Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Bubby's birth: Why I choose hospitals.

A few days ago, a high school friend (and favorite photographer) of mine had her first baby. She gave birth at home, in water, with no medication. She posted on her Facebook page that it was the best decision she's ever made. I applaud her for taking matters into her own hands, reading up on various birthing methods, choosing the one she thought was best and sticking with it. I am sure it was a beautiful experience and I can't wait to see the pictures her sister (a budding photographer) captured during her labor and delivery.

Remember when I watched The Business of Being Born a few months ago? That documentary cited lots of reasons not to have babies in hospitals. Lots of sound reasons backed by stats and logic and all that fun stuff. But while I do NOT think home births are weird or crazy or irresponsible, they're still not for me. All the evidence in the world will not change that.

My opinions (just like everyone else's) are formed based on the experiences I have had in my life. For instance, I will always try to eat a 50% raw diet because doing so has majorly improved my health and well-being. I also think breastfeeding is great but formula feeding is a wonderful alternative if you can't. And if you're feeling blue and/or panicked all the time and hate being alive, you should get professional help (that post is coming soon).

I will never choose to have my babies outside of a hospital. I know some of you are shaking your head, thinking, Why does she feel this way? She can have a home birth! She's even had a VBAC! Yeah, you're right, I did, and guess what? That was scary, too. But this post is not about my VBAC; it's about coming thisclose to losing my first child. Nothing puts that chilled-to-the-bone fear into you like seeing your daughter's heart rate plummet to the levels of death. At that point, I wanted nothing more than to save my baby. That's why I signed the waiver and allowed the doctors to cut me open to remove her from the dangerous environment of my womb. I would have rather risked dying myself than lose her.

Did the hospital cause my need for a C-section, as The Business of Being Born purports? The short answer is no. In fact, when I got to the hospital that fateful Thursday morning, the nurses almost sent me home because I wasn't even dilated. But one nurse had the sense to monitor me for a bit, just to see how things were going in utero. I'm so glad she did, because this story might have had a tragic outcome had she not. Within minutes, it became very obvious something was already wrong. Fetal heart rates are normally between 120 - 180 beats per minute; Bubby's was around 100. I was nearly a week late and had been contracting irregularly for weeks beforehand. The complication had already been underway long before I arrived at the hospital.

The on-call doctor asked if he could break my water, another sensible move that confirmed things were unstable: he found a decent amount of meconium in the fluid. Meconium equals fetal distress. Things were quickly adding up. My heart screamed, "Get this baby OUT!" But the doctors -- caring doctors who didn't want to intervene beyond what was necessary -- said, "Let's let you labor on your own for a while."

So, I got an epidural and tried to sleep while my body did its thing. And nothing happened. Irregular contractions, a low fetal heart rate and no dilation. After a few hours, they started me on Pitocin, a labor-enhancing drug that makes contractions a lot harder and more frequent. All the while, I'm thinking, This baby needs to be born and QUICK. The thought of a C-section loomed.

The Pitocin did nothing but confirm the one thing I'd suspected all along: a complication. The strong contractions produced by the medication were causing little Bubby's heart rate to dip even further. The labor nurse felt around Bubby to see if the umbilical cord was around her neck -- it was. And at the very moment she confirmed this, Bubby's heart rate suddenly dropped into the low 60's. Mine shot up to stratospheric levels.

My baby is going to die.

The nurse called -- shouted, really -- for assistance. Some other nurses ran into the room and quickly turned me over. One of them stabbed my arm with a shot of terbutaline, a drug that stops contractions. Another asked for my husband's cell phone number -- he'd left to get breakfast just minutes prior. It took me a minute to recite it for her; my mind was obviously on other things. I was shaking, crying, my heart pounding.

My baby is going to die.

Things calmed down and after a while, Bubby's heart beat recovered enough not to incite panic. A new doctor, Dr. Glenn, came in to tell me it was time for a C-section. Tears ran down my face as I listened to his prognosis. I didn't want to be sliced open, but more than anything, I didn't want my baby to die. And as it was, she was dangerously close. So it had to be.

Dill came back to this scene of chaos and confusion. He was asked to put on scrubs. I was given a strong (and disgusting) antacid. Then, they raced me down the hall to the OR.

It was time to get the baby out. No one had to tell me this; I had known it all along. I was relieved to be in the frigid operating room, but still nervous. Anything could happen. I would not breathe easy until I heard her first cry.

