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Birth center vs homebirth
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Anonymous
| For those of you who have had or are planning a homebith or birth center birth......how did you choose between them? I'm seriously considering switching from my OB and would appreciate any input on these two options. Thanks. |
Anonymous
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We had a homebirth. We knew that if we went to a hospital there had to be a good reason,
and there wasn't one. Have you already toured the birth center? How did you like it? |
Anonymous
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I gave birth to my first about a year ago, and chose to do so at a birth center instead of a birthing center. For me the reasons were:
- We moved 8 weeks before DS was born, and so the new place didn't feel quite like "home" and therefore the idea of a "homebirth" didn't feel quite right - On that same note, I didn't know our neighbors that well (we live in a building) and didn't know if I'd feel comfortable going through the noises of labor with people possibly being able to hear me on the other side of the wall - My insurace covered all of my birth center birth, but if we had gone the homebirth route, it would have been all out of pocket. (One $30 co-pay vs. $3500 for homebirth) - My back-up hospital was 10 minutes away from the birth center, but is 45 mintues from our home - Personally I just feel more comfortable with the idea of birthing at the center verses at home. I switched practices at 20 weeks and was just becoming familiar with the whole midwife/natural birth/homebirth thing, and felt like a birth center birth was a good middle of the road option. For some reason I my mind, it just felt safer there. - My BC had a great big jacuzzi tub which was great to labor in! That being said, I had such a good experience with my midwives, and after having gone through a birth center birth and knowing what labor is like, the next time around I will seriously consider doing a homebirth (even if it means paying out of pocket). My birth center birth was wonderful and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way, but I can definitely understand now the appeal of being able to labor and give birth in the comfort of your own home. My midwife actually came to my home to break my water (I was VERY overdue) and after that happened I just wanted to stay at home and not have to go anywhere. I don't think the birth center offered anything that your home couldn't offer (besides that wonderful jacuzzi, but I suppose you could rent a aquatub!). For me, the first time around I just felt more comfortable with the idea of a BC birth, even though it basically would have been the same experience at home. I just went with my gut feeling, but I might chose differently next time now knowing what I know! Either way, I think it's a win-win situation no matter what you choose. Good luck! |
Anonymous
| I would never consider a homebirth. I have two friends who had to have emergency c-sections because the cord was wrapped around the baby's neck. Having something like that happen at home scares the bejeebes out of me. |
Anonymous
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Wanted to address nuchal cords, since the general perception is that a cord around the neck equals C-section:
1 in 4 babies are born with the umbilical cord around the neck. It is a common obstetric condition and is not harmful in the majority of cases. Am J of Obstetrics & Gynecology: "Antenatal nuchal cords usually occur randomly with increased frequency in late gestation and appear to be a normal part of intrauterine life that is rarely associated with perinatal morbidity and mortality." |
Anonymous
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We had our son at Birthcare two years ago next week. The "logistics" were a big consideration for me. We have a very small home with one bathroom, and between my parents, the midwife, the birth assistant and my husband, I anticipated being way too crowded. Also, I was just more comfortable with the idea of the birth center as a space that was more "set up" for delivering babies. Plus, our insurance would not pay for a home birth.
W/ #2 on the way this summer, I would love to have a homebirth this time...but....we chose the birth center again because 1)we had such a great experience there the first time 2)my house is still small! 3) my son is a really light sleeper and we have squeaky wood floors...I can barely go to the bathroom at 4am, much less birth a baby 4) i want to focus on laboring and delivering my child, not be distracted by my two year old, the grandparents are coming again to take care of him at home 5) my insurance still won't pay for a home birth! Best of luck! |
Anonymous
Right. I am a mom who has given birth twice to babies with cords wrapped around their necks...and I did it naturally both times. The midwife simply "somersaulted" the baby as soon as he/she was born. |
Anonymous
| I would have loved a homebirth...but as others have pointed out, the logistics of our home and visitors and noises and other children and insurance, etc, it wasn't the best idea. Loved my birthing center births and would do it again in a hearbeat. |
Anonymous
This all may be true, but the cord *can* cut off oxygen to the fetus. Basically, if there was a problem, I'd want to know an emergency c-section was an option to save me or the baby. There is a reason so many women and babies used to die in childbirth. Why take the risk? Plus, I feel sorry for the poor soul who has to clean up after a homebirth! |
Anonymous
I feel sorry for any poor soul who cleans up after any birth, at a hospital or otherwise. |
Anonymous
Many of the deaths we used to see in childbirth were a result of very simple things, which we now have very simple cures for. Think hand washing to prevent infection, antibiotics in case an infection does develop, good nutrition (which prevents a whole host of problems), drugs to stop excessive bleeding (which homebirth midwives carry with them, by the way), and oxygen to help resuscitate a baby (another thing homebirth midwives carry with them). Since c/section rates have increased from 4% in 1970 to 35-50% in 2009, we have seen an INCREASE in maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Immediate access to cesarean and other medical interventions has not improved our outcomes.
