Home Births

We’re planning a Home Birth, what do you think doctor?

 

Pregnant women may opt for a home birth because of the great level of comfort and sense of control enjoyed in familiar surroundings.

Someone said that to see what a natural home birth in the past was like, we should stroll through some of the cemeteries with graves from the 18th and 19th centuries when all births were at home and read the tombstones of the young women and infants buried there.

The modern family birthing centers have comfortable rooms with rocking chairs, adjustable beds, large sofas, etc. to allow the expectant parents to feel comfortable and have a safe delivery in a monitored setting. You can bring some items from home to make it even more comfortable if you desire.

Medicine, monitors, and examinations are a necessary part of a safe delivery experience.  Not everyone opts for pain medication or regional anesthesia-epidurals, but it is there for those women who do want it.

Most ob doctors really have no preference what position the woman labors in just as long as she’s not flat on her back.  The woman can walk in the room, sit up in the bed, rest on her side, or rock in the chair.  We just need to be able to monitor the baby and the contractions.

Labor attendants are used by some women during labor or the partner can coach the mother during labor and delivery.  If there is no coach or attendant, usually the hospital labor nurse will be there to provide encouragement and help during labor and delivery.  The delivering practioner, the ob doctor, the nurse midwife will be in and out during the labor process and will guide the mother during delivery.

The purpose of the ongoing monitoring is to pick up the clues sometimes subtle that a problem is developing or to prevent a sudden development from worsening.  It is remarkable how fast we can go from the relief of a happy delivery to an emergency such as postpartum hemorrhage or mother or baby not breathing properly.

The healthcare practioner that you picked is someone that you have known at least for months or several weeks.  You should feel comfortable with this person and feel that she is knowledgeable and would do everything she can for you and your baby.  You should be assured that she respects your wishes and your customs.  You should also be willing to listen to the advice she gives and reasons for certain procedures or maneuvers.

No matter how close a family lives to the hospital, even just down the street, there will be some delay in getting to the birthing center, evaluating the situation and performing whatever intervention is necessary in the case of some emergency with the birthing process.

Considering all of this, it just does not seem reasonable to risk the health and life of the mother and the baby to deliver a baby away from a modern health center.