Soon, my little baby was pulled out of my womb. Dill watched as they performed the surgery. He told me the umbilical cord was wound tightly around her neck a few times and had been laying against the top of her head. I imagined little Bubby trying to descend down the birth canal, her only source of blood and oxygen being clamped each time she moved down. That had been her struggle for the past few weeks. It broke my heart to imagine it. But thankfully, it was over.

She let out a healthy and much-anticipated cry. They dropped the curtain so I could take a peek. I gasped when I saw her: she was beautiful. Pink, chubby and healthy. She was a carbon copy of me, only she had chipmunk cheeks and huge feet. I smiled and sighed with relief. She was here and she was fine.

One of my favorite pictures.
The truth: a C-section saved my child's life.

I know many, many mothers throughout the world have babies at home, often without assistance, and their babies are born completely healthy. These mothers laud their births as the best experiences of their life, incredibly empowering, moving and spiritual. That is wonderful. But I feel incredibly blessed I was able to have my baby in a hospital where doctors used necessary medical interventions to save my baby. My situation was not normal; I am aware of that. And it isn't likely to happen again. But it happened. And as such, the hospital is where I want to be when I'm having my babies.

However, after my second birth experience and all it entailed, I do believe the way we labor in hospitals is not helpful to the delivery process. We lay flat on our backs, we don't get to change positions as needed. When it's time to push, we're flat on our backs, forcing our bodies to defy gravity. This just doesn't work. I have the scars and damaged goods to prove it.

It seems the best way to for me to have a baby is in a hospital with the security of a nearby operating room and the ability to perform an emergency C-section, yet with the naturopathic aide of a certified nurse midwife who will permit more freedom during labor. Best of both worlds, right?

(No, this is not a pregnancy announcement.)

What's your preferred method of baby delivery? Are you still trying to figure out what's best for you, or have you already zeroed in on your ideal birth experience?

P.S. Don't forget to enter the giveaway here! It ends Friday.

37 comments:

  1. C-sections all the way!

    All of my kids have been c-sections. I have to have them. There are a handful of reasons, my body just won't let it happen. And without my first emergency c-section (much like your own) I would be dead as well as my baby.

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  2. i agree that home birth is not for everyone. i went the no med way in a hospital but seriously considered a home birth (my mom has a lot of her kids at home as did my sister.) to each their own and thank goodness for personal revelation, right? love this post and the gorgeous labor shots! :)

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  3. I love this post, because I've recently become a birth story junkie. I really love hearing about people's experiences, so thank you for sharing.

    In response to your posed question, I'm still on the fence. I wanted a natural, intervention-free birth for my little boy, but because of an on-call doctor who didn't know me and who suggested a c-section with a perfectly healthy baby heart rate and decent progression, I ended up with an epidural and pitocin. I didn't like that guy.

    So looking forward, I really feel that a midwife would be the best route for me. I'd love to labor at home, but when I hear experiences like yours it does make me nervous. My mom always tells me that my sisters life was saved because she was in a hospital during labor. I'd hate to have my choice end in the death of my baby.

    Thanks for your story, I'm not pregnant yet, but you've given me a lot to think about in the mean time :-)

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  4. I'm not sure how I'll attempt my next birth. My c-section saved my life and the life of my daughters, so I'll forever have a tender spot in my heart for them. The verdict is still out on how baby #3 will get here (or when they're get here...)

    I have a friend who gave birth to twins in a VERY emergency c-section. So emergency, that there was no time for an epidural. She got completely knocked out. In fact, from the time she started gushing blood, her babies were born within 9 minutes. The doctor said if she wouldn't have been at the hospital when that happened, all 3 would have died. No midwife or ambulance could have saved them. It truly is a miracle they didn't send her home like they were planning on doing.

    I have a huge respect for women who have home births, but I've known of too many close calls and have experienced one myself to never be comfortable with having one.

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  5. Thank you for your post! I feel the same way... All my babies will be c sections- I had an experience much like yours. My second was a scheduled c section, as will be the rest of mine, if I have any more! Thank goodness for hospitals and c sections- my baby and I probably would have died without it!

