Hospital vs home birth?

What are the benefits of epidural anesthesia?
Allows you to rest if your labor is prolonged
Relieving the discomfort of childbirth can help some woman have a more positive birth experience
Most of the time an epidural will allow you to remain alert and be an active participant in your birth
If you deliver by cesarean, an epidural anesthesia will allow you to stay awake and also provide effective pain relief during recovery
When other types of coping mechanisms are not helping any longer, an epidural may be what you need to move through exhaustion, irritability, and fatigue. An epidural may allow you to rest, relax, get focused and give you the strength to move forward as an active participant in your birth experience.
The use of epidural anesthesia during childbirth is continually being perfected and much of its success depends on the care in which it is administered.

What are the Disadvantages of epidural anesthesia?
Epidurals may cause your blood pressure to suddenly drop. For this reason your blood pressure will be routinely checked to make sure there is adequate blood flow to your baby. If this happens you may need to be treated with IV fluids, medications, and oxygen
You may experience a severe headache caused by leakage of spinal fluid. Less than 1% of women experience this side effect from epidural use. If symptoms persist, a special procedure called a “blood patch”, an injection of your blood into the epidural space, can be done to relieve the headache
After your epidural is placed, you will need to alternate from lying on one side to the other in bed and have continuous monitoring for changes in fetal heart rate. Lying in one position can sometimes cause labor to slow down or stop
You may experience the following side effects: shivering, ringing of the ears, backache, soreness where the needle is inserted, nausea, or difficulty urinating
You may find that your epidural makes pushing more difficult and additional interventions such as Pitocin, forceps, vacuum extraction or cesarean may become necessary
For a few hours after birth the lower half of your body may feel numb which will require you to walk with assistance
In rare instances, permanent nerve damage may result in the area where the catheter was inserted.
Though research is somewhat ambiguous, most studies suggest some babies will have trouble "latching on" which can lead to breastfeeding difficulties. Other studies suggest that the baby may experience respiratory depression, fetal malpositioning; and an increase in fetal heart rate variability, which may increase the need for forceps, vacuum, cesarean deliveries and episiotomies.

Just a little bit on epidurals. Yes, they have their place in medicine, however I personally don't believe they should be offered to everyone in blanket fashion.

Here is my take on epidurals and drugs during labor: You have spent the last nine months worrying about what to and what not to put in your body in case it has an effect on the baby. You are cautious not to drink alcohol, not to smoke, not to take a tylenol, not to eat too much fish, not to change the cat's litter box, etc. The risks are too high, not matter how small the actual risk is. Then comes labour day. Some people go into the hospital "knowing" that they will need an epidural and can't wait to have it. Maybe they never knew there were risks involved, they were never informed. However, some do, and yet they opt for it anyways. The doctor's know the risk, and they have you sign a waiver releasing them from liability before they give you the epidural. There are risks involved, no matter how little.

I'm not having a go at those who have had an epidural out of necessity. It is there for a reason, and is great in emergencies. I just don't see how a woman can not trust her body enough to make the decision to have an epidural before they have even felt a contraction.

You endured the headache, the backache, the hip pain, or what have you without the Tylenol to do what was in the best interest of your baby. This was pain caused by something wrong with your body.Why try to prevent the discomfort during labor, which is pain with a purpose? It is something going right with your body, its doing its job to birth your baby.

I'm not saying this to women who have had epidurals for a medical reason, as stated before. I am not trying to start an arguement or saying that you are worse parents for it. You did what you thought was best for your babies and your selves. Your love for them shines through for them, for what you did to get them safely into this world.
 
Maybe we should also discuss circumcision, breastfeeding (especially long term Bf ) and ear piercing too - since apparently this thread is no longer about getting opinions on home birth/hospital birth :thumbup:
 
SO what your saying is your offended because it's true... lol Your telling me drugs are good for your baby? Good luck supporting that one.. ;)

I am actually lost for words. I think there are ways of putting your point across and I think by offending every woman on here who has ever used pain relief (via drugs) in labour is not really cool. Its your choice not to use drugs in labour - good for you, but by making a sweeping statement that every lady who has used them in labour was only bothered about themselves and not the good of their baby is outrageous and offensive to many.

