Home Birth Question

[EmmaUK]

Hi! I'm a new user (found you quite by accident by following a comment regarding the recent Duggar miscarriage) and had an interesting few hours of reading past posts.

One thing I noticed which interested me was several posts regarding home births. Something I hadn't realised was that it seems to be something fundamentalists do in the USA, whereas in the UK it's quite normal. I had a home birth 5 months ago and myself and my partner are atheists, indeed all those I know who had home births are as far away from fundamentalists as it's possible to be. I chose a home birth because it was the best way of ensuring a straightforward, intervention free birth. He was my first baby and was born in 5 hours and was 13 days late. Home birth is available to all woman who have low risk pregnancies in the UK.

Is home birth in the USA something only the fundamentalists do? Is the British stereotype of American birth (Pitocin, flat on back, legs in stirrups, epidural on arrival) true? How much choice do you have?

Many thanks for your time!

[emmiedahl]

It's not just for fundies. The people I know who homebirth are all atheist or pagans and somewhat hippie.

I have had 5 births in 3 hospitals and had no unnecessary intervention; I was induced several times, but because of being EXTREMELY overdue. It's not typical or anything. I never even saw a stirrup, and many doctors will actively discourage epidurals. The beds are made to support a variety of labor positions. We had a water tub available in 2 of the hospitals, and my opinions were solicited and respected whenever there was a choice to be made.

This is not to say that things went perfectly according to plan, but in all, I think the doctors and hospitals gave me as much choice as they could given various situations. And if I had chosen to give birth at home, I would be dead and at least one of my children as well.

[polabear]

In my state (Illinois), midwives can't attend home births. Only doctors can, and there is maybe one practice in the state that will do it. So, you either have to have a midwife attend illegally, or you have to go unassisted. We don't even have freestanding birth centers. I believe that there are attempts to change the law, though.

Other states have more liberal regulations. Natural births are still pretty uncommon in general in the US.

[lilwriter85]

It's not just for fundies. The people I know who homebirth are all atheist or pagans and somewhat hippie.

I have had 5 births in 3 hospitals and had no unnecessary intervention; I was induced several times, but because of being EXTREMELY overdue. It's not typical or anything. I never even saw a stirrup, and many doctors will actively discourage epidurals. The beds are made to support a variety of labor positions. We had a water tub available in 2 of the hospitals, and my opinions were solicited and respected whenever there was a choice to be made.

This is not to say that things went perfectly according to plan, but in all, I think the doctors and hospitals gave me as much choice as they could given various situations. And if I had chosen to give birth at home, I would be dead and at least one of my children as well.

Same here. I know a few atheist couples who are sort of hippies that had home births. I also knew a mainstream Christian couple who recently had a home birth.

[maybeizfundie]

It is far and away not a fundy-only practice. And many fundies don't homebirth. Not sure where the generalization came from.

I think hospital birth must vary here depending on a lot of things. I got all the fun standard stuff (minus epidural, there wasn't time) with my first, and it was horrid. The two hosp. births after that were attended by midwives, and were fine, especially when I learned that I was allowed to speak up for myself and to question the basis for various "medical" decisions their backup docs wanted to make. It was still hospital-y, lol. But I was able to labor in the positions I could cope with, and delivered two big, late babies with no pit or epidural, which is what I had wanted.

[lilwriter85]

In ZsuZsu's recent post, she talks about the laws in Indiana about home births.

[lilwriter85]

It is far and away not a fundy-only practice. And many fundies don't homebirth. Not sure where the generalization came from.

I think hospital birth must vary here depending on a lot of things. I got all the fun standard stuff (minus epidural, there wasn't time) with my first, and it was horrid. The two hosp. births after that were attended by midwives, and were fine, especially when I learned that I was allowed to speak up for myself and to question the basis for various "medical" decisions their backup docs wanted to make. It was still hospital-y, lol. But I was able to labor in the positions I could cope with, and delivered two big, late babies with no pit or epidural, which is what I had wanted.

Good point there. I think a few of the bloggers we discuss here don't homebirth. I believe Michelle D. and Kelly Bates have all their kids in hospitals but I'm not might be wrong. I think maybe the generalization comes from some fundies being anti-doctor.

