I also wanted an unmedicated birth. Perfect healthy pregnancy, lots of preparation for unmedicated birth, etc. At 42 weeks my doctor told me we had to induce, which we did. Wasn't progressing for hours, and the doctor began to suggest a C section, which I resisted because I wanted to salvage at least that part of my idealized birth plan. Well, I got my way, but the baby got stuck in the birth canal (umbilical cord wrapped around his body twice, essentially holding him in place). He almost died, I almost died, and I think if I had waited even more day he would have been too big and neither of us would be here now. It was so traumatic that my husband really still doesn't like talking about it. 10 years later, I still have internal damage from that birth, and if I could go back and do it again I would have had the C section or induced at 41 weeks. So while I understand (and applaud) your desire for a med-free vaginal birth, try not to get too committed emotionally to your birth plan so you can keep an open mind and really weigh your doctor's advice. I wish you all the best and hope that your delivery is easy, uncomplicated, and healthy.

I delivered at Sibley twice. One was the full medical experience - induced, epidural (2x), emergency c-section. The other was as natural as can be - baby didn’t even wait for the doctor to be in the room. Both deliveries were guided more by the circumstances of the pregnancy and the baby’s positioning/health than anything I wanted or any agenda by the hospital staff. I felt fully informed each step of the way and empowered to make my own medical decisions. The nursing staff was incredible!

I do think you should delivery wherever and with whatever practice you trust to listen to you in those moments and guide you through tough, on-the-fly decision making. I would also suggest talking through the worse case scenarios with your partner and birth team. I really think that helped our communications during delivery.

Congratulations on the pregnancy!

Anonymous wrote:I had three medicated (by choice) vaginal births at Sibley and I EBFed all three for 6+ months. I found Sibley supportive and not pushy. There is a lactation consultant who visits. My OB would have let me be unmedicated if I'd wanted to (they also would have given me a c section if I'd asked). I think if you're looking for somewhere that PUSHES unmedicated/vaginal/EBF, Sibley is not the best bet, but they're perfectly supportive. Your OB practice matters more ultimately.

I delivered at Sibley in November and had a similar experience (no epi, EBF, vaginal). The nurses were great and supportive. Research/ talk to your OB, but otherwise I would recommend Sibley. I had similar concerns as you and in retrospect gave too much weight to this board and a very alarmist doula (who I did not hire - I went with someone else). I've since heard from several mom friends who delivered at GW this fall that they had a bad experience - hospital was overcrowded and tried to (or did) push them out after one night, chaotic delivery and recovery environment, etc.

Anonymous wrote:Sibley is not the place to go if you are crunchy granola. There are plenty of midwives at other hospitals.

I disagree. I am crunchy granola and my horrific vaginal deliver with GW midwives ended with me having PTSD and birth injuries. Loved my second delivery at Sibley where I was treated respectfully and not shamed and made to feel like giving birth through my vagina was the penultimate act of my womanhood and entirely due to my commitment and anything else was a failure that was my own fault.

I had 3 babies in different hospitals over the past 10 years and all pushed breastfeeding aggressively.

My OB put a call out for OBs skilled in ECV (it's usually older school OBs) of the two that could one had a baby die doing it and so no longer did it. I said, pass!

I had two unmedicated births at Sibley and felt supported, empowered, and celebrated. My first was accidentally unmedicated - I had planned for an epi but it was not needed (arrived 9 cm dilated, though I pushed for 3 hours). No doula, no training/classes. The second time, I wanted to replicate the experience but was having a hard time at only 2cm, and the nurse really encouraged me to stay the unmedicated course.

I actually felt pressure at Sibley to EBF the first time, which turned out not to be possible because of Insufficient Glandular Tissue (I pumped 12x/day for 6 weeks. Very little milk). Second time I was clear I wanted to combination feed and they embraced that.

Anonymous wrote:I flipped my breech baby using yoga poses. Keep your knife away from me.

This has to be a parody.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't docs know how to turn a breech baby anymore? WTF with medical training these days??

