So, this post is basically going to be about what I personally plan to have for my birth and because I'm planning a natural homebirth, I know a lot of people are interested in knowing more about it, but also going to talk a bit about the hospital type birth too.
For starters, I don't have an OB and I do not have a doctor. I have a midwife. When Anthony and I moved to the area, I was desperatly searching for a midwife and it was the hardest thing to do because all of them are about an hour from where we live and couldn't find any closer(still haven't. Gotta travel an hour, but well worth it). I was quite worried since I was 20 something weeks pregnant and had hardly gotten any care for my whole pregnancy, but soon enough I did find a midwife. Alleluia!
People think that the hospital isn't a "big deal" but for me it is! There's no way I am going to be in a hospital (unless I needed transfer). If it came down to it, I would have rather birthed at a birthing center hadn't I found a midwife. Really, I don't want the hospital environment because I feel like you have "less freedom." You typically can't eat anything while in labor, and you typically have to be on your back with feet in the air to push. AND you can't push until the doctor says to. So who's rules do you follow? The doctor's of course.
Which I completely understand why people would think the hospital is the safest place to birth. They know how to do all these surgical procedures that you won't get outside of it...BUT that's all they know best. And people feel safer there because "just in case" there's an emergency you'll already be there. While if you had an emergency in a homebirth you'd arrive at the hospital in an ambulance and they would actually get you in MUCH faster than the person there who's waiting for the procedure to get started.
Most hospital staff has NEVER witnessed a full on natural birth. Occasionally you do see it happen in a hospital, but it's very rare and also depends on the hospital. But these surgeries should not happen unless absolutely needed, and a lot of hospitals only do it for their convenience of time. So they convince women they need a Csection or tell them they are "too small" to deliever the baby. In fact laying on your back shrinks your pelvis by 30% so why do hospitals like that position best? It's because that's the most convenient for them. I applaud hospitals that let women birth in whatever position they want!
People think that the Cesarean rate is still low, but it has increased over the years. At one point in time it was only 5% chance maybe even lower. Now in the United States it has risen to about a 37% chance. Sure, it's still under 50% but looking back from the past, it doesn't look as good.
Another fact is that most of the other countries only have a hospital birth IF the woman is a high risk pregnancy. The USA stands alone with only about 1% of the population having homebirths with midwifes.
So, you know those people with low risk pregnancies who go to hospitals will most likely end up in this snowball of interventions that were never really needed, but one intervention surely leads to another which ultimately leads to the Csection. So be wise in your choices. I'm not saying people are failures if they go to a hospital and end up having to get major surgery. What happens, happens. But I want people to know there is another way to give birth and from what I've seen it doesn't even compare to the typical hospital birth experience.
The main reason people go to a hospital is because women fear the pain of childbirth. For some reason people started building this fear around it that was completely unnecessary. Women have birthed naturally for YEARS before the hospital started doing it and making people think it was a "safer" and "cleaner" place to have your baby. Back then in I'd say the 40s or 60s, when you had a child in the hospital, you were strapped down and basically knocked out through the birth process. When you woke up you'd realize your baby had been yanked out by forceps and you maybe even got an epismiotomy. Then they'd carry your baby away and you wouldn't be able to touch him or her right away.
A few personal stories shared here from 1960.
Women who gave birth naturally before the hospital came into play, did so because they trusted that their bodies were capable. What else could they do anyway? There was no hospital to run to. But people think the hospital knows birth better than anything. Birth is a natural process and the woman's body does know how. It's really about getting women not to fear birth and to believe that their bodies ARE capable of getting through it.
For those of you reading, I'd HIGHLY consider looking at all your options before deciding. Hospital birth is not the only option. I would have never thought twice about a hospital birth if it wasn't for Anthony who suggested a homebirth. Then I started liking what I read about homebirth more than hospital. So be wise, know your choices and make the decision because it's a big one to make.
Keep in mind, most of this is things from off the top of my head that I've learned from books and videos. Also, since I haven't given birth yet...I will certainly be sharing MY experience with home waterbirth because that's what I'm planning. Once I have the baby, of course.
Those of you looking to read more about it, I highly suggest reading Ina May Gaskin's books on childbirth and breastfeeding. She has SO much good information and she's actually the most popular known midwife out there. She's been around for a long time and probably also has more experience as a midwife than anyone else. So I suggest those. I also suggest watching "The Business of Being Born." It was a very good film with lots of good information.
For people planning a natural homebirth like me, you know that there's lots of questions people ask because it's not a "normal" birth. Right?
"How is the baby monitored during labor?"
Well for one, you aren't hooked up to machines like in the hospital. The midwife just checks the heartbeat every once in awhile.
"What about the shots after birth the baby would normally get in a hospital?"
This one, I'm not sure about the Hep B shot they typically give. But you get the vitamin K heel prick done.
"Do you get ultrasounds?"
Yes. But only one is necessary at the 20-22nd week of pregnancy to check how baby is developing. If you get anymore, it'll only be if necessary. Because we don't know how bad ultrasounds might be. Back in the day they used to do xrays until they realized that children developed cancer later in life because of it. So the less, the better since we really don't have enough information on ultrasounds despite the fact that as far as we know, they are safe...as xrays once were.
"Do you get tested for GBS?"
Yes.
"What if something goes wrong?"
Depending what goes wrong and depending on the midwife. Some midwives may carry more supplies for a wider span of emergencies. My midwife has supplies for hemmorages and tears. If anything very serious arises, you'd just be transfered to the hospital.
"Do you get prenatal care?"
Yes.
"How much does it cost?"
Less than the hospital. But most the time it's out of pocket. For me it's about $1000 for everything: prenatal care, birth, postpartum check ups, unlimited breastfeeding advice, and anything else I may be forgetting. It's all included.
"How does the baby not drown?"
Since I'm having a waterbirth, lots of people are curious about this, but the baby is basically underwater it's whole life in the womb. So as long as the baby hasn't hit air yet, they'll be fine since they'll be getting their oxygen from the umbilical cord just as they have in the womb.
...and those are the ones I can think of at the top of my head. Of course, I'm not bothered by any questions that people ask me, but I see it as an opening to answer them and have them learn more.
I actually have a home visiting nurse who visits me every 1-2 weeks, and of everyone she has ever seen over the past 3-4 years of her work, she's never had a girl with a midwife. So for her it's very interesting and she can learn more from me. I actually enjoy it. :) Just another chance to get the word out about homebirth and show that it is not dangerous as people think it is.
I know some of you may be thinking "how can she say all this if she's never even experienced giving birth?!" But, I'm only saying things based from others at this point. Can't wait to share my personal story though. :) Stay tuned to hear it!
Here's some of the things I like about homebirth:
-Can eat food and drink and not restricted to ice chips. Besides, who can function off of ice chips for food anyway?
-Not hooked up to anything.
-Freedom to move around and can be in any position that feels best.
-Holds the baby right after birth.
-Can breastfeed right away.
-Delayed cord clamping which allows more oxygen to the baby and more time for baby to adjust their lungs to the air. Usually it is cut after it is done pulsing.
-No pressing on the stomach to force the placenta out. The placenta delivers it self perfectly fine on it's own and usually is painless.
-Overall, better bonding that comes with the direct skin to skin afterwards.
-Can do what YOU feel best during labor. You are the controller and no doctor tells you what to do. Your midwife may suggest some things to help you get through it, but you're the main runner here.
Hope you enjoyed and thank you for reading! :)