[ElphabaGalinda]

I think unassisted homebirths where only husbands are in attendance taking instruction from dr. Google, while the woman had 0 prenatal care to determine her level of risk in the first place is something mostly fundies do. (but not all of them). But normal home births where they consult professionals to make sure they're doing it safely is something all types of people do.

[emmiedahl]

Also, about inducing: I have a unique case because I tend to have very large babies and a medium/small pelvis. I went overdue with the first and he was huge; they had to basically pull him out of me at the end because I was losing consciousness and bleeding heavily. I had been contemplating a home birth and I am so glad that situation happened in a hospital! So, after that, the doctors were uncomfortable with me going way overdue. Even so, it was always discussed with me and we made the decision--WE, as in me and my doctor. No one is forced to be induced.

The only fundies I know who homebirth are on blogs. In real life, all hippies. I love hippies and was raised by them, so don't think I mean that in a rude way. I have a hippie friend who does the unassisted homebirth thing even! I'm glad she is done having children because I used to worry so much about her...

[MarciaBrady]

I believe Michelle D. and Kelly Bates have all their kids in hospitals but I'm not might be wrong. I think maybe the generalization comes from some fundies being anti-doctor.

Michelle had several homebirths. And all of Kelly Bate's births were homebirths, except for the last one.

[Iamthatbean]

Good point there. I think a few of the bloggers we discuss here don't homebirth. I believe Michelle D. and Kelly Bates have all their kids in hospitals but I'm not might be wrong. I think maybe the generalization comes from some fundies being anti-doctor.

Jinger was born in the laundry room and I *think she had another at home...

[Olivia]

Home births aren't peculiar to fundamentalists; at least in my area, they have a "hippie" vibe (or a "we don't have insurance and it's $6k less to have a home birth than a hospital birth if there are no complications" vibe). But they're a perfectly valid and safe manner of giving birth as long as one has proper prenatal care, appropriate care during (i.e. a certified midwife) and the ability (and willingness) to transport quickly to the hospital if advised to do so -- which are the things I worry some of the fundies we follow here don't do. The idea of an unassisted homebirth is... unwise... to me to say the least.

While home birth isn't very common in the U.S., the rates actually increased 20% between 2004 and 2008, so it's becoming a little more popular.

I'm definitely not a fundamentalist -- DH and I are both well-educated with engineering and science degrees, and he is an atheist -- but while we expect to head to the hospital for our first birth, we've considered a home birth or birthing center, and will likely to do that for future births if they are low-risk. Yet another thing I envy about certain European countries, where home birth is so much more common. Americans are still very judgmental about home birth, in general -- my husband mentioned our considerations at work and almost had his head ripped off by the Mommy Police.

[Sinister Rouge]

Jinger was born in the laundry room

Poor kid. She'll probably die doing laundry too, if J'chelle has anything to do with it :(

[NurseNell]

My DH did home deliveries in northern WI in the 1980's. He is a M.D. His patients who chose home delivery did so because they had no insurance, none were fundies. The majority of his deliveries were in the hospital but about 5% were home deliveries. He liked doing home deliveries. Eventually he stopped because of the ever increasing cost of malpractice insurance.

[emmiedahl]

Okay, so do we know why the laundry room? My unassisted homebirth friend gives birth in the bathtub because it is easy to clean up and she usually showers when the contractions are getting bad anyway so it is logical to just do it there. But the laundry room???

[Iamthatbean]

Okay, so do we know why the laundry room? My unassisted homebirth friend gives birth in the bathtub because it is easy to clean up and she usually showers when the contractions are getting bad anyway so it is logical to just do it there. But the laundry room???

IIRC it just happened that fast?

[Iamthatbean]

So far, I have found that Joseph was her other homebirth. Still looking for more info on why Jinger was born in the laundry room...

[NurseNell]

IIRC it just happened that fast?

That would be my guess. My brother was born in a 1948 Hudson. :geek: And a neighbor had her 4th or 5th baby on the kitchen floor.

[Olivia]

Wow, the idea of birthing in the bathroom or laundry room is so unappealing. My friends who had homebirths either were in the birthing tub or in their own bed (with the bed made up over a plastic sheet over a second set of bedding, so their midwife could just peel off the dirty linens to put them in the wash, toss the plastic, and they could relax on clean bedding right away).

[EmmaUK]

Thank you all for your quick and detailed replies!

