So, maybe I'm losing my mind. Maybe I just need to get this out of my system and exhaust all possibilities. Maybe it's just hormones. But, lately I've been really freaking out over giving birth in a hospital setting. I swear every other blog I read is posting amazing home birth stories these days. And not just run-of-the-mill home births, but HBACs, something I would, by all medical smarty-pantsness, be nutso to consider. I read all of these women's stories and I get teary-eyed, I get all smooshy thinking of new babies, and I get all sorts of thoughts of "Well, why not me?"
So, I've spent the morning scouring every midwife database I can for even semi-local midwives in private practice. Of the two closest, one didn't have any contact information listed (but I managed to find a number listed under her name) and one I'm not so certain about just based on it's location (it's a mere 6 miles from us, and I'd really like to think that if we had midwives that readily available I would have known about it. But, man would that be convenient.) I e-mailed a home birth service based in Erie, even though we're 10 miles south of what they list as their coverage area. And the drive from Erie to here is an hour and a half in good weather, so late February to mid-March could be sketchy. But, I'm determined to start somewhere.
Edited to add: According to our doula, the first midwife I came across seems quite nice and does attend VBAC's. So that's definitely good news. I'll be giving her a call later today. And the home birth service that's super close to us seems to be two doulas, one of which also states that she's a Direct Entry Midwife and the other is an assistant midwife. I didn't see anything about whether or not they attend VBAC's. But based on their website I think they're a little too fanatically religious for me. Their proximity would make them ideal, but I don't think they'd enjoy my profuse use of the Lord's name in vain while in labor.
Thought? Words of wisdom?
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3 comments:
As someone who *sees* how things go when they go badly, and THEY DO GO BADLY - don't do it. Sure, it *can* be fine, but when it isn't fine - it really. really. really. isn't fine. Moms end up in my ICU and babies die or end up with such bad oxygen deprivation that they suffer severe brain damage. IMHO, from my experience, a child and your health is not worth the risk because the hospital setting isn't as comfortable or 'spiritually fulfilling' as being at home is.
I know midwives, I have worked with them, I went to school with them and I learned labor and delivery from both midwives and MDs. I studied home births, birthing centers and hospital births - attending many of all kinds.
Even while working in labor and delivery, I have seen SEVERAL normal births go fine and hours later - a total, unexpected uterine rupture. I have seen moms code, moms die and moms be saved *only* because they were able to be in the OR in minutes.
IMHO - totally not worth it, not worth the risk and really really unsafe in the event of complications that cannot be predicted and happen very quickly. Doesn't take long to bleed out and doesn't take very long for even mild oxygen deprivation to have life long effects on a child.
Well, I don't even know where to start. I don't know your history. I don't know how is your pregnancy going, I don't know how your first labor went...
My son was born 7 months ago, in my living room, and it's indeed the most beautiful moment I've ever lived. It's a choice I'll never regret, but honestly I couldn't even imagine going to the hospital because it just freaks me out. BUT my pregnancy was totally fine, which was the condition to give birth at home, as we agreed with our midwife. Since I don't know anything about your pregnancy there's no much I can say.
But if everything's ok, if the midwife thinks it's ok, if you feel like it... then go for it. People will always say you take risks, but studies have proven there's no more risk at home with a "normal pregnancy". Of course they will always be exceptions, but in hospitals too...
Just make sure this is what you really want, what makes you feel good, and make sure you can get transfered in a hospital if needed.
I would totally do that again, in fact I will!
I'm sorry because tonight I'm exhausted and my english is really crappy, but feel free to get in touch with me if you want to talk about it :)
I can see both sides of the argument, but at the end of the day it (as with everything in life) is about calculated risk. If the midwife assesses you and thinks there is minimal risk, then go for it. As long as you can get to a hospital quickly if needs be.
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