Have Any of You Had or Planned a Home Birth?

[Witsec6]

I planned a homebirth for my first but had a complication. I had my second at home. I'm agnostic, well-educated, scientifically literate, and not a particular proponent of homebirth, but it did save us $10,000.

:shock:

:shock:

TEN GRAND!?!!?!?!

[galaxygirl]

I'm planning to have our baby in the hospital. Never even had a doubt in my mind about that.

[ukjingernut]

For me, the fact that I'm seen as mega high-risk by the medical establishment was the reason I wanted home births. I've had too much experience of hospitals in my life, and can only associate the places with bodily invasion and terror. I don't think that I could do labour in a hospital, I'm sure the adrenaline of the anxiety would prevent me from contracting and I'd end up with forceps or a C-section. And the epidural or other anaesthetic needed for that would be more likely to kill me than anything else. With my first child, I did transfer into hospital at the very end as she was breech, but my son was born at home.

[keen23]

At my first OB appointment with my first child, the absolute first question I asked was "how far dilated do I have to be before you'll give me an epidural?" I have no interest in homebirth. I don't want a mirror to show me what's going on down there. I don't want to go without pain killers. In fact, if "Twilight" births were still allowed, I'd have signed up for that (the type of pain medication your grandmother likely got, where she was knocked out, and came too and magically had a baby with no memory of doing so).

DD #1 was stubborn, and went 10 days past EDD, at which point I was yelling for an induction to get the damn baby out. Well, apparently walking around at 3 cm, 100% effaced for 3 weeks did nothing to prepare my body for birth, because 14 hours of pitossin and I was still at 3-4 cm, and going nowhere. And my daughter's heartbeat stopped coming back up after contractions. 15 minutes, and an emergency c-section later, my daughter came screaming into the world. With the next two, I didn't even consider VBAC. My recovery from my first c-section was great, and the labor had been so agonizing that I requested repeat c-sections. With my second daughter, I carried to almost 40 weeks, and had a c-section at 39 weeks 3 days, with no signs that I'd ever go into labor. My 3rd was complicated due to IUGR, slow growth and lack of growth from 34 weeks or so. My daughter was born at 37 weeks on the dot, weighing barely 5 pounds. Healthy, but tiny. My uterus was described as paper thin at that point, and I was advised that having another child was something I should probably not do. Which was fine with me, after 3 girl children, I did not/do not want another. I only wish I had the foresight to request a tubal while I was open for the c-section. I got an IUD, but I'm still very much considering a laproscopic tubal.

[batwing]

Someone mentioned upthread how they didn't want to play hostess. I was in the same boat. I don't like visitors or people in my space. Having people moseying around my house would make me anxious, although the husband and I considered it for a very short period.

We planned an unmedicated water birth in our local hospital for our first (they have birth tubs). Shit hit the fan, and it didn't happen. My first had heart decelerations, double wrapped cord, wound up being a vacuum assisted extraction and was born not breathing but was resuscitated.

Second pregnancy I had pre-eclampsia and was induced. I got the epidural as soon as they started the pitocin (which gives me double peak contractions), had a wet tap (spinal fluid comes out of the catheter), and the epidural never took. I was in labor for 3 hours, start to finish. The baby practically flew out.

Both of my hospital births were fantastic. I had a birth plan and told the nurses not to offer drugs to me, and they didn't. It was all my call. Both babies were able to room in with me. The first had a little bit of drama but he was not taken out of the room to get the care he needed and was able to nurse within an hour of being born. Number two was placed directly on my chest for skin to skin and nursed as his cord was being cut. Obstetricians and hospitals are villainized quite a bit, but I think the problem is that there are so many more people who will loudly state their negative opinions on matters rather than people willing to share positive experiences. LOVE my obstetrician, he's like a member of the family and he actually cares for several of my relatives and girlfriends as well. I gave birth in two different hospitals and both were gentle, joyful births where I didn't feel stressed or fearful in the least.

[maybeizfundie]

Not up to this point, though I'd like to.

My parents are doctors (yes my mom, too. :D) and have actually grown increasingly supportive of the idea as we girls have started having their grandbabies. They are not particularly happy about the jump in c-section rates, and they believe that insurance and liability issues are a big cause of that and other problems. Up to this point I have had hospital births for various reasons. Got bumped out of the midwife birth center twice, due to going overdue/big babies/being fat (though no actual medical problems like gest. diabetes or bp issues). Given that two of mine were 10 lb and above, short labors, and no need for in-labor intervention, doing a hb at this point wouldn't be at all scary for me. I did hemorrhage some with one of them (the "small" 10 lb one, funnily enough) so knowing that is a possibility I would want someone there to jab me with methergine if need be.

