was born...Gave a little goo and that was it

[JesseMomme]

Kieran..screaaaamed (probably because they punctured his ******** lung after cutting his cord) and quieted when he was wrapped up and I held him for 30 or so seconds. After that in the NICU his breathing just deteriorated, so I don't think he cried too much.

Donovan, Dh had to physically put his body between the Dr's and the pulsing umbilical cord to get the point across. Donovan immediately busied himself to crawling up to my breast where he was happy to stay until they "had" to take him. Then he cried. I hope he wasn't crying when they kept him from me for no reason for 4 hours after that. I'll never know.

Liam let out one yell about a minute after he was born. I took it to mean he was getting chilly and had Dh grab me blankets, and he was content and alert afterwards (My UC)

[Alexander]

Our first didn't cry for the first 18 months! Not even once! I kid you not!

The second, one short cry before plugging into the nipple. Rarely after that, but with another child to attend to, feeding on demand is just a little tougher.

a

[MelKnee]

For ds#2 we had a home water birth. When he was brought out of the water he made a little noise, somewhere between a sigh and a cry. When he got to my arms, he calmed right down and just gazed at my dh and I.

Ds#1 was born prematurely and immediately intubated. He was never able to cry.

edited to change clamed to calmed.:

[BusyMommy]

Hmm, never thought about this. Neither of my boys cried at all for their home waterbirth. But, the lights were out and it was very quiet in the room so the atmosphere wasn't scary.

[Faith]

I had my first in the hospitial. He screamed and cried for a very, very long time. It was awful for everyone.

I had my second at home, in our bathtub with the lights dimmed. She never cried. She came out pink and breathing, completely happy and calm. The midwives gave her 10/10 apgars.

I think it makes perfect sence. DS was born violently into a world of bright lights, loud noises, was handled very roughly with no concern to his feelings. DD came out naturally into semi-darkness and quiet, and was immediately placed skin-to-skin on her mommys chest in the water.

(by the way, this is PerfectLove. We switched ISPs and I lost my password, and the system won't mail it to my new addy...: )

[mama_kass]

Thank you all so much for replying. I LOVE to hear about homebirths. Hopefully our next will be happily born at home.

[kerikadi]

My MW worked in a hospital in L&D for years before becoming a midwife she tells us that even when babies are born at home do cry it's a different cry. She describes the hospital birth cries as haunting and that she sometimes still hears them.

Keri

[Sustainer]

My daughter never cried at all. Crying is not necessary. You can tell if a newborn is breathing, even if it is not crying.