I can't help but hope her next birth is by c-section, without pain killers or an epi or anything of course- because women used to do it that way when needed :thumbup:

so u think its ok to hope things go wrong for her! not that is disgusting and vile
 
SO what your saying is your offended because it's true... lol Your telling me drugs are good for your baby? Good luck supporting that one.. ;)

I am actually lost for words. I think there are ways of putting your point across and I think by offending every woman on here who has ever used pain relief (via drugs) in labour is not really cool. Its your choice not to use drugs in labour - good for you, but by making a sweeping statement that every lady who has used them in labour was only bothered about themselves and not the good of their baby is outrageous and offensive to many.

I can't help but hope her next birth is by c-section, without pain killers or an epi or anything of course- because women used to do it that way when needed :thumbup:

so u think its ok to hope things go wrong for her! not that is disgusting and vile

I think telling women that they care more about themselves than their babies because they want or need pain meds during labor is vile and disgusting, so I guess we're even.
 
And that, SilverPenny, is a great way to put it. Posts like that are helpful posts to people considering these choices, not hurtful to people who have already made them. Thank you for stating it respectfully and providing information.
 
Pixie, it is still a discussion on birth choices.

The topic was supposed to be Hospital vs home birth.
Not Hospital Vs Home Birth and all the other choices you have during labor.
My point is that women ( not saying YOU btw there is a big dif between making the statements you do and some others) are using this as an excuse to get on whatever proverbial soapbox is their personal favorite, and using it as an excuse to belittle and offend every other person who doesn't agree with them.

There is no reason we need to be discussing anything other than home vs hospital :nope:
 
SO what your saying is your offended because it's true... lol Your telling me drugs are good for your baby? Good luck supporting that one.. ;)

I am actually lost for words. I think there are ways of putting your point across and I think by offending every woman on here who has ever used pain relief (via drugs) in labour is not really cool. Its your choice not to use drugs in labour - good for you, but by making a sweeping statement that every lady who has used them in labour was only bothered about themselves and not the good of their baby is outrageous and offensive to many.

I can't help but hope her next birth is by c-section, without pain killers or an epi or anything of course- because women used to do it that way when needed :thumbup:

so u think its ok to hope things go wrong for her! not that is disgusting and vile

I agree :\ Nothing like sinking to her level.
 
Well Ladies, if you'll notice, SyllyPoohBear walked in here, said lots of rude things that she KNEW would cause uproar about a topic we weren't even discussing at the time, and then ducked out --> "My last and final word."
So we have to assume she either: a.) Was bored this morning and thought this thread was getting too tame, so she threw some fuel on the fire and is now sitting back with her popcorn...
or b.) Is just too flippant and immature to just face that she was rude and caused offense and hurt feelings...so is done with this thread.

Either way, there's apparently no more need to go on. Trust me, I'm fuming too... but I think it's pointless now.
 
It's not that you love your baby less it's that you chose to be selfish and not think about your baby. You chose to think about you. And you can't say that isn't truth. In that moment you chose that your comfort was more important. My last and final word.

If mum is distressed it affects baby as hormones alter in womb in response...the hormone changes also last longer than mum experiences that emotion...e.g. If mum angry and stressed for 15 min, baby feels it for double/triple this time until hormones get changed again in womb to reflect mothers calmer state (sorry I can't provide source as don't have time to search but I'm sure if you google it you'll soon find info)

As I experienced in labour with isabel due to having continual fetal monitoring, when I went from the standard pain and misery to utter distress and despair due to the negative change in situation, shortly after my mood changed the fetal monitoring clearly showed isabels heart rate shot up to alarming levels and things stepped up a gear to get her out safely

If a mother has drugs to calm her then this in turn does assist the baby and its why I was not anti pain relief when subsequently having emily...I didn't want to have drugs if I could help it but if necessary I'd use them and this would have been partly for my benefit and partly for hers

Others may not agree but this is the opinion I've formed
 
thread moved to news and debates because for the most part it looks like a good discussion

Let's keep in mind that the same rules apply here as do elsewhere and if the personal shots at one another don't stop it will be closed.

If you really can't get on with another member there's always the ignore function
 
Holyyyyy Crow! I can't believe how personal stuff like this gets.
Actually, with enough time on BnB, I can believe it.

Ladies, don't get so offended if someone says they don't feel safe doing a homebirth.... they aren't judging you by saying you're putting your baby in danger... they are saying THEY aren't comfortable with it. Period. It's not a judgement.

Secondly, a few people commented on things like, "God forbid someone says elective c-sections are dangerous..." or "But nobody is allowed to say an elective induction is dangerous..." -- Well, actually, yes they do. People all over BnB get on other peoples' cases for considering elective C-sections or elective inductions. So yes... it obviously is allowed. And, usually ends up in a personal attack regarding someone being selfish or doing things for convenience.

