Which state is the most 'birth' friendly?

[Funny Face]

I don't know the word for what I'm asking but I was wondering which state has the lowest c/s rates, most homebirths, vaginal breech birth, encourages midwifery etc. I understand there might not be just one state but I was wondering which ones are at the top. I'm in Texas and I know we have quite a few mw but I've never met anyone IRL that has homebirthed, used a mw etc, so I don't know where we would rank as far as that goes. I'm curious as a consumer and as a future mw.

[Charmie981]

You can see birth statistics by state at www.marchofdimes.com/peristats

As for midwife friendly, Texas and Oregon are top on my list. In both states there aren't any prohibitions against VBAC, breech, twins, triplets, etc at HOME, although birth centers in Texas can't do breech or multiples and last I heard they might be eliminating birth center VBACs as well. Neither state has requirements for physician consult or backup (though having a backup plan is always a good idea) and both states allow midwives to carry drugs that are pertinent to midwifery like antihemorrhagics, Vit K, antibiotic eye ointment, oxygen (you would not believe the issues I got about oxygen here in Louisiana!!), etc.

So that's my personal opinion.

[alegna]

TX is super midwife-friendly, but hospital stink.

Where abouts are you? There are tons of us homebirthers around Houston

-Angela

[Veritaserum]

UT home birth laws are excellent (breech, twins, VBAC all ok, etc.) but the hospitals are baby factories, for the most part (95% epidural rate, 80% induction rate, etc.).

[DoomaYula]

I think as far as being a consumer, Oregon is probably the best, as I've heard there's just tons of hb mws there.

[zofranland]

Not Ohio!!!

[ericswifey27]

California seems to very midwife friendly. The birth centers, atleast the ones in San Diego, won't do VBACs. The hospitals I can't speak for except for one-the one I had the misfortune of stepping in to- Kaiser Zion- was absolutely rotten.

[Funny Face]

I'm in Dallas/Ft. Worth. I had a mw attended hospital birth last time and she said the epidural rate for the hosp was around 85% and I think c/s rate was at the 20% mark or so. She also told me that she didn't know of any OBs who delivered breech babies and I thought that was amazing! DFW is a very large metroplex and to have no Dr. delivering breech was shocking to me, it made me wonder if our area is practicing more baby/mother friendly care, or just pretending to.

[pamamidwife]

I agree that Oregon is a pretty fabulous state. You don't have to be licensed to practice which means a wider variety of choices and protocols. Portland has an 8% out of hospital birth rate - which is awesome!

[alegna]

Originally Posted by moodyred01

I'm in Dallas/Ft. Worth. I had a mw attended hospital birth last time and she said the epidural rate for the hosp was around 85% and I think c/s rate was at the 20% mark or so. She also told me that she didn't know of any OBs who delivered breech babies and I thought that was amazing! DFW is a very large metroplex and to have no Dr. delivering breech was shocking to me, it made me wonder if our area is practicing more baby/mother friendly care, or just pretending to.

As I've said before- TX stinks for hospital birthing. It's pretty awesome for homebirthing though.

There is at least one MD here in town in Houston that will attend breech birth- even first time moms- but he does like episiotomies. :

I know of at least one homebirth midwife who will though...

-Angela