[Lisa Lubner]

salaam

my hospital just decided that they wont do VBAC's anymore... originally they seemed very VBAC friendly, but as of June 30th, they are changing their policy. i have a great group of midwives that i'm seeing, who offered to come and check my progress at home before i go to their office or the hospital... so that i can go to the hospital at the very last minute. (less time at the hospital = less time for the docs to pressure me into a c-birth) i was really looking forward to not having to fight for a peaceful vbac, so i'm pretty disappointed that as soon as i get to the hospital, i'm going to have to sign a waiver and hear all about how i'm taking a huge risk (even though my midwives and i don't feel i am). the only other option is to hire a direct entry midwife, and i don't know where to find one PLUS i don't have the money. originally i wanted a homebirth attended by a midwife, but CNM's aren't legally allowed to do homebirth VBACs here. so i went with the midwives/hospital that i'm going to now...

SO... now, at 36 weeks, i'm considering a UC... i mean, i don't really want to go to the hospital and fight for the kind of birth i want... so why go at all? and i figure if i get cold feet, i can call my midwife and she can come and check my progress... and my hospital is literally within walking distance, so i can always go if i change my mind. the thing is now i know VERY LITTLE about how to prepare for a UC... so any help, book recommendations, lists of stuff i need, ANY information would be soooooo helpful right now.

thanks so much

 

[cottonwood]

You might want to look through the UC support threads, and do a search for "unassisted birth" at MDC.

It's hard to advise, unless you have specific questions, because the level of preparation varies so much for each person. You might want to take a class (or have your midwives show you) on infant CPR. "Emergency Childbirth" by Gregory White MD is considered by a lot of UCers to be a really helpful text. You will want lots of clean towels, and a sterilized scissors and something to tie the cord off with (unless you are planning a lotus birth.) You might want to get some shepard's purse for bleeding, and have a plan for transferring quickly to the hospital. Read lots of UC birth stories! Here's a good place to start: http://www.ucbirth.com/ucart.htm

As for the birth itself -- there's nothing you really need to know for a normal birth, except to follow your body's cues. You don't need to time contractions or check dilation. If your water breaks don't put anything up your vagina. Do not push unless you cannot help but do so. Stay off your back. Eat and drink as you like, and try to remember to go to the bathroom. Make yourself as comfortable as possible, and do what would normally make you sexually aroused or just feel loved, to help your body generate oxytocin. You will probably want to be kneeling or squatting when the baby comes down, and if the body doesn't follow the head within a matter of minutes, you might want to shift to a hands-and-knees position. After the baby is out, you can lay it face down over you legs to let the mucous drain. If the baby is not breathing right away, don't worry, as it is still receiving oxygen from the placenta. Rub its back lightly and talk to it. If the baby's torso and head are purple or dusky colored, is not breathing, and does not begin to pink up immediately, call 911 and begin CPR. Breastfeeding or twiddling your nipples will help the placenta detach all in one piece. Do not pull on the cord. Squat if you can. After the initial bleeding with the birth, if you seem to be bleeding quite a bit, take a bite of placenta. If you are soaking two menstrual pads in half an hour or quicker, go to the hospital.

Above all, listen to your instincts and intuition. If something feels either right or wrong, it is.

 

[Jane]

Your "last minute walk" to the hospital sounds like it will work just fine, but I would be a little concerned about your stress level. Too much stress can stall labor, and since you're interested in a very quick birth, that could throw a wrench in things.
You do have quite a bit of time to find a way, either with enough research to convince you to do it UC or find another caregiver.
I don't have any problems with the concept of UC, but you sound like you'd like some support at your birth. I'd hate to see you get pushed into a UC when you really would like some woman support.
How about a CNM birth center birth? Are their birth centers around you? That might get you around the no-homebirth VBAC rule.
Also, do you have insurance? Some insurances will pay for a lay midwife delivery, or at least some of the care. Since you are so close to your due date, there might be a discount because you have already had your bloodwork and most of your prenatals. Don't discount this option without exploring it, after all, information is free.

