Home Water Birth? Can anyone explain something...?

[ChristaDeVil]

I would never, ever attempt anything remotely close to a home birth. If my DD had been born anywhere other than a hospital with every piece of medical equipment available, she would not have lived. I had a normal pregnancy, no one thought anything was wrong during my delivery. Unforseen circumstances happen, and there is no way I would risk my life or my baby's life.

Why people feel the need to revert to the way things were done 70 years ago is beyond me.

I wish your family all the best with their new baby.

Kinda have to agree.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I think it's neat, and I fully respect the "crunchy" home-birthing mommas. I'm personally a c-section momma (I'd be the one that would have a tragic VBAC) and it's not for me, but hey, to each his own. I think the key to a homebirth is a responsible midwife who knows when to say when, and when momma or baby needs help, brings her to the hospital ASAP!

 

[KiKi Mouse]

to each their own. Water births are not for me. I've had two home births, the second one was 9 days ago. First one was standing & leaning on my bathroom sink. Second one was laying on my side on the couch.

Had I not had planned home births I would have been having them anyway as my labour goes fast and by the time I figure out I am in labour I am IN labour. When I had DD#3 nine days ago I felt "strange" and when I called my midwife for the second time 10 minutes later to tell her I felt "strange" she came over to check me. I was 5 cm dilated and I had a bulging bag of waters. Contractions got pretty intense and things went pretty quick right after that and DD#3 was born a couple of hours and about 8 pushes later.


There was no way I could have gotten myself into a vehicle and gone to the hospital.
It's the second time that has happened.

I have a very experienced midwife and the secondary midwives I have had are just as experienced. I wouldn't trust anybody else with my deliverys or my babies. That says a lot.
We did have some complications. There was meconium in my amniotic fluid so our midwife called EMS just to be on standby in case we had to transport. Everything was fine. Right after the birth I was given a shot of oxytocin...when I asked my midwife why she said because she knew they would be busy with the baby and didn't want to turn around and see me bleeding out.
I had the best medical care a person could have for DD#2 and DD#3. My midwife is always a cell phone call away, 24 hours a day. She is the primary care giver to DD#3 for the first 8 weeks of her life. She comes to the house frequently to check on her and also to check on me.
I never had this kind of care with a doctor or with a hospital.


A water birth isn't for me because of how fast my labour goes and I just wouldn't be comfortable in a tub.

Good luck to the OP's family member. Good for her and let us know how it goes.

You have to be comfortable with whatever you choose for yourself and for your child. If not then it affects the birthing process which can in turn ultimately affect the health of your child and possibly yourself.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I think it's neat, and I fully respect the "crunchy" home-birthing mommas. I'm personally a c-section momma (I'd be the one that would have a tragic VBAC) and it's not for me, but hey, to each his own. I think the key to a homebirth is a responsible midwife who knows when to say when, and when momma or baby needs help, brings her to the hospital ASAP!

Home births are not for me, but I fully support a woman's right to have one. I don't like the back alley births--those I think are crazy people. Yes, I said it. There is a name to that movement, but I don't recall what it is.

I do think some of the medical statistics are a bit skewed b/c some interventions are utilized even if they aren't necessary--but there are many cases where the outcome would have been horrific if they weren't used.

I prefer my hospital birth myself, but I do not begrudge anyone who chooses a home birth.

And even if one day we get some story that puts a spin on that option b/c a person dies--well women die in hospitals and it doesn't stop us from giving birth there.

I've known several women to have successfully given home births and I fully support their right to do so.


As for water--our hospital has a room with a jacuzzi--you can labor in it, but not deliver in it. I had these wonderful thoughts about laboring in it. Last pregnancy, I lasted maybe 10 minutes and then returned to my bed. My favorite thing to do was to "hide" myself by the guardrail thing a ma jig. (Kind of like the game 18 month olds play "you can't see me")--it made me feel better )

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I would never, ever attempt anything remotely close to a home birth. If my DD had been born anywhere other than a hospital with every piece of medical equipment available, she would not have lived. I had a normal pregnancy, no one thought anything was wrong during my delivery. Unforseen circumstances happen, and there is no way I would risk my life or my baby's life.

Why people feel the need to revert to the way things were done 70 years ago is beyond me.

I wish your family all the best with their new baby.

FWIW--b/c most women and their infants can handle such things.

I deliver in a hospital for the exact reason you posted, but only for that reason. IF I were to need it. But of all the babies that are delivered--disregarding the absurd c-section rates that include elective c-sections and lawsuit fearing intervention decisions--most babies aren't at the risks you prescribed.

But just b/c I'm afraid of what will happen--the fact of the matter is, that most home births are fine, just like most hospital births are fine. The sad fact is that there are far more c-sections and interventions than occurred 70 years ago and that babies and mommies can and do still die in hospitals. Complications are very rare in pregnancy.

But we have been led to believe that the slightest blip on the monitor indicates something is horribly wrong. It isn't true for most women.

 

[locolala]

FWIW--b/c most women and their infants can handle such things.

I deliver in a hospital for the exact reason you posted, but only for that reason. IF I were to need it. But of all the babies that are delivered--disregarding the absurd c-section rates that include elective c-sections and lawsuit fearing intervention decisions--most babies aren't at the risks you prescribed.

But just b/c I'm afraid of what will happen--the fact of the matter is, that most home births are fine, just like most hospital births are fine. The sad fact is that there are far more c-sections and interventions than occurred 70 years ago and that babies and mommies can and do still die in hospitals. Complications are very rare in pregnancy.

But we have been led to believe that the slightest blip on the monitor indicates something is horribly wrong. It isn't true for most women.

You nailed it. Yes, I'm having my daughter in the hospital because I worry about complications, but most home births ARE just fine. Midwives won't allow women to do homebirths who aren't low risk and ready for the experience. If I could, I would to be honest. I'm more comfortable here, and there's a good hospital very close by. One of the things I love about the hospital I'm delivering at is that I don't have to be in the bed the whole time hooked up to monitors, I can shower, sit in a tub, sit on a ball or in a chair.. wherever I feel good at. Many hospitals don't even allow that because they're afraid of the lawsuits.