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  6. Jenna, your post made me cry...of course that could just be because of the pregnancy hormones and because I totally love you. ;)

    Because of the complications I have with just STAYING pregnant, the hospital is where I'll be to have my babies. But I am not in love with all of the interventions that happen, and will do my best to avoid things like pitocin & an epidural. However...if my baby needs it, I'm all for the c-section and whatever has to happen to get my baby here safely. If my body needs it, then I'll get the epidural. I am thankful for doctors and the things we have at our disposal to help get our babies here safe!

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  7. I appreciated your post a lot. Lately I have been feeling like the world is trying to make hospitals out to be a terrible place that just want to take the natural birthing process away from you, which i don't believe. I think home birthing is great for those who want to do it, but i like you, never will. Two of my siblings and my husband were saved due to being in a hospital. I just don't ever think i could take the chance being in my own home without medical intervention nearby.

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  8. I agree. I've had two births with no pain meds/low intervention, but I am glad that I gave birth at a hospital. I have was GBS+ both times, and so had to get IV antibiotics before delivery. My daughter came so quickly that she didn't get a full round in. She ended up coming down with an infection and I was so grateful to be in a hospital where she could immediately get the care she needed. I'm all about going as natural as possible, but we live in a day of modern medicine for a reason, and I am so grateful to have access to those life saving interventions if needed.

    Ultimately each mom needs to educate herself on her options and circumstances, and then make an informed decision on how/where to give birth. And the ultimate goal, should always be healthy mom, healthy baby-- no matter how you get there.

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  9. i totally agree jenna! i'm too chicken to give birth at home - both my births had complications that could have killed me had i not been in a hospital. i hemorrhaged after chase was born, and olivia was breech at 39 weeks so they took her c section. i would love to go natural next time, so we'll see if i can do a vbac. you'll have to tell me how yours went!

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  10. All c-sections for me as well. My birth canal is too small to push a baby out. I hate that people question my reasons for a c-section when thats what needs to be done so I don't have another experience I had with my first. Pretty similar to yours but the cord wasn't wrapped around his neck. Just imagine your head being pushed into a hole thats way too small. Ouch! I'm sure my heart rate will go down too! I didn't attempt a VBAC with my second because of those reasons because everything was going the way it did with my first. Why would I but my baby and body through that again? Thanks for the post! You always hit these baby topics right on!

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  11. Thanks for your post. I agree! I have very strong opinions on this topic. No, I have never given birth, but I have watched several deliveries and helped care for many post-labor women at my clinicals. I don't pretend to know everything about labor and birth, but nursing school has taught me a lot, as has all the physiology, anatomy, and patho classes I have taken. Personally, I believe in these three statements:

    #1: Hospitals do not allow women to progress naturally through the stages of labor.
    Women need to be able to move around, walk, eat--all of which are made extremely inconvenient in a hospital. Also, was stated above in the blog, lying on your back is NOT ideal for giving birth.

    #2: Many doctors do not give women the time to progress naturally.
    They artificially break their water (sometimes it is necessary, true). They make the woman push, when their body is already doing that for them. They sometimes perform episiotomies so the stretching of the tissue will not take so long. Artificial hormones (namely pitocin) are often used to start labor when the body is not yet ready. All to speed up the process. (granted sometimes it is necessary to speed it up in emergent conditions).

    #3: Delivery of a baby should only occur inside or within close proximity to a hospital.
    After learning about and observing complications during childbirth, I feel it is imperative that delivery occurs in or near a hospital. There are some circumstances that only the services of a hospital can aid. For those who do not want to give birth in a hospital, there are other options (like natural birthing centers that are RIGHT NEXT to a hospital). Yes, there are negatives about hospitals, but when it comes down to it, it is more important to ensure the safety and health of an infant. Personally, I would endure more than just the confinement of a hospital bed to give a child the safe delivery they deserve. I feel like mothers make a commitment to give babies a healthy delivery the moment they become pregnant. No matter how healthy your pregnancy, or how normal your history, things can go wrong (like the u.cord wrapping around the baby's neck, which has nothing to do with prior conditions, but rather is from a chance movement of the fetus). The last thing a mother would want is to feel like the death of her infant could have been prevented if she was nearer to a hospital. I think we are too easy to say "that wouldn't happen to me".

    I would suggest that if the hospital environment does not appeal to you, try a birthing center. There, a midwife will care for you during labor and will allow a more natural birth, while still being near a hospital in case of an emergency.

    Now--sorry if I have offended anyone. I know many people (who I greatly respect) who have chosen to give birth at home. You of course have your agency. It is a personal decision, and you may be under special circumstances. These are just my opinions and you, of course, are entitled to your own.

