Options: Hospital, birthing center, home.
I have been interested in giving birth at home. A few of my friends have done it recently and all loved it. It seems intimate and comfortable. And statistics show that when the mother is comfortable with her surroundings, the labor progresses faster.
I don't think hospitals are evil. But I really want someone to deliver this baby that I know and that knows me. There are not any options that I know of that will fulfill this want. There are groups of midwives- I meet a different one each month. For the delivery, I may have met her, I may have not. Plus, even midwives sometimes don't get there until right before pushing (which is what doctors are known for- let's face it- it's the nurses that take care of us the first laboring hours).
Since finding out that insurance does not cover home births, I've become interested in a birthing center. I've visited one and will go to another this weekend. I'm pretty excited. These midwives love what they do. And I get to be a part of a natural birth! I'm extremely scared (both boys were born with a needle in my back), but excited, too. I will get to walk around, eat and drink what I want and yell loudly (I'm assuming). And I'll get to give birth in water if I want. And then I get to take a long nap (4-6 hours) in a comfy queen bed.
We haven't ruled out any options. If you want to post your opinion (without judging me or others), let's have it!
Coming soon: Past births and why I don't love looking back on them.
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The birthing center sounds fabulous! :)
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is about YOU feeling the most comfortable. So what is YOUR ideal birth experience? It might be hard to determine that since your other births weren't ideal for you -- can you even imagine the 'best possible scenario'? But you do know your personality, you can remember how you felt during your labors - what would have made you more comfortable, more relaxed, more confident?
ReplyDeleteI am sooooo excited for you Leah!!! Having the ideal birth is such an empowering experience. Of course, I advocate a homebirth, but birthing center is my next choice. You may also want to look into hypnobirthing. I used it with MaKenna's birth and was soooo happy with it. You will be amazed at how different birthing is when you are actually allowed to follow your body!
ReplyDeleteI meant to say hypnobabies (very different from hypnobirthing!)
ReplyDeleteI am SO excited that you feel like you want something different and you're going for it! I will be excited to see what you decide and I know you're going to do wonderfully!
ReplyDeleteObviously I have no experience of my own in this department, but a friend of mine has five (that's right . . . five) kids and the first one was needle-in-the-back hospital birth, the middle three were birthing center and the last was home. She felt most connected at the home birth, but she was also very happy with the birthing center. The only thing she didn't like was the hospital birth. She said it felt like she was being rushed and it was all business. She put it a lot better than that, but you get the idea. :)
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