Comments on The Lactivist Breastfeeding Blog: Oh Where, Oh Where Shall I Birth Our Babies?

When I first met my OB (and yep, mine moved right ...

2008-05-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

When I first met my OB (and yep, mine moved right before I found out I was pregnant) I was very blunt as well. I told her my wishes and asked her if she could respect them and support them and if not, that was OK, but that I would find someone else. (Breath hold here because in a small town there aren't a heck of a lot of options). She said she would and we never looked back. Of course, I

This is a UK based site but might be helpful.http:...

2008-04-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

This is a UK based site but might be helpful.

http://www.homebirth.org.uk/twins.htm

I believe in the core of my researcher-being: wome...

2008-04-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

I believe in the core of my researcher-being: women should birth where they feel the most confident. If that is home, birth at home. If that is a hospital, birth there.

The worst intervention of all is undermining the confidence and power of a birthing mother.

My firstborn was born in a hospital-run birthing center with a CNM who had over a decade of prior experience as a

Health Guru,I couldn't agree more that having a qu...

2008-04-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

Health Guru,

I couldn't agree more that having a qualified midwife as part of your birth team is as great way to dramatically increase the potential for good outcome for a birth.

That's why I hired a qualified midwife to work with me during my pregnancy and home birth.

My point is that the birth of a child must be unde...

2008-04-12T23:47:00.000-07:00

My point is that the birth of a child must be under the supervision of qualified doctors and midwives particularly if its 1st birth.
Better Information.Better Health

Hi Anna - Welcome!I am going through the same type...

2008-04-11T11:06:00.000-07:00

Hi Anna - Welcome!

I am going through the same type of quandary except with a singleton. I have a great ob who was totally on board with my Hypnobirthing (second child) but because she is in a practice with 4 others, I don't feel comfortable taking a chance on getting her. I know we got extremely lucky with getting for my second chile but I don't think that will happen this time.
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I forgot to mention that I understand the crystal ...

2008-04-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention that I understand the crystal ball concept. It's hard to make such important choices when you really don't know the specifics of what will happen. Best of luck. And remember, your job is to raise and love and nurture these children their entire lives. Their birth is important for their health and your health. I hope your experience is wonderful, but I had two not ideal

I read a lot of these comments and am reminded of ...

2008-04-10T11:10:00.000-07:00

I read a lot of these comments and am reminded of some of my struggles. I have had two c-sections. That was never my plan. I had always hoped and prayed for natural, vaginal births.

We did try for a VBAC with our second child and had absolutely no interventions at the hospital besides an IV port and a monitor strapped on my belly. It was completely conducive to moving through pain,

I am so pleased to see so many positive comments r...

2008-04-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

I am so pleased to see so many positive comments regarding your present conundrum. Heather's comment about envisioning a twin pregnancy as a variation of normal is superb! And she's right about the medical community in general...no matter how deep a woman's rapport is with her provider...if you're seeing an allopathic provider, they will be MORE likely to treat your pregnancy as a disease

My birth experience is still vivid in my mind; aft...

2008-04-08T09:33:00.000-07:00

My birth experience is still vivid in my mind; after all, it was only three weeks ago!

I opted for a hospital birth, not so much because I was concerned for safety, but because quite frankly, I want someone else to clean up after me, and my house isn't what I'd call conducive to childbirth.

I was forced into taking pitocin, because of the fact my water broke; this resulted in

Here was my happy medium... a hospital birth atten...

2008-04-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

Here was my happy medium... a hospital birth attended by a midwife. My Husband and I wrote very specific birth plans, and they were followed to a T. I had my plan on file with the midwife, and took it with me to the hospital. They can not do anything to you or the baby with out your permission. Sometimes you have to be hard headed, but it is true.

Anna,I just gave birth to twins, but it was my fir...

2008-04-04T17:04:00.000-07:00

Anna,
I just gave birth to twins, but it was my first pregnancy, so I didn't have a lot of resources to find a midwife who would even touch the twins. Then, we had TTTS and pre-term labor. After my first round of pre-term labor at 27 weeks, they both went breech. This is just to say that I didn't feel that anything extra was done and, in the end, the hospital birth insured that my babies

As Jennifer pointed out, midwives are extensively ...

2008-04-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

As Jennifer pointed out, midwives are extensively trained in handling complications that may arise. Unfortunately for us the midwife could not revive Xander and it was her decision to call in the neonatologist to take over. They both agreed that had we needed a transport to the hospital he wouldn't have survived. Although I consider myself a stuanch supporter of every mother's right to choose, I

My vote is still for homebirth. :)Like Jen, I've d...