[teddybear]

I delivered about 10 litters of kittens at home, does that count? :lol:

[sacrilicious]

I briefly considered it, but since we lived in a smallish apartment and I didn't want to have to worry about going in to labor on a night I was too tired to do the dishes, I decided not to. Plus, not having experienced labor before I wanted the safety net of the hospital and the comfort of drugs nearby should I need them. As it turned out, my L&D nurse was a former CPM so I had great support there, but my daughter was malpositioned which resulted in absolutely horrific pain and eventual c-section. Having been one of the "lucky" ones who might have died without medical intervention, I'm much more jaded about my potential luck in the birthing process, so I will definitely go to the hospital for any future births.

I think homebirth with a truly qualified attendant and being truly low-risk is a good option; unfortunately I've seen several examples where those two requirements weren't met and it is disastrous. I also think UC is a really poor choice. So much can happen in labor and so fast and if you really need someone experienced there.

BTW, I'm not fundie at all, just natural living-minded in many ways.

[Juliakitty]

Juliakitty wrote:

I planned a homebirth for my first but had a complication. I had my second at home. I'm agnostic, well-educated, scientifically literate, and not a particular proponent of homebirth, but it did save us $10,000.

:shock:

:shock:

TEN GRAND!?!!?!?!

Well, yes. The homebirth cost us around $2500 I think--$2200 directly to the midwives and then some extra for lab and GBS testing and the birth kit and supplies. We had that in savings. A hospital birth would, I'm fairly sure, have cost at least $10,000 more than that (especially since I absolutely would have gotten an epidural if I'd been in a hospital!), which we did NOT have, not even close.

We don't have maternity coverage on our health insurance, because according to our insurance company, pregnancy is a "planned event," so I should have purchased the rider 365 days prior to becoming pregnant. However, this pregnancy was a surprise. And, we make too much money to qualify for any sort of state assistance (Medicaid paid for every penny of our older child's birth, back when we were not doing so well financially). So, yes, our homebirth saved us around $10,000. I tell myself this every time I think back to how painful it was and want to kick the "everyone should have a homebirth it's sooooooo wonderful not to be on drugs" people in the shins. (My first child's birth was drug-free as well, but it didn't really hurt. Funny how two births to the same mother can be completely different.)

[Elaine]

7 hospital births here, and never regretted any of them. I have several complications that would have killed me and/or the babies at home. Also, all of them were very large (over nine pounds---one of them was 12.5!!). Last birth was an emergency c-sec. I'm done.

[antifundie]

Not a parent, not pregnant, but:

Julia, WTF about the insurance???? Grrrrrr, this makes me so angry!! Sure, in a perfect world, (??) all pregnancies would a "planned event" (maybe) but they aren't!!

OMG, American health insurance!!

(Based on this lunacy, I'm assuming you are, in fact, in the US.)

[Katiebug]

Nope, my OB and I knew before DH and I even tried for a baby that I had a pretty high risk of pre-eclampsia due to family history (he pegged my chances at around 25%) and lo and behold I did indeed develop it after 38 weeks and was induced at 39 weeks. I couldn't have had a homebirth even if I'd wanted to; I would have risked out at that point.

DH and I had hoped for a low intervention hospital birth (no meds, just a heplock, intermittent monitoring, laboring in the Jacuzzi, etc.) but in the end I wound up being induced with Cervidil and Pitocin, on continuous monitoring, and had to be in bed on mag sulfate for a few hours before and 24 hours after I gave birth. After they made me get in bed thanks to a diastolic in the triple digits I had a shot of Nubain that seemed to wear off within about 45 minutes so I asked for the epidural (feeling disappointed but still hoping to avoid a C-section). They were putting the epidural in when my nurse realized I was actually pushing. My OB was paged up to L&D and I delivered the baby within 20 minutes. Apparently I'm very "stoic" in transition! They never even ran meds through the epidural and I won't bother with it next time.

Next time assuming I don't have pre-eclampsia again or some other kind of complication, we're going for that lower-intervention hospital birth. I still want to be in the hospital though because I like knowing that in case things go to hell with a delivery there's an OR down the hall and always an OB and anesthesiologist in-house. We like and trust my OB and I know if he says an intervention is necessary, it is. The nurses were awesome and helped me a ton with breastfeeding, and overall it was a great experience even though it wasn't what we planned and hoped for.

I don't have a problem with someone else choosing home birth with an appropriately licensed attendant, but it's just not for me.

[Juliakitty]

Not a parent, not pregnant, but:

Julia, WTF about the insurance???? Grrrrrr, this makes me so angry!! Sure, in a perfect world, (??) all pregnancies would a "planned event" (maybe) but they aren't!!