With regards to the generalisation, it is my own based on the posts I had read. Having given birth recently the naval gazing associated means I can't help but be interested in the subject :)

I suppose myself and my partner are hippies, chicken keeping, breast feeding, cloth nappying, organic eating vegetable growing types. I was surprised to see these things associated with fundamentalists really. But i suppose that it shows we're not too far apart really, just an imaginary friend standing between us. And of course fundamentalists can care about the planet!

Well, except the Duggars. Those bastards are the most wasteful people!!

[MarciaBrady]

Okay, so do we know why the laundry room? My unassisted homebirth friend gives birth in the bathtub because it is easy to clean up and she usually showers when the contractions are getting bad anyway so it is logical to just do it there. But the laundry room???

If I remember correctly, it wasn't a laundry room when she was born. It was later converted to a laundry room after they ran out of space.

[AnnoDomini]

My mother gave birth at home several times, beginning with her fourth child, and allowing the children to watch. She wanted to have all subsequent children at home, but her later pregnancies (9-10) were high-risk so she gave birth to those in the hospital.

[YPestis]

Home births seems to appeal to certain types. The aforementioned "hippes and fundies" are the most prominent. I believe part of the reason is a general distrust of the medical establishment. There are also more mainstreamed individuals who homebirth due to a belief that doctors overmedicalize the process, or over prescribe medical interventions. The latter part is an American phenomenon due to the litigious nature of our society.

I believe it is generally the better educated couples who fall under this more mainstream category. They tend to be the ones who read up on recent medical advances, and may be wary of some of the procedures performed/recommended. I think some of the caution is justified, such as the rising C-section rate in this country (fueled by fear of lawsuits!). However, I think people who are superficially educated on medical matters can be their own worst enemies because they understand enough to be scared but not enough to know the underlying reasons for the doctor's decisions. It's this second group that doctors find the most difficult to deal with as they may not have the medical background to understand but is resourceful enough to search for (mis)information and not realize the data is flawed.

Personally, I prefer dealing with the patient that attempts to educate themselves than a noncompliant patient that doesn't care or who stays willfully ignorant. Even if a patient is completely misinformed, most will work with doctors. Patients that just refuse any medical interventions out of blind mistrust or ignorance will not compromise. Extreme left and right wing people tend to fall into group, and I blame it on a lack of education for their poor decisions. A sound science education can chip away at distrust of the medical establishment but if a patient has no real foundation in that, it's hard to convince them a pill will help them, a shot will protect them, and a procedure will save them.

[Austin]

Hi! I'm a new user (found you quite by accident by following a comment regarding the recent Duggar miscarriage) and had an interesting few hours of reading past posts.

One thing I noticed which interested me was several posts regarding home births. Something I hadn't realised was that it seems to be something fundamentalists do in the USA, whereas in the UK it's quite normal. I had a home birth 5 months ago and myself and my partner are atheists, indeed all those I know who had home births are as far away from fundamentalists as it's possible to be. I chose a home birth because it was the best way of ensuring a straightforward, intervention free birth. He was my first baby and was born in 5 hours and was 13 days late. Home birth is available to all woman who have low risk pregnancies in the UK.

Is home birth in the USA something only the fundamentalists do? Is the British stereotype of American birth (Pitocin, flat on back, legs in stirrups, epidural on arrival) true? How much choice do you have?

Many thanks for your time!

I had all three of my children in hospitals two decades ago and no, the stereotype was not true in my experience, or in that of any woman I know very well. Nothing was "done" to me that I didn't fully agree to and in fact, I feel like with my first birth, my doctor was not inclined as he should have been to do an ebil intervention. I had an epidural with my twins because I asked for one and if I had had any subsequent births, I would have certainly asked for one again. But pitocin, flat-on-your-back, and all that, while I'm not saying it doesn't happen anywhere, is certainly a stereotype.

So I suppose I had "unnatural" births, whatever the eff that's supposed to mean :?

[PBrooke]

It wasn't the laundry room. In the old, four-or-some-similar-number-bedroom house they had during the original TLC specials, she was born in a bedroom that they were using as a "family closet" room by the time the special aired. And I'm not even sure she said she was born in that very room, just that she was born in the house (while she happened to be standing in the bedroom now used as a family closet).

Btw, my non-hippie mother had me totally naturally in the 80s. And it wasn't an uncommon goal then.

EDIT And by natural I mean vaginally, no meds. But I was in a hospital, and in fact it was the doctor who encouraged it.