Seriously, chill. Unless someone gets in your face and says "You are not a good mother if you choose to have a homebirth" or "you're obviously not strong enough to deal with REAL labor if you choose to do it in your cushy bed at hooommmmme" which, I haven't seen anyone say nor do I think anyone believes that... then lay off those who say they aren't comfortable with a homebirth.

This thread was someone asking for opinions, not waving the red cape. Offering your opinion is VERY different than challenging someone for THEIR opinion, and even going so far as to challenge their lifestyles based on an avatar pic.

I think that moms who choose homebirth or natural childbirth have a peace and calm that I envy... but I will say... just based on my experience with BnB, those moms can be (I'm not generalizing for all) the very same who get a little high-and-mighty when it comes to discussing those very preferences.

Let's just give our opinions and experiences to the OP in a nice positive way so she can weigh all of the options and information.

Well said my dear! :thumbup: Lets stick to healthy debate ladies and not make it personal/argumentative.
 
Just wondering why it is assumed by some posters that every woman who had an epidural did so on the onset of the first contraction and not because it became necessary for their pain tolerance. Also how do you judge another woman's pain tolerance at all? Your not in her body, how could you possibly know what she is experiencing?

It just seems to me how can you possibly be doing the right thing for your baby if you are in so much pain you can't even push him/her out? Won't the baby become distressed and complicate things further?
 
Cosmicgirl I just want to send you some :hugs: I'm sorry if you are feeling bad. I have tried to say in a few posts why I so dislike the phrase "all that matters...". I understand the context you were saying it but am hoping people generally will think before saying it again.

Pixie - to wish a member's birth to go wrong and end in major surgery is possibly the most disgusting thing I have ever read in my 3 years on this forum. You should be ashamed.

I'm not surprised the debate has evolved to encompass meds. The availability, and sometimes pushing, of meds in hospital against the unavailability of most of them at home is intrinsically linked with the home vs hospital. I personally have had every med if one birth or the other but did find birth without was infinitely preferable. I am bemused by women who plan to have an epi before they have ever experienced labour, but that's their prerogative. I have experienced the spiralling of need for pain relief especially when labour is augmented so I can see both sides. I didn't particularly set out for a natural birth second time around but I hate gas and my gp was unlikely to prescribe pethidine even had I wanted it. Naturally the home setting meant an epi wasn't possible but I wouldn't have one again for anything after what it did to my first birth.
 
Just wondering why it is assumed by some posters that every woman who had an epidural did so on the onset of the first contraction and not because it became necessary for their pain tolerance. Also how do you judge another woman's pain tolerance at all? Your not in her body, how could you possibly know what she is experiencing?

It just seems to me how can you possibly be doing the right thing for your baby if you are in so much pain you can't even push him/her out? Won't the baby become distressed and complicate things further?

we dont all assume such things hun, we fully accept that different women experience pain differently, personally ive felt worse period cramps than labor ever was for me , maybe that was a result of using my TENS to help in labor that each pain didnt have me bent in double barely able to breath like my period cramps used to :shrug: ? if your physically not coping with the pains of labor or feel its getting too much then none of the Homebirth ladies i know would critise a women in that position for taking pain medication, I was exausted when ds1 was born passing out from being so exausted after 56 hours of labor and hence when he was a difficult presentation I had Ventouse assistance and as a result an episiotomy and far more drama than i would have wished for his arrival. I had to do it without an epidural and I would have probably taken it if I had been able to but my body wont allow it.
Yes mothers in distress are highly linked to having issues with the baby hence why some of us choose to avoid enviroments that caus us stress like hospitals.
of course this isnt true for everyone and wasnt for me with either ds1 or ds2's birth i felt more comfortable in the hospital for those births.
I completely support a womans right to birth how they choose however my personal feeling is that I wanted to at least try my best to avoid interventions for both my previous labors for my own sake ( i know me and medications dont mix well ) and for the sake of my children.

Im passionate about natural birth because of my experiences both positive and negative with birthing my sons. and I dont think its wrong of me to want other women to have the best chance of a positive experience for themselves even if the way they do that isnt how I would
 
Just wondering why it is assumed by some posters that every woman who had an epidural did so on the onset of the first contraction and not because it became necessary for their pain tolerance. Also how do you judge another woman's pain tolerance at all? Your not in her body, how could you possibly know what she is experiencing?