OMG, American health insurance!!

(Based on this lunacy, I'm assuming you are, in fact, in the US.)

Yes, I'm in the U.S. When we first got married, we had health insurance through my husband's employer. He got laid off the same day we found out we were pregnant with our firstborn, so I went on Medicaid. My husband found another job, but without health insurance, so after the baby was born (very nice natural hospital birth paid in full by Medicaid; I had planned a home birth but the baby was breech), I did some research and found a way to get health insurance independently. Unfortunately, it has almost doubled in cost since then, and doesn't have maternity coverage. Good thing we were able to have a home birth with the second kid or we'd be in some serious debt still. It hurt like *@#$ though because I had an undiagnosed fibroid. I have a younger friend who says that when she has a baby she will do it naturally because she is afraid of needles, and I always want to say, "Nothing like childbirth pain to get you over that one." I've never had an epidural but I will not hesitate to get one if I am ever in that much pain again (we're done having children though, thank goodness).

[countressrascal]

I do home birth all the time, certified nurse midwife, over 20 yrs. Since I am bound by medical ethic, I do refuse to do them on mother's that are high risk. Prior to a home birth, I do a site check to make sure it is safe and clean, they have all the supplies that they will need, again if they don't I can refuse. There is always a back up plan and only once have I had to medivac someone out, live and practice in a very rural location, an hour and half from a hospital. I would say that about 50% of my patients have a home birth, then 30% come to our birthing center and the others go to town. I have no problems with them as long as they obey the rules and are prepared. Which most do. My three were born in a hospital because I was high risk, if I had not been they would have been born at home.

[Guest Anonymous]

I've read many different variations of the "I can't home birth. I'm high risk." reason. I'm wondering how everyone defines "high risk"? I hate that term with a passion. I have given birth to three healthy children, with no birth emergencies and yet because my first child was born by cesarean I've had to go through hell and high water to find care providers to attend vaginal births. I've even had to move back home (out of state) for 2 months with my last baby. And I'm not even talking about birthing at home. I can't find doctors/midwifes to attend a vaginal HOSPITAL birth because I'm supposedly "high risk".

[countressrascal]

VBACMAMA Reasons why your local hospital will not do VBAC:

1) Increase in medical malpractice insurance

2) That a physician must be with you during your entire labor, they get paid by the insurance company same as a normal birth. Majority of time only teaching hospitals do them.

3) OB committee voted not to do them, they can be risky. The the risks are stalled labor, which then another c-section is needed and uterine rupture, which can cause death or a hysterctomy has to be performed.

4) Most states will not allow midwife attend a VBAC only a physician.

5) Your high risk status depends on why you have a c-section in the first place.

Hope that answers your questions.

Reason I was high risk is that I have a congenital heart issue which could have casued me to stroke out during labor.

[Guest Anonymous]

VBACMAMA Reasons why your local hospital will not do VBAC:

1) Increase in medical malpractice insurance

2) That a physician must be with you during your entire labor, they get paid by the insurance company same as a normal birth. Majority of time only teaching hospitals do them.

3) OB committee voted not to do them, they can be risky. The the risks are stalled labor, which then another c-section is needed and uterine rupture, which can cause death or a hysterctomy has to be performed.

4) Most states will not allow midwife attend a VBAC only a physician.

5) Your high risk status depends on why you have a c-section in the first place.

Hope that answers your questions.

Reason I was high risk is that I have a congenital heart issue which could have casued me to stroke out during labor.

It still doesn't make sense. Two hours north of me is an OB who attends vaginal breech twin births for women who've had prior cesareans. It is a large hospital, in a large city, but still I'm sure he must contend with malpractice insurance the same as anyone?

My first child was born by cesarean because of her size and the concern she wouldn't tolerate labor well. I was 37 weeks pregnant and she was born weighing 3 1/2 lbs. Absolutely nothing there to indicate any future risk. It was an uncomplicated surgery and healing, with an incredibly low transverse uterine incision, double sutured.

All three of my children were born in the same hospital, the last one with a certified nurse midwife. I've now had two uncomplicated VBACs and was told by the perinatologist I had to see for a "VBAC consultation" that I now present no more risk than any generally healthy woman giving birth.

...and yet I have to scour the southeast to find care providers who won't pressure me into a cesarean.

[sacrilicious]

I've researched a lot into vbacs, having had one prior c-section, and to me it seems like we're in a category of higher risk, but I also wouldn't put it as high risk as having pre-eclampsia, for instance. What would worry me with a hbac though is that if you are one of the ones who rupture, you only have a small window to prevent a catastrophe. If the hospitals around you can't guarantee a c-section within that time, that's where the bans come from. Although I too am frustrated for women in this situation.

