Midwife or Hospital?
By sjchristian
@sjchristian (76)
United States
January 5, 2008 12:18pm CST
I am currently a mother of 2, both born in a hospital. Having my sons 10 years apart, I really wanted to do things differently the last time. I wanted to have my second child in a birthing clinic. I wanted it to be as natural as possible without endangering my child.
I have a friend who had her daughter at home in her bed alone. ON PURPOSE!!!!
Anyway my hubby was not having it, it is his first child. And I gave in and went to all appointments and had the baby in a hospital.
Now hubby and I are talking about possibly getting pregnant again towards the end of the year or early next year and I sooooooo want to go the whole dula route.
Has anyone out there had a child in the hospital and another at a birthing center, I would love to hear you stories and comparison.
3 people like this
7 responses
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
5 Jan 08
I haven't but I did a lot of research on it because I really don't like the whole hospital birth routine. Did you know that the common laboring/birthing position in the hospital (on your back semi reclined in bed) is the WORST position to be in when having a baby? It doesn't allow for gravity to help the baby out and it puts pressure on your back making contractions more painful....and then we wonder why we have such a high rate of c-sections. My s/o is against anything but the traditional doctor and hospital route but I refused to leave for the hospital until I absolutely had to with my last one. I did 17 hours of labor comfortably at home while walking, sqatting and laying on my side only when I needed to lay down to rest. I made him go really slowly to the hospital so that took almost another hour and I sat up in the seat the whole time. Then I refused the wheelchair and walked all the way from the parking lot into the maternity ward and only got into bed when I absolutely had to. My son was born 45 minutes later with no pain medication and no pushing. He came out alert and healthy and was even awake enough to begin nursing like a pro within an hour.
@sjchristian (76)
• United States
5 Jan 08
I wanted to stand and walk while in the hospital and they told me something about being a liability. what! I watched programs while i was pregnant and even tivo'd them for my hubby to show him that it is safe and ok. I loved the idea of sitting on a toilet looking chair and having the midwife on her hands and knees ready to grab the baby. It looked comfortable. The mom was sitting down and able to recline back if she choose.
With my first baby I ran to the hospital because there was so much blood i was scared. With my last birth I started with braxton hicks in my 28th week and then into full on labor 3 times starting from my 37th week. Each time I bleed and was worried. I finally have my baby 2 days before his due date. But the scare sent me in right away when I started feeling weird like something was wrong.
Had I not had the previos issues with this pregnancy I was completly prepared to stay home until the very last possible moment like you.
@lightningd (1039)
• United States
6 Jan 08
With my first child, there was no time for walking around. My water broke at 4:15 in the morning, we got to the hospital at 5:00 am and the child was delivered at 6:09 am. The second one however, I was in labor for 23 hours. My doctor MADE me get up and walk around every 30 minutes or so for 15-20 minutes.
@dania_elm (421)
• United States
5 Jan 08
it sounds weird but the midwife had me squatting and sitting indian style my first labor was 8 hours my second was 1 and a half with the doctor i lie in hard labor for 22 and a half hours and he wouldnt allow me to deliver my wins he said i had to have a c-section
@dania_elm (421)
• United States
5 Jan 08
with my first two i actually had a midwife but i ended up having to deliver in the hospital anyways the midwife did both deliveries and i did prefer her over a doctor they are more human if that makes sense unforunately i had to have a dr. with the rest of my kids if u go that route let me know how it turns out i always have been curious none of my friends have done it they all thought i was weird for wanting the midwife
@sjchristian (76)
• United States
5 Jan 08
when i had my first son i was ignorant to other options. in the years inbetween my child i learned more. My crazy friend who gave birth alone had a her first child with a dula. and told me all about it. i was a bit jealous because her experiece to me felt like thats how it should be, her midwife became her friend throughout the pregnancy. I didnt feel that humanity you spoke of with either birthing experience. With my last delivery they actually gave me pitocin an hour after I walked in just because THEY WANTED to speed things up. They didn't ask me they just did it and told me as she was injecting it into my iv. I was hurt. I wanted to take my time and experience it all.
I am still upset that I compromised with my husband.
@dania_elm (421)
• United States
5 Jan 08
i would be furious with that!! the midwife was truely wonderful her and her assistant came to my house even after delivery to check on us and to answer any question dont get me wrong my dr. actually saved 2 of my other 3 kids' lives he was great also but the experiece was so clinical and having a baby shouldnt be that way
@barbiegirl13 (1588)
• United States
6 Jan 08
I am pregnant with my fourth child ( 3 months). I have always had my kids in a hospital and will this time too. I just want to make sure that if any problems arise with me or the baby I will have doctors around to take care of the situation. Good luck too you. ;)
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
6 Jan 08
I had both my kids in a hospital. I did think about having a midwife and having my babies at home, but just the thought of knowing I was in a hospital made me feel so much better...just in case something were to go wrong during (or after) delivery, I would already be there and not at home where they couldn't tend to me, or by baby, properly. Since most hospitals have the latest equipment, they are better able to handle the job. At least, this is how I see it. If I was to have another baby I'd still want to have him or her in a hospital, for reasons I've already stated. :)
@Gemmygirl1 (2867)
• Australia
6 Jan 08
Here in Oz, no matter where you have the baby, you have a midwife anyway!
I had my first in a hospital with the most wonderful midwife you can imagine, very helpful & full of informations & tips for me.
I guess if you want to try at home then it's something that needs a lot of thought - i have thought about it but had decided against it for safety reasons. I'm not saying a home birth is unsafe at all - for me, i feel more comfortable in a hospital where all the medical equipment is & all the real Dr's are, just incase anything went wrong.
I guess, i came up with it's better 'for me' in a hospital because a midwife etc can only have so much with them in your home so if anything went wrong, it would take longer to get the help required if you needed it. In a hospital, it's all there, on hand :)
Good luck if you decide to have a home birth, i wish you all the very best! I have heard great things about them but in the end, it's a personal decision! You just do whatever you think is right!
@dettesky_22 (19)
• Philippines
6 Jan 08
Hi sjchristian,
I'm a first time mom and I had my baby in a birthing clinic. My experience was so wonderful; my hubby was with me during my labor. If I were you ask your OB if it's alright for you to have your baby in a Clinic. Coz, that's what I did I ask her first. She told me that if theirs no complication that would be alright. And besides my OB owns a clinic and she was the one who attended to my delivery. And giving birth here in the Philippines is so very expensive. Imagine if I were to give birth in a hospital I'll be cashing out at least $750-1500. Would you believed thats about 30,000-60,000 (Peso) and that's if your going to have your baby delivered normal. If your gonna deliver your baby Ceasarian Section (CS)... Oh my gosh I don't even want to compute. And mind you giving birth in a clinic only cost me what atleast $250....
So If I were you consult your OB first...
God Bless!!!
@joey_matthews (8354)
•
5 Jan 08
I have only had my children in hospital with loads more check ups as i have a high risk pregnancy everytime due to problems in my past pregnancies.
Even if i wanted to have a baby at home, i couldn't.
I am advised to have the baby in hospital so if anything happened i would be in the best place to get help quicker.
I am pregnant now, but i hadn't even thought about having a home birth, i just want to be safe and make sure the baby is ok so i'm having them in hospital.
~Joeys wife