 

[cottonwood]

Another thing I forgot to point out (you've probably already thought of this, too,) is that if the midwife is willing to come to your house, and you call her near the end (and you don't think she'd try to force you into a car at that point, or call an ambulance,) and have an "oops" midwife-attended homebirth.

 

[Peppamint]

Just wanted to send my best wishes to you. I hope everything works out for you!!

 

[Lisa Lubner]

salaam

thanks everyone for the support...

my midwives are great... the whole reason they offered to come to my home is because if i go to their office they are REQUIRED to call the hospital. so they are really supportive.

at this point, we're just going to stay home as long as possible... i am trying to get some supplies together, in case i decide i want to stay at home and call the hospital ("oops") afterwards. it all depends on how i'm feeling.

 

[Elyssia]

i just wanted to offer my support to you
and i think if i was in your position i would start looking for a direct entry midwife, try the mana website
ask at health food stores or if there's an AP or natural family living group in your area
another muslim sister just posted on another thread "muslima0momma" i think and said she is a homebirth midwife
i think she was in philadelphia but i will go back and find it for you, she has a website
maybe she knows somebody in NJ near you
also, may i have your permission to copy this email and send it to my friend?? she lives in NY, has had her last 5 at home, there's an off chance she may know somebody

how does your husband feel about UC?
are there other hospitals in your area?? that would support vbac?
do you go to masjid? has anybody else there birthed at home? or have midwifery experience?
i wish i was there to help you

 

[Elyssia]

here is the info on that muslima midwife i was telling you about
i just copied part of her post into here, i found it on the thread
1st time mom planning a homebirth (or something just like that)

muslima0midwife
New Member
*
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: philadelphia pa USA
Posts: 3

telling the family's reaction!!???
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am a homebirthing midwife and doula ...and i have had several clients whose family disapproved of their decission to have a home birth.
__________________
Al Muslima And Motherhood

Natural Childbirth Through Quran And Sunnah!
Midwives, Doulas, Childbirth Educators!
Every Woman has the right to plan her birth.... and Every Woman Deserves the comfort of a Midwife and a Doula!

To find out more contact us:215.939.0867 or 215 763 1601 or email us! [email protected]
join our group: [email protected]
visit our website:
almuslimaandmotherhood.20fr.com

 

[Lisa Lubner]

salaam

at this point, i can't afford a lay-midwife. my last birth was actually a homebirth turned emergency ambulance ride to the hospital for a c sec... that was in philadelphia before we moved and it cost us 3500 bucks. (yeowch!) so... even if we found a lay midwife with the little time we have left, there is just no way i could afford it any time soon.

the reasons that we are uncertain about a UC is #1 the lack of time to plan it and #2 this birth is my first VBAC. i mean... the idea isn't that scary to me because i have a lot of faith in my ability to birth and the hospital is literally less than five minutes away. BUT even though i have a teeny tiny miniscule chance of a rupture actually happening, the hospital doesn't want to do VBACs anymore because they "aren't equipped" with an anesthesiologist/surgical team to do VBACs withing the 17 minute time period.

more later... dd wants to cuddle

 

[Elyssia]

hi, how are you doing?
i hope i am not taking too many liberties
but there is an organization called ICAN
some sort of support group for women who want to VBAC
or were unhappy w/ their csections or whatever, i don't know what all
but anyway, the president of this org.
posts over on babycenter and i did the following
and got the following response:

i read a post on a different board
from a woman who was planning a vbac w/ midwives in a hospital
and the hospital changed their policy and now she can't do it
at this point she is considering an unassisted homebirth or to stay at home until it's too late to have a c
i am hoping that your organization can put her in touch w/ vbac friendly docs or hospitals in her area
here is the URL of her post, if you think you might be able to help
thanks
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=158506
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Author: ICANPresident Jun 23, 2004, 9:12 AM (PDT)
I would love to help in any way I can....where does she live? If you would like to have your friend e-mail me directly (I don't check all of these boards that often) then I can probably put her into contact with someone nearer her who can help her out figuring what her options are. She can reach me at [email protected]
Tonya Jamois
President, ICAN
http://www.ican-online.org
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