May 2008 Hombirthin' Mamas?

[MamaVolpe]

Hello, any hombirthing mamas out there for May 2008? I am planning on homebirthing and this is my first pregnancy so I am a complete newbie. Any other expierenced mamas that want to share? Any great advise for a first timer? Anyone just want to chat up the hombirth topic?

[MamaJ2005]

I plan on homebirthing. This will be my first time. DD was born in the hospital with no pain meds and midwives. We did as little intervention as we could, but due to my water breaking early, had pitocin and antibiotics. I can't wait to be in the comfort of my own environment! : )

[tschecter]

I thought about homebirth, but between DH saying no non no, and My mother, and MIL doesn't even know I thought about it.. I have chickened out. However, I have told DH that I am reserving the rights to try it in a later pregnancy. My plan it to birth in a Birth center with a midwife and no drugs... so its only the next step, right?

[green_momma2007]

Hey, I haven't had my first appointment with my midwife yet, so I'm not sure what it's gonna be, I'm leaning towards birth center, but I sometimes think i may be more comfortable having the baby in my own home. Then again, i need to have an OB consult before I can even have the baby with the midwife ( I'm a VBAC ). We'll see.

[MrsSurplus]

Lord willling, we'll be homebirthing with the same midwives we used last time. We'd like to waterbirth this time. (Due to baby decels in the last labor we couldn't water birth, but I labored there for some time and it was very nice. Not the pain relief I thought it would be, but nice.)

[bluepetals]

I am tentatively throwing my hat in for a homebirth. I am still on the fence about it, in a way. I SO SO SO support homebirth and have always wanted one. I chose to go with a family doc-attended hospital birth (with a doula!) for my first, as we are a ways from hospital and I wasn't fully confident. It went perfectly and I was like, that's it, next time at home for sure! Now I am actually pregnant, and not totally decided. We are meeting with midwives tomorrow and next week to pick one. If I want the midwife to catch, it has to be at home - they don't have hospital privileges here yet, and there are no birth centres. So if I decide to birth at hospital (or have to because of risk or whatever) the midwife will be there but not be in charge. However, I will be using a very midwife-friendly backup doctor whow old attend the birth in hospital, so it's not like I will be ending up with whoever's on duty.

I am sure after we interview them I will be gung ho for a homebirth! I think I am waiting for them to take my history etc and say I'm a good candidate. Also, I think part of my hesitation is because we don't have midiwifery integrated into health care here - I would feel better if there was a licensing body for midwives, and they were able to practice in hospital (so we don't have to change gears completely in the event of a transfer/change of plan).

Time will tell, I guess. Sorry so long!

[MamaVolpe]

I guess I am lucky, my midwife takes insurances and is In Network with my health plan. It is one of the factors that helped my husband be ok with homebirth. Since our plan only covers 80% of the bill after an outragous deductable he is much happier with a midwife. She bills less than doctors and with a homebirth there are no facility charges. I could not imagine what 20% of a hospital charge would come to? Homebirth is much cheaper for us.

[Tulafina]

This will be our second baby but first homebirth. I am sooo exited about it. I have no reservations at all about birthing the babe at home. My first was born med/ intervention free at the hospital but the post-care my son and I had was horrific. I still have very negative feelings associated with the doctors/nurses at the hospital I went to. I guess I will have to get that off my chest at some point in the next 9 months. My gf just had her first in the hospital I went to and it really confirmed wanting a homebirth- It was full of interventions and ended in a section that she really didn't want. Anyway, I'm excited to learn all I can about home/water birth!!

[bluepetals]

My first was born med/ intervention free at the hospital but the post-care my son and I had was horrific.

This reminded me that I should have added...if we do end up in hospital, we are being discharged asap after birth. It was a total waste of my time to stay there last time....I would have had more support and rest at home.

[bugnbean]

Fourth baby. First two were hospital births. My third was a planned homebirth but he came early so it ended up being a completely natural hospital birth (and other than the fact it wasn't at home, the birth experience was exactly what I wanted :) )

[Shanana]

My first was in a hospital-based birth center. It was intervention-free except for breaking my waters when I stalled at 7-8 cm (I had prodromal labor so had hardly slept in 4 days and had been in labor for over 30 hours, so I was desperate to get it over with!).

Overall I was happy with my experience except for the fact that they deep suctioned her for meconium staining and it traumatized her and caused 4 months of nursing hell (think baby screaming because it's hungry, and then screaming because nursing triggers the trauma, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat). Those months were some of the darkest of my life, and I'm shocked I didn't get PPD.

