Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was a perfect candidate for home births with both of my children- I was in perfect health and took wonderful care of myself. Had I decided to have a home birth either time my life would be drastically different. I had a doctor who had more of a midwife mentality than most midwives I have met- both times the labor and delivery were very relaxed and controlled(as far as pushing anyway). With my daughter I almost tore through my urethra and had to have a surgeon immedietly stitch me up before I lost too much blood. With my son- he had inhaled amniotic fluid and could not breathe on his own until the next day when he finally coughed it all out of his lungs. My point is... I have done extensive research on this subject and MOST of the time homebirth is VERY safe but... childbirth is EXREMELY unpredictable! Is it worth the risk? NO!
I would never EVER have a baby in a hospital unless there were serious pre-birth conditions that could not be dealt with anywhere else. I know too many mothers and infants to have contracted MRSA that way- some with dire consequences.
I want a happy medium- a birthing center with a midwife, and I would not get pregnant unless I am in an area where that would be a possibility for me. Hospitals give me panic attacks and so it would NOT be a healthy situation for me to give birth in. Even going to my allergist at Mass General really freaks me out and my blood pressure goes through the roof- not so with just my small GP. Birthing centers have the capabilities of emergencies like a hospital, without the pressure for bed space and just the general stress of a hospital. I wouldn't even mind if the birthing center was in some way connected to the hospital- just not within the hospital and not the atmosphere of a hospital. I don't want people pushing drugs, formulas, and disposable diapers on me from the moment I walked in.
It's not always a matter of "just squat and push". It depends on the size of the baby's head and the size of the mother's pelvis.
I think women are brainwashed into thinking they need men to help them deliver babies. They think they need drugs and painkillers and IVs going into their veins. Every other animal on this planet survives childbirth, but not people. No, not people. We've got to do all our birthing and dying in hospitals under spot lights and all hooked up to tubes and surrounded by "professionals" who know more about what we're going through than we do.
Something may go wrong, yes. The statistics indicate that for low risk women something may go wrong equally in a hospital setting.
Except in a hospital setting, they're equipped to deal with whatever comes. Got a tear? Sure, they'll stitch you up. Got bleeding? They'll make it stop. Heck if you suddenly develop cancer-pnuemonia-mumps, they'll be much better equipped to handle the surprises because they are a HOSPITAL afterall and not just a mere midwife. But most of all, it is the instances like my birth, where my head was too big and stuck and an emergency C section was called--that makes women who opt hospital over homebirth thankful. Wasn't kidding about the big head by the way. I still can't wear normal sized hats even after I am born
I think women are brainwashed into thinking they need men to help them deliver babies. They think they need drugs and painkillers and IVs going into their veins. Every other animal on this planet survives childbirth, but not people. No, not people. We've got to do all our birthing and dying in hospitals under spot lights and all hooked up to tubes and surrounded by "professionals" who know more about what we're going through than we do.
No thanks. Squat and push for me.
There's a reason why human birthing mortality rate is much lower than that of animals'. We used to have women die of childbirth all the time. Why? Because they didn't have the proper help. Now, it is only the very dire circumstances that a human birth would cause the death of the mom and/or child.
In 1981, when my daughter was born, we had the birth in an ABC ( Alternative Birthing Center ) room at Saint Johns Hospital in Santa Monica. I remember the attending physician telling us that an ABC room provides the best of both worlds. He said, as long as everything goes smoothly I'll be functioning essentially as a midwife. If something goes wrong, I'll put on my doctors hat. If something goes seriously wrong you have all of the hospital resources right here. Knowing this, gave my wife and I peace of mind. Fortunately, everything did go smoothly. Based on our positive experience with an ABC room, I highly recommend this option if an ABC room is availble in your area.
I don't have any children, but I always imagined that if I did have one, I would do whatever possible to have them naturally without pain meds, just squat and push. How did you make it without the pain meds? Do you think more women should tough it out that way?