When I was planning my homebirth, I made a very detailed list of questions which involved every single potential "bad" scenario I could possibly imagine. I then sat down with my midwife and scrutinized every single one of those issues to hear what she would do in case it happened, how often it had happened to her, and what her overall experience with such situations was. Amazingly, she had a plan for every thing I could think of -- plus told me about other things that I hadn't thought of. One of the great things about a midwife is that she sits with you during most of your labor, listening to the baby all the time. It is very different from a doctor who swoops in once or twice and does a quick check and leaves. The midwife anticipates problems well before they become a crisis. It seems to me that people who talk of the great risk of homebirth, have never actually spoken with a homebirth midwife -- who is, afterall, the only person who is actually qualified to talk about what she does in emergency situations. Doctors do not understand anything about homebirth, and the way they manage birth often leads to other emergency situations. And, for me, the 40% chance (or whatever the rate is around here) of needing surgery to deliver my baby was more risk than I wanted to take. OP -- my opinion is that homebirth is really wonderful. It is your turf, no stress about going anywhere or getting somewhere at "the right time", no worries about loading your baby into the car 5 hours after delivery and driving home. Also, homebirth midwives might have some different skills than birth center or hospital midwives, and might know other ways to assist in difficult situations. In your own home, you know where everything is and have whatever you want (your music, your lotion, your food, your comfy bed) right at your disposal. Birth Centers provide a psychological boost for women who feel like they should go "somewhere" to deliver their baby, or if their home is too far away from the back-up hospital. As other people on this thread have mentioned, some people choose a birth center because their insurance covers it, or they feel their house is too cramped/noisy/messy/hot/whatever to accommodate the demands of childbirth. The midwives always clean up - whether at the birth center or at home, so at least that is covered! |
Anonymous
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I am someone who is opting to have a hospital birth, despite the fact that both a home birth and birthing center appealled to me and despite the fact that, intellectually, I believe both methods to be safe. For me, it came down to not so much true danger or risks with a home birth or birthing center but the perception of those risks. When others say "why take that risk," that tells me that they have not educated themselves enough and do not realize that hospital births come with their own sets of risks (pushed into c-sections, pushed into interventions in many cases). The trick for us women, whatever our perception of risks may be, is to recognize which are real, which are more emotional than anything, and to take whatever steps we can to minimize both the risk and the perception of risk (the latter can interfere with your labor, as well). Since I personally think the worry of having a baby with some rare complication without instant medical attention available would stay in my head throughout labor, it will be a hospital birth for me. At the same time, I put a lot of work and thought into choosing an OB and have done my homework in preparing for natural childbirth within a hospital environment (which is harder, no doubt, than at home or at a birthing center). I think I'm taking this off topic, but with the discussion of risk being tossed around, I thought I would simply observe that risk is nuanced, and perception of risk can be just as real (and potentially distracting) to an expectant mom as true danger.
Good luck to you, OP! I believe you'll have a great birth no matter which option you choose. |
Anonymous
I had a homebirth. The cord was wrapped around his neck, four times. There was no way to know until his head was out. The CNM and her assistant in attendance handled it with aplomb, and if I needed to go to a hospital, they would not have hesitated to say so, and I would have gone without another word. We didn't need to go. Hands down, the best part about having a home birth was quite simply not having to go anywhere else once I was in labor. |
Anonymous
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OP here. Thanks to all for sharing your experiences and advice. I really appreciate it.
For those concerned about the safety of a home birth, you may find this article interesting: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/330/7505/1416 |
Anonymous
| That was a very interesting article. Thanks for posting that. |