It just seems to me how can you possibly be doing the right thing for your baby if you are in so much pain you can't even push him/her out? Won't the baby become distressed and complicate things further?

Which posters? My saying that some opt for the epidural before they even experience a contraction, I can go back and quote some of them, if you would prefer, I just didn't deem it necessary. I was not judging anyone's pain tolerance. If baby becomes distressed because of the amount of pain the woman is in, this would be a case possibly for pain relief. However, majority of hospitals encourage you to labor on your back so they can monitor your contractions and baby's heartrate. You are on the bed, with a drip (just in case!), and monitors around your belly. This is possibly one of the worst positions to labor in, and its no wonder that the women are in so much pain, labors fail to progress, mom is in so much pain, and baby becomes distressed. Some of the greatest natural pain reliefs are often offered in the hospital (walking, water, TENS, visualization, birthing balls)
 
Cosmicgirl I just want to send you some :hugs: I'm sorry if you are feeling bad. I have tried to say in a few posts why I so dislike the phrase "all that matters...". I understand the context you were saying it but am hoping people generally will think before saying it again.

Pixie - to wish a member's birth to go wrong and end in major surgery is possibly the most disgusting thing I have ever read in my 3 years on this forum. You should be ashamed.

I'm not surprised the debate has evolved to encompass meds. The availability, and sometimes pushing, of meds in hospital against the unavailability of most of them at home is intrinsically linked with the home vs hospital. I personally have had every med if one birth or the other but did find birth without was infinitely preferable. I am bemused by women who plan to have an epi before they have ever experienced labour, but that's their prerogative. I have experienced the spiralling of need for pain relief especially when labour is augmented so I can see both sides. I didn't particularly set out for a natural birth second time around but I hate gas and my gp was unlikely to prescribe pethidine even had I wanted it. Naturally the home setting meant an epi wasn't possible but I wouldn't have one again for anything after what it did to my first birth.

Like I said before - I find what she said absolutely vile and disgusting - so my response was equal. It's equivalent to wishing that I could take off flying and rainbows and butterflies would come shooting out my ars because no hospital in this day and age would give a woman a c section with no pain killers or an epidural. If you can't recognize sarcasm, that was it.

And since she's not selfish like everyone who uses pain relief during birth, I'm positive that she wouldn't WANT an epidural or pain relief in any situation. :thumbup:
 
I have never heard of two negatives equaling a positive unless you're talking math. I would suggest if you have been offended by someone's post to simply report it and if you have to reply, please do so civilly. You will catch more flys with sugar than vinegar :thumbup:
 
Cosmicgirl I just want to send you some :hugs: I'm sorry if you are feeling bad. I have tried to say in a few posts why I so dislike the phrase "all that matters...". I understand the context you were saying it but am hoping people generally will think before saying it again.

Pixie - to wish a member's birth to go wrong and end in major surgery is possibly the most disgusting thing I have ever read in my 3 years on this forum. You should be ashamed.

I'm not surprised the debate has evolved to encompass meds. The availability, and sometimes pushing, of meds in hospital against the unavailability of most of them at home is intrinsically linked with the home vs hospital. I personally have had every med if one birth or the other but did find birth without was infinitely preferable. I am bemused by women who plan to have an epi before they have ever experienced labour, but that's their prerogative. I have experienced the spiralling of need for pain relief especially when labour is augmented so I can see both sides. I didn't particularly set out for a natural birth second time around but I hate gas and my gp was unlikely to prescribe pethidine even had I wanted it. Naturally the home setting meant an epi wasn't possible but I wouldn't have one again for anything after what it did to my first birth.

Like I said before - I find what she said absolutely vile and disgusting - so my response was equal. It's equivalent to wishing that I could take off flying and rainbows and butterflies would come shooting out my ars because no hospital in this day and age would give a woman a c section with no pain killers or an epidural. If you can't recognize sarcasm, that was it.

And since she's not selfish like everyone who uses pain relief during birth, I'm positive that she wouldn't WANT an epidural or pain relief in any situation. :thumbup:

you are so childish! your comment cant be compared to hers as she didnt wish any woman who has pain relief suffers all the bad side effects they can give....no she said that drugs are bad for the baby and they are. would u give ur baby heroin any other time? no i guess u wouldnt.

but u wished her labour would turn bad and she would need a serious operation
 

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