Greenie
I think every woman needs to decide for themselves. I choose not to have pain meds and was in a very supportive location where they weren't even offered ( when I gave birth at home) I used my breathing and walked ALOT. I used the squat and push method with two of mine born at home, it was just more comfortable ( not that you can really get comfortable in labor) in that position. While delivering in the hospital the first time, the nurses were not supportive and insisted on doing everything" just in case". I wasn't able to walk around, had to have the IV, etc etc. I ended up having pain meds in my IV, my daughter was born blue and had a very hard time breathing. Is there a connection? The labor was also 17 hours as compared to 8 to 10 with my others. My last daughter was also born in a different hospital, they still insisted on some of the "just in case" proceedures, but I was much more vocal about being able to walk around. The labor was 6 hours and no meds.
I also think there are misconceptions about home vs hospital. It's not like we just up and decide one day it would be fun to stay home and have a baby. There are many precautions taken through out the pregnancy, as well as during labor. There are strict guidelines that have to be followed. I am not saying either way is the RIGHT way, the ONLY right way is where the mother feels comfortable and the baby is born safely. My problem with SOME doctors/ hospitals is all the "just in case" stuff. Birth is a natural process, but it's not treated that way. And there is just some common sense things that are ignored, such as having to stay in bed once labor begins, walking helps, it not only shortens the labor (usually),but it helps with pain management. When you are laying flat on your back, instead of upright, you also have gravity working againist you, instead of with you. Another issue of mine is not letting laboring women eat. I've heard all the reasons, but honestly, it's the hardest work you will ever do, shouldn't you keep your strength up?
Again, I think women should do whatever makes them comfortable, but statistically, having a baby with a trained midwife is just as safe as in a hospital. But I would NEVER make that call for someone else.
There's a reason why human birthing mortality rate is much lower than that of animals'. We used to have women die of childbirth all the time. Why? Because they didn't have the proper help. Now, it is only the very dire circumstances that a human birth would cause the death of the mom and/or child.
Really? How do you know? Where are all these statistics on mothers who died of childbirth "all the time"?
The death rate for women giving birth plummeted in the 20th century.
At the beginning of the century, maternal death rates were around their historical level of nearly 1 in 100 for live births. The number today in the United States is 1 in 10,000, a decline by a factor of 100.
The decline in maternal deaths has been due largely to improved asepsis, use of caesarean section, fluid management and blood transfusion, and better prenatal care.
Maternal mortality rates were highest in this century during 1900-1930 (2). Poor obstetric education and delivery practices were mainly responsible for the high numbers of maternal deaths, most of which were preventable (2). Obstetrics as a speciality was shunned by many physicians, and obstetric care was provided by poorly trained or untrained medical practitioners. Most births occurred at home with the assistance of midwives or general practitioners. Inappropriate and excessive surgical and obstetric interventions (e.g., induction of labor, use of forceps, episiotomy, and cesarean deliveries) were common and increased during the 1920s.....During the 1930s-1940s, hospital and state maternal mortality review committees were established. During the ensuing years, institutional practice guidelines and guidelines defining physician qualifications needed for hospital delivery privileges were developed. At the same time, a shift from home to hospital deliveries was occurring throughout the country; during 1938-1948, the proportion of infants born in hospitals increased from 55% to 90% (14). However, this shift was slow in rural areas and southern states. Safer deliveries in hospitals under aseptic conditions and improved provision of maternal care for the poor by states or voluntary organizations led to decreases in maternal mortality after 1930. Medical advances (including the use of antibiotics, oxytocin to induce labor, and safe blood transfusion and better management of hypertensive conditions during pregnancy) accelerated declines in maternal mortality. During 1939-1948, maternal mortality decreased by 71% (14). The legalization of induced abortion beginning in the 1960s contributed to an 89% decline in deaths from septic illegal abortions (15) during 1950-1973.
To identify ways in which the safety of childbirth might be increased, we investigated the causes of death among the 886 women who died during pregnancy or within 90 days post partum ("maternal deaths") in Massachusetts from 1954 through 1985. The maternal mortality rate declined from 50 per 100,000 live births in the early 1950s to the current rate of 10 per 100,000 live births. Between one third and one half of the maternal deaths were considered to have been preventable. The leading causes of maternal death from 1954 through 1957 were infection, cardiac disease, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and hemorrhage. In contrast, from 1982 through 1985 the leading causes of death were trauma (suicide, homicide, and motor vehicle accidents) and pulmonary embolus. We observed a rapid increase in the frequency of death among women who received little or no antenatal care.
...now, there's my 3 very credible sources of data and studies to back up my claims. Now let's see your's
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