2008-04-04T08:12:00.000-07:00

My vote is still for homebirth. :)

Like Jen, I've done lots of research on the safety issue. For me, that's not even an issue: study after study after study

Anna, Take a look at birth statistics in other cou...

2008-04-04T06:38:00.000-07:00

Anna, Take a look at birth statistics in other countries that use midwives as the "normal" birthing attendants. The Netherlands has some good information. Birth has become so medicalized here, that our national numbers are so biased that I wouldn't even bother referring to them, and I'm an epidemiologist. The only thing our numbers are good for is analyzing costs and determining the fact that

I never felt pushed toward anything during my hosp...

2008-04-03T12:25:00.000-07:00

I never felt pushed toward anything during my hospital delivery. They just kept asking me what I wanted to do. I asked for a birthing ball and I sat in a whirlpool bath for like 2 hours before I decided I wanted an epidural. I was at the hospital for 10 hours before my daughter was born. Our L/D nurse stayed an hour after her shift was over before leaving since she wanted to stay with us. My

Anna, I just had to reply to your post. I'm in cen...

2008-04-03T06:53:00.000-07:00

Anna, I just had to reply to your post. I'm in central Ohio and I've had two babies with Choice. Kelly & Nina. Both were planned to be home birth, but at week 39 of preg #1, Choice said 'you need to be in the hospital for this one'. Pre-eclampsia. The second was born at home after a normal pregnancy. I have deep respect for the way they were firm about having my son in the hospital, and they

Oh, all you young moms have brought back so many m...

2008-04-03T06:33:00.000-07:00

Oh, all you young moms have brought back so many memories for me. I am a mom of six, 2 hospital births and 4 homebirths (the last one was breech, successfully delivered at home). My oldest is 26 years and my breech baby is almost 9.

This decision can be so difficult. But each of you seem to have nice store of knowledge. And Jennifer, I can tell that you have been reading for those

Anna, welcome!I want to say that I had a really ha...

2008-04-02T09:39:00.000-07:00

Anna, welcome!
I want to say that I had a really hard time with the birthplace decision when I was a few months pregnant, so I know what you're going through there as well.
I opted for the hospital (I'm 38 weeks right now) because of financial issues, but I think if I'd have pushed the issue more and could actually afford it (or saved up in advance), I think I would have been more

Cairo Mama: My gut seems to be leaning firmly towa...

2008-04-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

Cairo Mama: My gut seems to be leaning firmly towards a homebirth. I think my head is getting there... slowly.

One of the first options I considered was laboring at home for as long as possible with a midwife or doula, and then heading to the hospital. For me, there are a couple of problems with that scenario:

1. Who wants to get in a car and go for a ride in the middle of

Hi, Anna ... I don't know where you had your first...

2008-04-02T07:02:00.000-07:00

Hi, Anna ... I don't know where you had your first kiddos, but I want to share my experience with you.

I really wanted to have our son in the local birth center. Since he's our first, though, my husband was really nervous about it, and it would also have cost us a lot more out of pocket, because our insurance wouldn't cover it. So I rather reluctantly agreed to have a hospital birth,

Hi. I can't seem to find a way to post my name in...

2008-04-02T06:59:00.000-07:00

Hi. I can't seem to find a way to post my name instead of anonymous, so I apologize. Anyway, I wanted to ask about the studies that you and Jennifer are talking about. I have heard them mentioned alot, but never anything specific. Not that I don't agree with the idea that there are too many unnecessary interventions, but as a grad student, I am a little curious about the studies themselves.

After preparing for natural labor and feeling very...

2008-04-02T04:18:00.000-07:00

After preparing for natural labor and feeling very confident and ready to birth, I had a scheduled cesarean birth due to breech position (he was breech the last 3 months and never moved).

I am not pregnant, yet, but I have been thinking about options for the next time.

I would not want to go into labor prepared to fight. As Jennifer said, it takes away from your focus. Even if

Oops - hit publish too soon.......Meant to add tha...

2008-04-01T20:38:00.000-07:00

Oops - hit publish too soon.......

Meant to add that I think it comes down to comfort level. I would not have felt comfortable in my own home. Pure and simple. However, I am very familiar with my hospital having visited it over the years for various family members. Also, my hospital has really bent over backwards to make mothers comfortable (whirlpool tubs, queen size beds, cozy

I think it is great that a thoughtful discussion i...

2008-04-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

I think it is great that a thoughtful discussion is taking place here with little infighting or rudeness. Awesome! Obviously, there are no right and wrong answers, but it is great to read all the perspectives.

I had both of my children in a hospital with an OB I love and implicitly trust. I felt more comfortable in a hospital, but this is a hospital in my home town with which I am VERY