[Guest Anonymous]

I've researched a lot into vbacs, having had one prior c-section, and to me it seems like we're in a category of higher risk, but I also wouldn't put it as high risk as having pre-eclampsia, for instance. What would worry me with a hbac though is that if you are one of the ones who rupture, you only have a small window to prevent a catastrophe. If the hospitals around you can't guarantee a c-section within that time, that's where the bans come from. Although I too am frustrated for women in this situation.

The thing is, *any* woman or baby could experience a catastrophe. Being induced puts you at the SAME risk of a uterine rupture as a woman who has had a prior cesarean. Hospitals ban VBACs because of the requirement to have anesthesia immediately available, but why would anyone desiring a hospital birth want to birth in a facility where anesthesia wasn't immediately available?

[misslady]

I've read many different variations of the "I can't home birth. I'm high risk." reason. I'm wondering how everyone defines "high risk"? I hate that term with a passion. I have given birth to three healthy children, with no birth emergencies and yet because my first child was born by cesarean I've had to go through hell and high water to find care providers to attend vaginal births. I've even had to move back home (out of state) for 2 months with my last baby. And I'm not even talking about birthing at home. I can't find doctors/midwifes to attend a vaginal HOSPITAL birth because I'm supposedly "high risk".

Epilepsy here, risk of seizure during delivery that could deprive the baby of oxygen if it won't stop. Had a few during the pregnancy, thankfully all was well.

Interestingly it took us some looking to find a doctor's office that actually cared about my case. Neuro said I should get a maternal-fetal-medicine consult due to anti-epileptic drug exposure in utero, MFM at the first hospital was like, um, you're fine? no miscarriages, no heart problems, no triplets, baby looks good, why are you here? Had to go elsewhere to find a practice that had an appropriate level of care for someone like me, not a "normal" birth but not sick enough to be interesting to MFM. (The baby was born fine and healthy.)

[sacrilicious]

The thing is, *any* woman or baby could experience a catastrophe. Being induced puts you at the SAME risk of a uterine rupture as a woman who has had a prior cesarean. Hospitals ban VBACs because of the requirement to have anesthesia immediately available, but why would anyone desiring a hospital birth want to birth in a facility where anesthesia wasn't immediately available?

Yeah, that's the question, isn't it? I really hate that a lot of doctors treat vbac's like they are so dangerous, yet lower-risk women aren't informed of the possibility that they may need a crash c-section and their hospital can't guarantee that. It seems...kind of disingenuous to me, because you automatically assume a hospital is the safest place to give birth, when not all are equipped the same yet you're not told that.

[Katiebug]

I've read many different variations of the "I can't home birth. I'm high risk." reason. I'm wondering how everyone defines "high risk"? I hate that term with a passion. I have given birth to three healthy children, with no birth emergencies and yet because my first child was born by cesarean I've had to go through hell and high water to find care providers to attend vaginal births. I've even had to move back home (out of state) for 2 months with my last baby. And I'm not even talking about birthing at home. I can't find doctors/midwifes to attend a vaginal HOSPITAL birth because I'm supposedly "high risk".

Yeah, I'd say that my pre-eclampsia qualified as high risk. Spilling protein and starting my induction with a BP of 170/95 is pretty damned high risk, as was having a diastolic in the triple digits about an hour before I delivered. I was on bedrest for 4 days before my induction (long story as to how the pre-e was discovered, but I felt fine). We couldn't be moved to the postpartum side of the unit until DD was a day old, because for 24 hours I had to stay bedridden on mag sulfate with nurses and OB residents constantly checking on me and drawing blood and doing neuro exams. Fun stuff - at least I always had someone who could get the baby from the bassinet next to my bed and bring her to me to nurse, and because I got that day of total rest as soon as I could get out of bed I was active and able to take care of the baby fully.

My OB will attend a VBAC and the hospital policy allows them (it's a teaching hospital which I've found is actually a good thing when it comes to maternity care). I knew if I did have to have a C-section I at least had a chance for VBAC later, even though the overwhelming majority of moms in this area will just choose a repeat section.

I know women who have risked out of home birth because of gestational diabetes, morbid obesity, placenta previa (another thing you do not mess around with), preterm labor, and the like. I'm pretty sure that CNMs have a standard list of possible complications/risk factors that they're supposed to follow for sending patients back to medical care. Also I would not deliver at all at a hospital that didn't have 24/7 in-house OB and anesthesiology. Plenty of complications can arise unrelated to VBAC and require a crash C-section or even other surgery after delivery.