This time around I am definitely doing a homebirth. In fact, what I really want is essentially an unassisted childbirth, with a midwife present in case something goes wrong. Otherwise I want to be left alone to do what I need to do, when I need to do it. My body and this baby know exactly what needs to be done, and no interference is necessary. And I will catch my own baby, too.

I have a lot of respect for mamas who homebirth the first time around :thumb. I was too scared to do it, but in retrospect know that it would have been just fine, and would have prevented dd's trauma.

[Little grey mare]

Hey I'm new to the May DDC and I'm digging up old topics :)

I am planning once again for a home birth. I had grand plans for DS (11/06) but we ended up with a very much unwanted C/S so here goes nothing for a HBAC!

I have yet to call my midwife (Monday, can't wait for Monday! :) ) and if she is unable to attend my HBAC for legal reasons I guess we'll be going for a UBAC without her knowledge. We'll see how it goes!

I am overly excited about the prospect of trying once again for a HB though!!

[happyfrog]

i've got an awesome midwife who was so wonderful to me during my unexpected second trimester loss in june that i just know that homebirthing is for me.

had 2 c/s's (induction gone bad at 41w3d, and then a 'failed' vbac - i was not 'allowed' to eat/drink for the three days i was in hard labor so i was wiped by the end. . .) hindsight, you know. . . sigh. . ., so no hospital in this area is cool iwth vbamc unless i got dr. landon as my ob but i don't want a hospital birth that and it's over an hour drive to his hospital. did t hat with last living child. not a fun experience in transition. . .

i think homebirth is perfect for our family. it's not for everyone, though and i understand that and don't feel bad if others change their minds. (i have a friend who was very homebirth gungho til about 20 weeks and then changed her mind.) she's very sweet and prefers inductions at the end when she's most miserable. ..

me, i'll stay pg until 48 weeks if that's what happens. . . . :)

bettyann
due when the lilies bloom. . ..

[hanbanan]

I am planning my second homebirth. I can't imagine doing it another way, for me. Being comfortable is a big part of having a healthy birth ( as too much adreneline --from being afraid or uncomfortable--can slow down the whole process). I know I would not be conmfortable in a hospital, where the doctors have the" power". Having to stand up for myself to a doctor (which I've been known to do in other circumstances)in the middle of labor is the last thing I want to do. . . That said, sometimes people do feel more comfortable in the hospital. I feel completely secure with a midwife who I trust. Even after 32 hours of labor before pushing, I had complete trust in my midwives--even though it was no fun to be in labor for so long. THere were a few moments when I wished I could get some pain relief, but I knew what transfereing to the hospital could mean. . .
The only thing I didn't like was that, at the end, there were four midwives present(due to transitioning midwife situation , and long labor)! I discovered I am one of those who would prefer to labor with only one other person in the room, or even alone, when I can really go deep within. SO I plan on having less people around, and I believe that things will go quicker this time!

[sweetcheeks]

I am being pretty adamant about having a HB this time around. DS was born in a hospital, OB attended, all sorts of interventions, etc. DD was born in the hospital but it was MW attended and a non-medicated birth. I really wanted a HB w/dd but dh wasn't too keen on the idea as we were still in an apartment at the time. However, I did labor at home w/dd as long as possible (I swear, I was walking down the hospital hall to my room fully dilated) and I handled the ctx so much better at home. This time around, I'm putting my foot down and saying I'm getting my hb as we're in a house now and I know I'll be so much more comfortable. DH's coming w/for my first mw appt as he has some questions about hb that he wants to ask. I'm pretty sure he'll get fully on board w/the idea. ;)

[littlemama06]

I sure want to this time. V was bonr in a hospital, with a midwife.I did have a natural birth,on pitocin(iwas 14 over what they called mu DUE dat) and the last day my midwife could still deliver9hospital rules) was the day we finally induced
I did have a natural, quick birth.I have called the midwife that helped me birth V and i have an app. in oct. I live in TN and could birth at the farm.I havet hought of that too.
so much to think about:dizzy:
Kaitlin

[heatherRN]

I plan on homebirthing. This will be my first time. DD was born in the hospital with no pain meds and midwives. We did as little intervention as we could, but due to my water breaking early, had pitocin and antibiotics. I can't wait to be in the comfort of my own environment! : )

WOW this is me completely (premature rupture, pitocin, iv antibiotics)! but I was also on antibiotics because I was GBS +
I can't wait to do this one at home!

[Breathless Wonder]

I will be homebirthing.

My last 2 were born at home as well.

[thismama]

I'm planning to homebirth as well.