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  12. I had my first baby at the hospital and after that I never wanted to go back. I had my next three babies at home with a midwife who I actually think about fondly a few times a week. It was such a different experience and I loved it. We always made the decision prayerfully and when we were pregnant with our 5th we felt we should be at the hospital. After 26 hours o f labor I ended up with a c section. You just don't expect that after 4 labors where the longest was 5 hours. I will say the c section is a much harder recovery. I think what is best is different for everyone. If I am blessed to have another baby I know I will have to be at the hospital. It makes my heart a little sad but I am older and more likely to express what I want. I would like to use a midwife who delivers in the hospital. Should I get the chance.

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  13. I honestly like the way we give birth in hospitals. I don't have a desire to move around when giving birth. I think, in my opinion, that women give birth that way because of trial and error. It is to save the child's life if something is happening or might happen. I have no qualms with western medicine or practice.

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  14. I wanted to add that I had a different dr with each of my pregnancies and not one made me do something I I'd not want to. I walked around before giving birth, but during birth, just lay me day and yank him out hahaha! (Not literally)

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  15. I love hospitals and epidurals. :D
    But you know what else I Love? I love that my doctor allows me to move around, to decide what position to labor and deliver in, who is careful with delivery and does magic to stop tearing (1 stitch the first time, none the second) and who encourages me to make my OWN decisions about pregnancy and birth, and supports them 100%. I think, maybe the right doctor and nurses help too, just like they did for you. As my doctor told me, "The less medicine I end up practicing, the better off moms and babies usually are." Wisdom!

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  16. We had a midwife for both boys and delivered in the hospital. I got all the help I needed to be able to deliver with the comfort that if I needed more medical help I was in the right place. My midwives were wonderful and because of them I was able to have natural births (not that I am against epidurals) but they helped me walk around, change positions, breathe through the contractions, ice packs, hot packs, etc. It was a great decision for us

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  17. Thank you for this post!! My mother-in-law had all home births (in the 80's) and I loved the idea and we attempted it with our first baby. While I didn't have a c-section, it ended up being 24 hours of the most unnecessary pain. I stopped progressing until we eventually went to the hospital and I got that blessed epidural. (He was still born 9 hours later). With my second, I opted for an induction with an epidural and she was born in less than 3 (blissfully peaceful) hours. I'm grateful for modern medicine.

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  18. I with you Jenna. I dreamed of a water birth, i always wanted to go all natural. It didnt have to be at my own home, i was fine with doing it in a facility. But i always thought it would be a really sweet experience. Until i ended up doing fertility do get pregnant, and was marked as "high risk" my dreams were dashed. I always hoped that i might still get the chance, but my pregnancy was just complication after complication and it never happened! I know now after having my baby its a good thing i did it in the hospital. The delivery itself went fine, but afterwards i hemorrhaged and probably would have died if i wasnt in the hospital!
    Plus my husband thinks water births are sick, and always asks me why id want to sit in a tub with all the nasty stuff after the baby is born.. then he literally gags. So there's definitely no hope of him getting in the tub with me! lol

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  19. I would have chosen a c section in your situation as well, Jenna. This is why I love living in this century: We CAN labor and deliver in a cozy "natural" environment, while at the same time, have access to life saving medical intervention. A homebirth midwife also monitors baby's heartrate, and would have caught your baby's decels. Any midwife worth her salt would have transferred with decels, meconium, and palpating a potentially compressed cord. Providing the home of a homebirth is within a reasonable distance from the hospital, we are blessed to live in an era in which medicine has progressed to save babies in distress like yours was.
    As for the question: My chosen method of childbirth is intervention free in a free standing birth center attended by knowledgable midwives who have access to lifesaving diagnostics and medical equipment, and close proximity to the hospital. I have done it with an ob, I have done it medicated and unmedicated, and I have to say; in the end I choose what is best for me, and my babies, but the outcome is always the same: Healthy baby, happy mom. And that is what is important.

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  20. That sounds like my second baby, except she had stopped moving altogether and that was when I raced to the hospital for that c-section. Her chord was wrapped 3 times.

    Still, that was an awful birth experience and I'd rather poop that watermelon than have someone cut me open and jump on my stomach ever again! VBAC here I come.

