Having a hard time deciding...

[MrsWhite]

My first was born in a hospital, I had planned on a natural birth but my water broke and they told me they had to induce me. Knowing that pitocin would bring on hard contractions I knew I would need an epidural. It went pretty well, just not what I had originally planned. This time around I want to have a natural birth, and had considered a water birth or water labor but the closest hospital that offers that is an hour away. The only hospital nearby is the one I work at, and I didn't love the experience last time, but I accepted that was my only option as I am not wanting to give birth at home. I did, however change to a Certified Nurse midwife (in the same clinic I went to last time) and she will help me with my labor and delivery unless I become high risk, in which case I would need an OB. However....
Recently a waterbirth center opened in town, run by midwives, and is less than a mile away from the hospital. There is the water birth option, however I will probably just labor in the water and give birth in the bed because I've heard stories of babies drowning. Anyways, I really want to give birth there because I want the more comfortable environment, feeling like it's about me and baby not being just another patient like last time, and the fact that fewer intereventions will be pushed on me like last time. I love that it is so close to the hospital, but I am nervous, if something goes wrong, the resources aren't RIGHT THERE like at the hospital. Working there, I know how quickly they respond, respiratory therapists etc all rush right there when there is an issue, but what if I have to get there and then be triaged, it would be precious minutes that could mean the difference between life and death for my baby. I don't know, am I worrying too much? What would you do? I would love the experience, and I have a feeling that even though I have a midwife if I have the baby in the hospital it won't be quite what I'm looking for like last time.

 

[MindUtopia]

I'm having a home birth, so obviously coming at this from a different perspective, but I'd definitely 100% go for the birth center. I think it's a misunderstanding, especially in the U.S. (I'm American, even though I don't live in the U.S. anymore), that midwives don't have the same skills as doctors to handle emergencies. Actually they do and can handle almost any emergency that doesn't require surgery. If baby has any trouble breathing at first, they are trained and have the equipment to handle that just like anyone in the hospital would. It's part of their job. If baby needs long-term therapy, they would like move him/her to the hospital NICU, but that can be done later and isn't an emergency that couldn't be handled in a birth center. The only thing they can't do is perform a c-section, but if you needed a c-section, they wouldn't magically whisk you off to surgery the second they realized you needed one, even in the hospital. It takes time to prepare for and summon the right staff and the operating room might be occupied or not sterilized after the last use yet. I think probably if you were in hospital and an emergency developed, you might perceive that everything is happening very quickly, but the reality is that it takes the same amount of time to prepare to treat you whether you're in the hospital already or at a birth center. In the time it takes to transfer you in, everything can be set up for you and there shouldn't be any delays in care if they are responding the way they should. I'm giving birth at home, about 15 minutes from the hospital, and I have no qualms at all about transfer time if I were to need to go into the hospital for a c-section or assisted delivery. Everything else I know my midwives are trained to handle at home, so it's no big deal.

As for water birth, you absolutely can give birth safely in water. I've never heard of a baby drowning in a water birth and can't even imagine how that would happen from a physiological perspective. Babies are in water in the womb and they know not to breathe until they hit cold air. They receive all their oxygen from the placenta during birth and under the water and don't necessarily start breathing on their own fully until a few minutes after birth. So your baby won't drown during a water birth. Usually, they're only actually out of your body and fully underwater for a couple seconds anyway before you or your birth attendant brings them up to the surface, so there is no risk of them breathing during that time so nothing to worry about there.

I think you have to decide what feels right for you but I'd explore both options, talk it over with your midwife and maybe go take a tour at the birth center. Wherever you feel more relaxed and feel like your wishes would be respected is the best place for you to birth, so it's just a matter of figuring out where that is and what feels right to you.

 

[MrsWhite]

Thanks for your input. I have been really excited about the birth center, but it seems like when I mention it to my co-workers (I work in the hospital) they just look at me funny like "why would you give birth anywhere else". It's just not even close to common to have a birth outside a hospital here so I guess I let the mainstream thinking make me doubt myself. I was under the understanding that waterbirths were completely safe and that babies won't try to breathe until they hit the surface, but then a couple people have said "Oh I've heard of babies getting aspiration pneumonia and dying from water birth" or "oh yeah I knew a lady who had a friend whose baby drowned". Things like that put doubts in my mind. It's hard to get excited about it when people make me feel like I'm just "being a hippy" and putting my childs life at stake. It's good to hear a different perspective!

