Homebirths vs Hospital

[roddma]

oops meant hospital typo--There's quite a debate going down on 19K FB. I wish people would realize that a midwife isn't a doctor or sometimes isn't even legal. I agree hospitals are messed up sometimes but i would rather be under the guidance of real docotrs. I pointed out a hospital save Josie.

[NotALoserLikeYou]

Being pro midwife and pro homebirth doesnt mean you are anti doctors [for most people]. My best birth was a homebirth. My last birth was a home to hospital transfer and I was having a placental abruption. The doctors and nurses were very nice and I sure was glad they were there in case anything happened (everything was fine).

Generally its just a mindset that childbirth is a natural process of the body and not a medical illness that needs a ton of interventions. If you are willing to endure the pain of labor, you very likely can have a natural birth. If that is what you want. Obviously a disclaimer that of course unexpected things happen and there are tons of medical reasons for hospital births and csections.

[France Nolan]

It also depends on the midwife. I think this has been beaten to death in the Jill Duggar midwife thread, but there is a huge difference between a lay midwife and a certified nurse midwife. CNMs are licensed medical professionals and have extensive training. A CNM delivered my daughter, albeit in a hospital, and I can't say enough kind things about her. I also know that if my pregnancy and birth were high risk she would have immediately referred me to an OB.

[daisyfern]

It also depends on the midwife. I think this has been beaten to death in the Jill Duggar midwife thread, but there is a huge difference between a lay midwife and a certified nurse midwife. CNMs are licensed medical professionals and have extensive training. A CNM delivered my daughter, albeit in a hospital, and I can't say enough kind things about her. I also know that if my pregnancy and birth were high risk she would have immediately referred me to an OB.

I agree that the difference between lay midwife and CNM is important. My daughter was delivered by a certified nurse midwife in a hospital and things went great. We tried it again with my son, but he ended up being delivered via C-section. I give the midwife credit for knowing when to call in the doctor.

[August]

I too used a CNM who did homebirths. She was the best of both worlds.

This reminds me though of a blogger I was reading about on GOMI a couple of days ago who had the perfect storm of reasons why UP and non-midwives is a shit idea. Her baby had a disability which was both incompatible with life and also meant he couldn't turn head down for birth or tolerate labor all that well. Had she had an US she'd have been able to prepare for a peaceful homebirth, or c-section with a spinal, but what happened was she felt the breech, ended up at the hospital with an emergency c-section under a general, and he had died by the time she woke up. So very very awful, and it needn't have happened that way. (and I don't think the name of the blogger is relevant because then it becomes about shaming a grieving person, rather than giving a real concrete example for someone making a decision now)

[skrmom]

I am past child bearing years, but I would not have considered a lay-midwife. A CNM has much more training. While most home births are safe, one has to consider that in an event of an emergency, precious time is lost summoning an ambulance, transporting a patient, etc. Seconds count sometimes.

[yewchapel]

In the UK, hospital births are usually midwife-led (certified nurse midwives), doctors are involved in emergencies only. Even with home births, every woman gets two midwives, who are equipped with gas and air (not sure if it's called something else in the US, but it's for pain relief) and a resuscitation kit. Not all women are given the go-ahead for a home birth though, only low-risk pregnancies and multiple births must be delivered in hospital.

The differences between the US and UK versions of One Born Every Minute are startling.

[miffy]

I really like the idea of a birth centre attached to a hospital. That way if anything goes wrong you are already in the hospital.

[lipstickgoalie]

Here we go... Anyone have a snack? I am glad I didn't have anything in particular to do this weekend. I can watch this blow up without guilt.

[miffy]

Here we go... Anyone have a snack? I am glad I didn't have anything in particular to do this weekend. I can watch this blow up without guilt.

I've got a peanut butter sandwich. :D

*actually thats a lie, i've got a Ryvita with cottage cheese & chives on it. :drool:

[jaynie]

I really like the idea of a birth centre attached to a hospital. That way if anything goes wrong you are already in the hospital.

I'm nowhere near having kids, but I like this idea too. I've seen ones that are set up to be really "homey" and allow the other parent (if they're around, obvs) to stay overnight too. It seems like a good way to let people feel less "medicalized" while still having the security of extensive medical equipment on hand. Maybe not the choice for everyone, but it's certainly something I'd consider.

This debate gets so radicalized so quickly though. Like I'm 100% for people making a responsible, informed decision to homebirth (with a well trained and certified midwife though!), but I'm also 100% for people making a responsible, informed decision to have a hospital birth, and I can't help but roll my eyes when people start in in "hospital births are unnatural, taking an epidural is the worst thing you could ever do, don't let the doctors near you with their knives!" nonsense. Or "how can you ever homebirth it's dangerous this should be banned!" or whatever. It gets to being dogmatic and filled with nonsensical, biased platitudes, and then discussion stops so that people can shout at each other, and misinformation spreads on both sides.