I think what happened is they used science to evaluate the efficacy of various options for a breech birth and now they insist on the one that will kill the fewest people.

So crazy how that worked out!

Except ECV is routinely offered. Because vaginal birth kills fewer women than c-section. So yes you are right, they continue to insist on the one that kills the fewest people.

ECV has risks too and it 9blybworks about half the time (I'm the poster who had a failed ECV).

My failed ECV was also quite painful. I don't know that I'd dissuade anyone else from trying it, but really the c section wasn't that bad. I'd advise someone in the same situation to be okay with having a c section, as all the time I spent doing breech tilts and trying chiropractors and so on was stressful and unpleasant and I ended up having a c section anyway.

ECV also isn't recommended for a number of reasons. I had an anterior placenta with the worst possible placement for an ECV. My OB said it was my choice and I passed on it. The risks of a cord complication or placental complication didn't seem worth it at the time.

I flipped my breech baby using yoga poses. Keep your knife away from me.

I had two unmedicated, vaginal births at Sibley with Reiter Hill. No one pressured me at all, I felt very supported. I also had an unplanned C section there due to an emergency that was also great. Loved my experiences.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't docs know how to turn a breech baby anymore? WTF with medical training these days??

I think what happened is they used science to evaluate the efficacy of various options for a breech birth and now they insist on the one that will kill the fewest people.

So crazy how that worked out!

Except ECV is routinely offered. Because vaginal birth kills fewer women than c-section. So yes you are right, they continue to insist on the one that kills the fewest people.

C-sections don't "kill" women. They have a higher mortality rate because if you need a c-section there is something wrong to begin with. Despite what the natural birth proponents like to spread, OBs don't think to themselves, oh well I have a 2pm tee time so I better make this one a c-section even though I might kill my patient.

Uh, the leading cause of death following c-sections are blood clot. A surgical complication. Not “something being wrong in the first place”. This is just as wrongheaded as “it’s 100% mental”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't docs know how to turn a breech baby anymore? WTF with medical training these days??

I think what happened is they used science to evaluate the efficacy of various options for a breech birth and now they insist on the one that will kill the fewest people.

So crazy how that worked out!

Except ECV is routinely offered. Because vaginal birth kills fewer women than c-section. So yes you are right, they continue to insist on the one that kills the fewest people.

C-sections don't "kill" women. They have a higher mortality rate because if you need a c-section there is something wrong to begin with. Despite what the natural birth proponents like to spread, OBs don't think to themselves, oh well I have a 2pm tee time so I better make this one a c-section even though I might kill my patient.

And repositioning a breech doesn’t kill anyone as the above poster suggested.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't docs know how to turn a breech baby anymore? WTF with medical training these days??

I think what happened is they used science to evaluate the efficacy of various options for a breech birth and now they insist on the one that will kill the fewest people.

So crazy how that worked out!

Except ECV is routinely offered. Because vaginal birth kills fewer women than c-section. So yes you are right, they continue to insist on the one that kills the fewest people.

ECV has risks too and it 9blybworks about half the time (I'm the poster who had a failed ECV).

My failed ECV was also quite painful. I don't know that I'd dissuade anyone else from trying it, but really the c section wasn't that bad. I'd advise someone in the same situation to be okay with having a c section, as all the time I spent doing breech tilts and trying chiropractors and so on was stressful and unpleasant and I ended up having a c section anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't docs know how to turn a breech baby anymore? WTF with medical training these days??

I think what happened is they used science to evaluate the efficacy of various options for a breech birth and now they insist on the one that will kill the fewest people.

So crazy how that worked out!

Except ECV is routinely offered. Because vaginal birth kills fewer women than c-section. So yes you are right, they continue to insist on the one that kills the fewest people.

C-sections don't "kill" women. They have a higher mortality rate because if you need a c-section there is something wrong to begin with. Despite what the natural birth proponents like to spread, OBs don't think to themselves, oh well I have a 2pm tee time so I better make this one a c-section even though I might kill my patient.