I planned a homebirth with my daughter but was transferred to the hospital after 'failing to progress' (I got stuck at 6cm for 7 hours). But I dilated really rapidly once there, and was still able to have a midwife-attended drug free birth.

I think I was fearful of delivering at home last time. I really did not know what labour/birth were about, and was extremely anxious about stillbirth. Also my mother had 2 c-sections for failure to progress, and I think part of me really did not believe I would avoid a c-section myself, yk?

This time I feel a lot more confident. I know what birth is, I know I can do it, I know there will be an actual person at the end of it. Last time my daughter felt like a concept, I was shocked when she was a real live being born out of me at the end of it all!

I plan to hire a really good, motherly doula and have lots of friends present to provide support, all of whom I will ask to agree to go if I ask for it without me needing to feel badly.

I plan to get a pool so I can be in the water, and what I noticed last time at home was there was nothing for me to brace my legs on for pushing (I never got to that stage but I had a hard time keeping my legs wide enough apart even for exams). Any other plus size mamas notice that?

I ended up pushing on my back with my legs braced on the squatting bar at the hospital, and that worked really, really well. I'd read laying on your back is not a good position to birth in, so I assumed I wouldn't want to try it. But once I was pushing that felt the best to me. Putting my legs in the stirrups was really uncomfortable though.

I'm going to think about those things really, and how to make my home the most physically comfortable, physically and emotionally supportive place it can be for me to birth this time.

Anyone thinking of including sibs at the birth? My daughter will be 4.5, and I would love for her to be there if she wants to. She will probably go to her dad's for much of the labour, but hopefully they will come at the end so she can see the baby born. I'm glad she will have him to be her primary caregiver, so I won't have to worry about her during the birth.

:blah

[Molck]

DH and I are planning a homebirth, as UC as possible, though we plan to hire a midwife to be there ("a quiet observer"... as in the article on the Utrecht Midwife in this month's Mothering... so matched my ideal picture)

Pregnancy is all about Don't Know Mind, though (a la Zen), right? So we'll see what happens.

[Shanana]

Anyone thinking of including sibs at the birth?

DD will be 2y9m, and I am open to having her there. My mil will be the person responsible for her, and they live really nearby. I figure we'll have her here, but if it becomes disruptive for me, or she isn't handling it well, mil can just take her over to their house. Or it could go like my friend's birth ... have the baby in the middle of the night and her other dd never even woke up :lol. I think I prefer to birth during the day though. Like I get a say in the matter :lol.

Anyway, we'll get some books, and my friend has a cloth doll that has a tiny baby that tucks up inside her belly with an opening by the vagina, so you can role play the baby being born. It also has a placenta and an umbilical cord that attaches to the baby's belly with a snap. There is also a snap on the baby's mouth and the mama's nipples, so you can show it breastfeeding. It is the cutest thing, and I'm going to ask if we can borrow it when I'm farther along. We will probably also watch DVDs of births to help prepare her. And talk about it. A lot :lol.

One thing I will be very cognizant of, though, is the newborn's experience after the birth. I think it can be startling for them to be jostled and manhandled by a small child (and dd will still be awfully young) so soon after birth. So I will try to walk a fine line of honoring dd's interest in the baby and her desire to hold it (she LOVES holding babies!) with protecting the baby and keeping it feeling safe and secure.

[MamaVolpe]

One thing I will be very cognizant of, though, is the newborn's experience after the birth. I think it can be startling for them to be jostled and manhandled by a small child (and dd will still be awfully young) so soon after birth. So I will try to walk a fine line of honoring dd's interest in the baby and her desire to hold it (she LOVES holding babies!) with protecting the baby and keeping it feeling safe and secure.


You may want to try having the baby laying on the bed or couch and let your daughter sit beside her. That way she can touch and feel the baby gently but no actually hold. Less jiggeling about that way.

[thismama]

You may want to try having the baby laying on the bed or couch and let your daughter sit beside her. That way she can touch and feel the baby gently but no actually hold. Less jiggeling about that way.

That is a good idea.

Mine is older and more steady and I'm actually really looking forward to seeing her hold her sib for the first time. I'm going to let her as soon as possible after the birth, I've already imagined it in my head.

But, balancing kiddo vs. baby needs in a larger, ongoing way is definitely something that is on my mind...

[diobolic_derbygirl]

i had a spectacular homebirth with my second baby and am thinking of doing the same with this one as well. my first was 3 at the time and very in tune and great about staying quiet, reading books with his grandma in the other room and playing with toys and floating some of them in my birthing tub. :lol

i am hoping that my boys, now 8 and 5, will be just as eager to help me with this birth. it's all so new, but i'm so excited!