No way. Anecdotal evidence here, but everyone who insisted on a all natural midwife no intervention birth that I personally ended with horrible birth stories and usually a c-section.

I agree with your husband. It’s more important that your baby make it through delivery alive. Not having a doctor present is too much of a risk.

Anonymous wrote:I’m expecting my first child and have been looking into birth centers because of the pandemic. I think it will be more calm and less chaotic than a hospital. I’m 37 and have a healthy pregnancy. My husband is 100% against it. He is all in favor of me having a natural birth if I chose to, but wants to be at a hospital if anything goes wrong. The birth center is an hour away from the nearest hospital and he worries it’s way too risky. I feel like I should be able to make this decision but want to respect his decision too.

I delivered at Sibley a few years back. It was not chaotic at all. I pushed for 3 hours with just some nurses and when they found meconium in the amniotic fluid, the room was suddenly full of doctors and nurses to make sure the baby was safe. I would take those few minutes of chaos over realizing the baby( or me) needs medical intervention and there was none available. Even with so many people in the room, they were very respectful and stayed quiet and left as soon as they realized that the baby was fine. It had zero negative impact on my experience.

Kara Keough Bosworth lost a perfectly healthy full term baby after a home birth when unexpected complications developed. The baby was brain-dead by the time they could transport him to hospital. Imagine living the rest of your life with that guilt.

Too far. I would be on your team if the birth center was 5-10 mins away, but an hour is nuts. I wouldn’t ever want to be an hour away from a hospital.

People always thing complications will never happen to them. It only takes a few minutes of low oxygen through the umbilical cord (or cord wrapped around neck too tightly) for baby brain cells to die. They don’t grow back. You want to be in a facility that can do a C-section immediately if needed, not place where they have to call 911 and wait for them to arrive, then wait for transfer/drive over/start care elsewhere. No one can predict what labor will suddenly go wrong - don’t take that chance with your baby’s life/future. Your husband is right - some hospitals have birthing rooms that are less clinical, but have the emergency equipment right at hand.

Don’t do it. Won’t scare you with horror stories - just know not worth it. You can make a diff choice w number 2 once you know what you’re in for.

Lol *google

Goggle Kara Bosworth

Anonymous wrote:I think your reasoning is flawed because it fails to recognize that YOUR EXPERIENCE could, unfortunately, be chaotic and require immediate emergency care. In my experience, the only chaos that I experienced delivering at Sibley was when I needed an emergency C-Section and neo-natal specialists, etc, because baby was technically a preemie (and to be clear, there was no yelling, fussing -- just some quick decision making and everyone was VERY calm and reassuring). Before that, I wouldn't have even know anyone else was in the hospital. I think in my 4 day stay I saw one other patient passing in the hallway when I was up walking a couple days post surgery.

Very similar experience. The hospital I used had amazing sound proofing in the walls. I never saw or heard another pregnant woman until I was transferred to post partum.

HOWEVER, during delivery, my baby became distressed. As soon as his oxygen stats dropped, my room erupted with doctors and nurses. They got him stable, and told me that I might get an emergency section. His O2 stats dropped again. Positioning didn’t help, so they wisked me away to the OR for a c-section. Baby was delivered one minute after surgery began and was non-responsive. Thank GOODNESS for the NICU. He’s 100% healthy with no ill effects. Someone I know used a doula at a birthing center, and her baby has permanent damage from birth trauma that could have been prevented if she’d been getting modern treatment.

Hospital birth all the way, for your and also your newborn's health and safety. I haven't read about mothers catching Covid while at the hospital for L&D.

Don't do it. Way way too risky if you need help. Things can and do go catastrophically wrong. I've seen a friend lose a baby and almost lose her life in a messed up home birth.

An hour away! No, never.

Find a hospital with a natural birthing center like this one: https://www.beaumont.org/services/womens-services/maternity/birth-centers-locations/karmanos-center-for-natural-birth-royal-oak

All the perks of natural birth, in the same building as an excellent NICU and the top trauma hospital in the city.

I think your reasoning is flawed because it fails to recognize that YOUR EXPERIENCE could, unfortunately, be chaotic and require immediate emergency care. In my experience, the only chaos that I experienced delivering at Sibley was when I needed an emergency C-Section and neo-natal specialists, etc, because baby was technically a preemie (and to be clear, there was no yelling, fussing -- just some quick decision making and everyone was VERY calm and reassuring). Before that, I wouldn't have even know anyone else was in the hospital. I think in my 4 day stay I saw one other patient passing in the hallway when I was up walking a couple days post surgery.