    Alisa had a great experience with her midwife at the hospital. The right OB can also give you the same wonderful experience. I will stick to the hospital simply because I'd rather err on the side of caution :)

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  21. Thank you for all the wonderful comments! I've enjoyed each and every one. Such great insights! I have the best readers.

    @Kathleen, I would love to find a doctor like that! The one who delivered Smush is kind of old school -- automatic episiotomy, lay on your back to push, constant monitoring. He is an excellent doctor though and didn't push me to get an epidural or a C-section with #2 even though he was quite stuck and causing some problems during delivery.

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  22. i haven't read all the comments...but to add mine to the mix...i'm all for hospitals too. my attempted vbac went well (aside for ending in another necessary c/s)...i was able to labor the way i wanted to. my dr let me go home from a check up even though my water had broken earlier. she said to just go to the hospital when i knew it was time. she knew i wouldn't put my baby in danger and if anything bad was happening, we'd get there asap. i did have a doula helping me, but she was on call as well, until i was done laboring at home. once i got to the hospital, i didn't have an epi, and so was able to move around and stand up during contractions. you just need to be up front with your dr and hospital staff about what you want, and if they can't do that for you, find someone who will :)

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  23. That was an awesome post. It made me cry just imagining how you were feeling and thinking that your daughter might die. That scares me to death! I gave birth in a hospital and had a great experience. And while I think it would be great to give birth at home, I am just too scared of all the potential problems that could come up. My friend's baby was born fine, but had a heart problem and needed to be immediately flown to Primary Children's. He was eventually flown out to Stanford medical in CA to have surgery. But if she had been at home, he wouldn't have survived. You just never know.

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  24. One of your readers said, "Lately I have been feeling like the world is trying to make hospitals out to be a terrible place that just want to take the natural birthing process away from you, and I don't believe that." I couldn't agree more. I am pro-hospital... if something goes wrong, I want to be in a place that is equipped to handle it. You could have the best, healthiest pregnancy in the world and things can still go wrong in delivery. And as heather said, "you just need to be up front with your dr and hospital staff about what you want, and if they can't do that for you, find someone who will :)" That really is what it comes down to. Not every hospital is the same. Not every OB is the same. I've heard plenty of horror stories about certain hospitals and doctors as well as plenty of happy stories about certain hospitals and doctors.

    Thanks for your post Jenna!!

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  25. Well Jenna you already know my stories of having all of you in a hospital. You and Josh came as twins. I really could not take that risk of having you at home. You were born two months early and almost died the night of your delivery. Josh's temperature also fell to extreme low levels. Mariah was born breech and had her left arm broke right in half. I also suffered horrific conditions from her birth. I am so grateful we were both in a hospital. Mariah's complication was a 1/50,000 chance. I was the chance. We both would have died that day had I delivered in my home. I'm glad that toady we have technology providing and allowing us the safest passage for our children. Am I a chicken? YES! But more than that, I'm so grateful all my children made it through what I feel is the closest my child and I have come to death. However, some of the bravest women I know are those who have decided to have their babies born at home. Good luck to all!

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  26. @Mom, I'm so glad we all survived! I still can't believe Mariah's horrific entrance into this world. Thank goodness for Dr. Beck!

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  27. With both of my kids I was induced (in a hospital obviously). I've had my water broken by the doctor, and had planned and much anticipated epidurals. That had always been my plan and I've thoroughly enjoyed my experiences. I've never wanted to try a home birth.

    Aside from my personal opinions, my medical training has taught me that emergencies happen far more often than we expect. Yes, women had babies at home for centuries and centuries before hospitals, but they often died in childbirth, and the rate of newborn death was significantly higher.

    I feel that Heavenly Father has blessed us with the medical advances and technoloto make our world safer. Even with "medically prepared" midwives at home births, some things can happen too fast even for an ambulance.

    I am pro hospital all the way, always will be.

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  28. I am with you! The more I considered a home birth, the more I realized the hospital is the place for me. Thankfully, I have a fabulous doctor who is very experienced, but who listens to my wishes and helps me be informed.

    I had a major hemorrhage immediately after delivery, and I was thankful for my doctor's calm and determined approach to get it under control. The hospital staff were great and I'll be going back for more!

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  29. What a great post and comments! I'm so glad your bubby was safe. I have always wanted a home birth since having Natalie w/o meds. It hasn't worked out with insurance, etc to have the next two at home, so I have done the med free at a hospital with good experiences.