[Coconut Flan]

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

With some nice chilled wine, I'm ready to kick back and enjoy.

[Arete]

I've got a peanut butter sandwich. :D

*actually thats a lie, i've got a Ryvita with cottage cheese & chives on it. :drool:

I have half a bottle of wine ready to go. Bring it on. :lol: :popcorn2:

[Rachel333]

Ooh, this can get heated no matter where the debate happens. :lol: I think it's funny how this is one of the things where the very crunchy liberal types and the extremely conservative homeschooler types are on the same side.

Personally, I don't think I could ever recommend a homebirth after seeing what happened to my neighbors' granddaughter. They did a hospital transfer (I remember seeing the ambulances come), but her brain was still deprived of oxygen too long and she has permanent and severe brain damage. They're still thrilled with her, of course, but they say it's hard to live with the knowledge that she would have been just fine had she been born in the hospital where she could have been treated immediately.

[yewchapel]

I'm nowhere near having kids, but I like this idea too. I've seen ones that are set up to be really "homey" and allow the other parent (if they're around, obvs) to stay overnight too. It seems like a good way to let people feel less "medicalized" while still having the security of extensive medical equipment on hand. Maybe not the choice for everyone, but it's certainly something I'd consider.

This debate gets so radicalized so quickly though. Like I'm 100% for people making a responsible, informed decision to homebirth (with a well trained and certified midwife though!), but I'm also 100% for people making a responsible, informed decision to have a hospital birth, and I can't help but roll my eyes when people start in in "hospital births are unnatural, taking an epidural is the worst thing you could ever do, don't let the doctors near you with their knives!" nonsense. Or "how can you ever homebirth it's dangerous this should be banned!" or whatever. It gets to being dogmatic and filled with nonsensical, biased platitudes, and then discussion stops so that people can shout at each other, and misinformation spreads on both sides.

Agreed.

[dairyfreelife]

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

With some nice chilled wine, I'm ready to kick back and enjoy.

I have soy margarine for those who are lactose intolerant like me. :popcorn2:

[lipstickgoalie]

I have half a bottle of wine ready to go. Bring it on. :lol: :popcorn2:

I have some strawberries. And some half way decent cheddar.

[TheLurkingFrumper]

I strongly believe all babies should be born in the transporter bay of the StarShip Enterprise (though the debate still rages on whether Bay 3 or Bay 7 would be best). This way, if mom and baby are fine they can instantly be beamed into their beds to rest in comfort. However, if there is a complication, they can be beamed directly to sick bay.

[miffy]

I strongly believe all babies should be born in the transporter bay of the StarShip Enterprise (though the debate still rages on whether Bay 3 or Bay 7 would be best). This way, if mom and baby are fine they can instantly be beamed into their beds to rest in comfort. However, if there is a complication, they can be beamed directly to sick bay.

Now see I think the medibay on Red Dwarf might be better. The skutters can perform a c section in between doing tasks for Rimmer. It would be so natural!

[TheLurkingFrumper]

Now see I think the medibay on Red Dwarf might be better. The skutters can perform a c section in between doing tasks for Rimmer. It would be so natural!

True, but you're still in the medibay, and I am afraid that wouldn't work for our crunchy friends. What about aboard Moya from Farscape? She's a space whale! Can't get more crunchy than that.

Then again, not sure I'd want Nigel in delivery.

[Freyacat]

I think all babies should be born with the mom strapped to a centrifuge to rocket the baby out. Someone actually tried to patent a device for just that:

http://www.cracked.com/article_20435_th ... abies.html

[TheLurkingFrumper]

I think all babies should be born with the mom strapped to a centrifuge to rocket the baby out. Someone actually tried to patent a device for just that:

http://www.cracked.com/article_20435_th ... abies.html

Hmmm, I guess we could build it in a bio-dome for the crunchy people . . . maybe the baby could land in a birthing pond or something?

[Freyacat]

Hmmm, I guess we could build it in a bio-dome for the crunchy people . . . maybe the baby could land in a birthing pond or something?

Yes! A birthing pond with a koi midwife in it! :)

http://koibirth.blogspot.com/

[miffy]

The 'cute bunny' syringe is going to give me nightmares.

[miffy]

Yes! A birthing pond with a koi midwife in it! :)

http://koibirth.blogspot.com/

How do people come up with this stuff?

There are some giant Koi in the creek down the road. Maybe I need to open up a koi & duck assisted birthing centre?