3 posts tagged “hospital birth”

tomorrow we have our monthly Anne Arudel Birthing Circle meeting and of course I alwas wait til the very last minute ot get it all together. but to be honest, if I get it together too soon I forget it all! I have to wait til a day or two before, so there! it's not procrastination, it's good planning!

well I thought I would share here what I wrote. not that it's particularly beautiful, but it's my best advice.

Birth Plan Tips for Hospital Births

• Always start out on a good note.

• As often as possible say "do" instead of "don't"
  

• Keeping on the positive!

• "Short and sweet"

• Bring more than one copy with you.

• The most imporatant thing is for you to know the rules of both the hospital AND your PCP.

• The bigger the OB/Midwife group you are a part of, the harder it is for them to remember you and your special birth needs and desires.

a little while ago I was reading through a blog of a homebirther. she mentioned she had 4 sucessful homebirths as well as 2 miscarriages at home. she wrote with such respect and honor in her words.

This really stuck out to me. it's a common thing for people to question homebirth. "it's dangerous" or "what if the baby dies?"... the list goes on of both comments and critism. but see the thing is with homebirthers... it's not just about just giving birth at home. it's not just about convience, it's not just because it's easier. it's not about being selish. it's about being selfless. about knowing the life inside you is not you're own to do with as you please. it's a life that deserves honor and respect and if it's fate and destiny are already decided. that what will be should be.

it struck me at how much this mama truly loved and respected her kids.. even when she lost them so early.

it's not to say mothers who birth in other places than a home are selfish or wrong, (I had two hospital births myself before I was a doula) but to say there is some truly beautiful about a mother who trusts God and life and follows it's lead. something I personally realize I was missing in my births. I did not have that kind of peace and trust, hospital or not.

i don't judge where people birth. I don't know the inner most thoughts and intentions of others. their thoughts or intent or their hearts and I would bever assume that responsibility. All I know is my own heart. I will labour with a mom where she is, and where she needs me. I do not aim to dictate where any woman should be in their births, (though I do have strong opinions about the standard practices of some places). I love birth and I love to support woman no matter where they are...

but there will always be a special place in my heart for those who choose to birth at home.

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so I am edited this post b/c last night I thought of a few things I left out. I was concerned this post would be taken as that the only reason I think people choose homebirth is a matter of trust in God/life. There is of course much mroe to it! many people feel homebirth is much safer! (for instance a baby is familiar with the germs in it's own home but by bringing it into a hospital you expose it to such a wide variety of new germs all at once and it can be very harmful even deadly to a newborn baby! ever notice that if you take your kid to a well visit at the doctors they always seem to bring home a cold?...) There are many many respectable reasons people feel homebirthing is safer for their kids. and to be honest I have to say I'm partial to that ideal. Yes some children do die, or get sick at home. but the truth is there is many more than die that are not born at home. death is a part of life. and some people feel it's their duty to try and prevent that at all cost, other's believe it is their duty to respect life by only intervening if abslutely nessecary.

my opinion is it's a matter of opinion. it's a personal choice. People have said to me "how would you feel if your baby died while being birthed at home?" to which I say "the same way I'd feel if it died being birthed at a hospital or birthing center - horrible".

the cost of intervention and life saving standards are also it's downfall. you can not control life. perhaps it seems you can, but truth is you can't. Life in my opinion isn't in our control. and if it were I dare say none of us would allow our children to ever become sick, sad, or hurt.

to truly live, one must take risks. I can't deny there are risks associated with homebirth. I also can not deny there are risks associated with hospital birth. plain and simple there are ricks associated with birth.

I could go on about this forever, but it's not about voicing my opinion. my point was to say there is more to most things than meets the eye.

*** someone commented to me that they know many people who's lives and children's lives were saved b/c thet birthed in a hospital. I'm sure this is true! I can't pass judgment on that statement as I don't know the  scenrios. but I can say that I know of many babies who have died for all sorts of reasons that being in a hospital could and did not prevent. I know of many babies who's lives were put at risk from being born in a hospital/public setting. and the many complications that come from contracting diseases, rsv, and others viruses in a very public place. My own son's (and my own) wellbeing were both compromised when I was forced into an unnessecary cesarean section that caused a list of health problems for me. I can't garantee that if he had been born at home we'd both be in perfect condition of course. But I can't say it goes both ways.