    Before this last birth I really thought I would eventually do a home birth, but I had a lot of hemorrhaging and almost needed a transfusion but because of the quick actions of the nurses and drs, I ended up ok. It was several hours after the birth so I don't know what I would have done if I had been at home in the same situation. So I decided I will stick with midwife deliveries in hospitals from here on out.

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  30. I had both of my kids in the hospital. Both were induced--one because he was "overdue" and the other out of pure convenience. I always hesitate to tell people that, but the fact is my oldest has Type 1 diabetes and I needed to be sure that we had someone available who we felt comfortable leaving him with. So, it just made sense to schedule an induction for baby #2. I had nothing but good experiences during both my hospital births. I know that the hospital is the place for me to have my babies. A home birth has never crossed my mind. This was a great post and the comments have been excellent!

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  31. You know, I think that home births can be very scary. What if something goes wrong? What would happen if a situation came up like the one you had?
    I have delivered 3 healthy babies in the hospital after being induced. My inductions have all gone well, I do not react crazy to the medicine. I know most people do not have these same experiences, but that's why our birthing stories are our own. It's amazing how our bodies do what we need them to when we need them to do it.
    Cheers to you for finding your best way to deliver a baby. I have found mine and I am completely happy with it!

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  32. @Kristy, I can see why you'd be hesitant to tell people about your second induction, but in reality, we also have to think about the children we already have when making birth decisions.

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  33. I have to agree with you on the hospitals. I want the necessary interventions available to my child and myself if something were to go wrong.

    Also, thanks for stopping by for my SITS day!

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  34. My husband only has one requirement for delivering babies and that is that is MUST be in a hospital. Natural, with drugs, whatever, but delivery should happen with a staff on hand to handle any emergencies that should crop up. I think he is fair in this opinion. That hard truth is you don't know when everything will go perfectly or when you will need emergency aid, so why risk it? My first baby I had an epidural in a hospital and my second I am planning on delivering drug free in a couple months (in a hospital). My son's cord was wrapped around his neck when he was born and needed a respiratory specialist. I'm glad one was standing in the room when he was born (slow night at the hospital). Thanks for sharing your story. Everyone has their own opinion on what the "best" way to give birth is but the truth is if your baby comes out healthy then it doesn't really matter.

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  35. I loved this post. All your opinion posts are really sensitive to other peoples choices but still tell the full story and reason you think what you think!! With my only child I was in the hospital and I was not progressing and I told them they need to induce me and I wasnt going home and 7 hours later my daughter was born, my epidural was just barely there which I like cause i could feel the pressure of the contractions so i knew when to push but not the horrible pain. I needed some oxygen when i started pushing because I had an anxiety attack. When my daughter was born the doctor said the placenta was looking old and she probably wasnt receiving the normal amount of food she was suppose to for the last week. (It was 2 days before my due date, calculated correct) I think its a mothers instinct on what she should do with her births. I too would choose hospital. I loved my doctor, nurses, and of course my epidural dude.So grateful to have them there incase something was terribly wrong. -Natalie

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  36. My first was early, but we were already working with midwives so I had a low-intervention in-hospital birth with a midwife and (because of the prematurity) multiple nurses. I think that experience has led to my wanting to have future babies the same way. I like working with a midwife - the OB on call just seemed cold, but that may have been a bad day for her or just my own nerves. It was a gentle birth, but I had every life-saving device within feet. Home birth? I live so close to the hospital, but it's not for me. Things happen. Luckily, my hospital encourages laboring women to get up and equips most rooms with birthing balls and such.

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  37. I am so glad you and your first baby were saved by modern technology!! It's so wonderful in times of emergency and when it's absolutely neccesary. Thank goodness for doctors! I agree with you that delivering in a hospital (where emergency help is available if needed) and having a midwife at your side is ideal. I did that with my first VBAC and wanted to again with my 4th baby. Unfortunately, my CNMs would not let me labor without the usual interventions so I could have a completely natural birth (but still be in a hospital where help was accessible in the event of an emergency). I ended up taking a leap of faith and laboring and delivering at home. I would never advocate an unassisted birth, but we knew it was right for us, just as you know you will always deliver in a hospital. We have to do all we can to protect our babies going off of what we know and the experiences we've had! Good for you for sticking up for yourself and giving your babies a voice. :)

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