 

[Feronia]

I'd like to second everything MindUtopia said! Midwives can handle emergency situations and can do anything but perform surgery. When I had my home birth, there were talks about transferring to the hospital since my baby was in a brow presentation, but we would have transferred with PLENTY of time if I had to -- I was very comfortable with waiting at home. I had my home birth, but I ended up losing a litre of blood and the midwives were on the ball with an iv drip, misoprostol, and instruments to remove the clots. They were awesome! Later, I asked what a they would have done if I were in the hospital, and the midwives said they would have done the exact same things to control the bleeding. The only difference is that the midwives stayed with me non-stop all day while I laboured, left late into the night, and returned the next morning to check on me. It would be tough to get that kind of personalized care with an OB!

I have never heard of a baby drowning during a waterbirth! It sounds like your colleagues are passing on rumours. Like MindUtopia said, the baby is going from warm fluid in your uterus to warm water, and only stays underwater for a few seconds. They only take their first breath when they reach the cold air for the first time (which is why it's important to pull them up head first, but the natural inclination is to do that anyway). I reached down and grabbed my daughter right away and pulled her up to me -- there was no time to drown, lol.

I agree touring the birth centre would be a good idea! Best of luck making your decision!

 

[MrsWhite]

I am excited, my appointment with the birth center is in an hour and I have my list of questions. I only hope my insurance doesn't make it impossible to do this.

 

[Feronia]

Best of luck, let us know how it goes! Hopefully your insurance covers it.

It makes me angry that it potentially wouldn't... I'm so glad I got out of the US before having my daughter.

 

[lynnikins]

my last baby was a planned home birth but in the end it was unassisted as well because the MW's were busy and couldnt make it and the Ambulance didnt arrive in time caus i wouldnt let my husband call it caus i knew if they got there before AJ was born i would loose my focus panic and things would likely go wrong,
Im planning another homebirth with this baby, the nearest hospital isnt in this town its about 8 miles up the road takes a good 15 min in the car in clear traffic but im not worried about it because of the research ive done, my eldest 2 were born on MW units at the hospital and i much prefered my experience with my youngest

 

[MrsWhite]

Unfortunately my insurance doesn't cover any of it. And the state's coverage for those who are low income with no insurance covers it, so I don't understand why mine doesn't, when I PAY for this stupid insurance. So, financially we just can't swing it unfortunately. The thing is, the cost is much less than at the hospital but taking into consideration that none of it will go toward my deductible, etc, it's just too much for us this time around. Bummed. I will just have to make sure I am well prepared and don't let them push me around at the hospital this time around.

 

[jensha]

Thanks for your input. I have been really excited about the birth center, but it seems like when I mention it to my co-workers (I work in the hospital) they just look at me funny like "why would you give birth anywhere else". It's just not even close to common to have a birth outside a hospital here so I guess I let the mainstream thinking make me doubt myself. I was under the understanding that waterbirths were completely safe and that babies won't try to breathe until they hit the surface, but then a couple people have said "Oh I've heard of babies getting aspiration pneumonia and dying from water birth" or "oh yeah I knew a lady who had a friend whose baby drowned". Things like that put doubts in my mind. It's hard to get excited about it when people make me feel like I'm just "being a hippy" and putting my childs life at stake. It's good to hear a different perspective!

What? No!!! Please, don't let those people who know nothing about water births scare you. Babies don't take a breath under water. To trigger the breathing reflex, the air has to come in contact with the roof of their mouth or they have to come in contact with a big temperature difference. As the water is usually about body temperature, there is no worry to have at all.

 

[ljo1984]

I had the same with my first baby (plus a bit of forcep action at the end ) and with my second cause I knew the agony induced by pitocin, natural labour was totally a walk in the park lol. Was much more relaxed and controlled throughout the whole thing.

On the water birth front please don't believe any nonsense you hear! Babies are in water for 9 month, when born directly into water they won't take a breath until they hit air, therefore they won't aspirate on the water, I've never heard of any baby die as a result. If your still not totally keep you can stay in the pool and stand to birth over water, the baby won't go in it.

 

[amjon]

I was induced and was told I would need an epidural because I wouldn't be able to handle the pain, but I refused and never even knew I was in active labor because it didn't hurt all that bad. I delivered with only about 2 hours of pain (though it was a pretty much constant ache) and think I completely surprised the nurse as she had no idea I was in active labor also. They never even hooked the contraction monitor back up.