Would YOU ever have a homebirth?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

Sorry if this topic has been done to death. I've been working since June in OB, focusing mainly on L&D. I have two children of my own, the first one was a fast and uneventful hospital birth, the second was a homebirth (acynclitic and OP, so labor was VERY long and difficult - if I had been in a hospital, I'm pretty sure I would have been sectioned, but all turned out well in the end).

I'm facing the prospect of perhaps having one more in a couple years. I had previously thought that any other children would also be born at home. But now that I've been working in L&D and getting a glimpse of all the potential emergencies and behind-the-scenes things that could go wrong, I'm seriously questioning the safety of homebirth. I guess you could say I'm having a crisis of faith that birth is a natural process that doesn't HAVE to be managed in order to have a good outcome.

Anyway, I was just wondering if other L&D nurses, knowing what they know, would ever opt for a homebirth for their own.

Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
Specializes in LTC/Behavioral/ Hospice.
As an OB nurse, I will tell you there is NO way in hell I would ever do it. I've seen too many shoulder dysotocias. If you have a really bad shoulder dystocia, all the backup in the world is still going to take several minutes ....and you dont have that kind of time with a dystocia. Also, I've seen some cord prolapses.... you dont have 10-15 minutes to get to the hospital. I just dont understand why anyone would risk serious problems like that. Granted these things dont happen often but they are unpredictable so who knows when they will?

I'm disappointed. :( I was hoping this wouldn't turn into a thread where homebirthers have to defend the safety of their decisions. The safety of homebirthing for low risk women can easily be shown with a good search and a few good books/magazines about the subject. I hope this doesn't turn into a hospital vs homebirth debate now.

Sorry if this topic has been done to death. I've been working since June in OB, focusing mainly on L&D. I have two children of my own, the first one was a fast and uneventful hospital birth, the second was a homebirth (acynclitic and OP, so labor was VERY long and difficult - if I had been in a hospital, I'm pretty sure I would have been sectioned, but all turned out well in the end).

I'm facing the prospect of perhaps having one more in a couple years. I had previously thought that any other children would also be born at home. But now that I've been working in L&D and getting a glimpse of all the potential emergencies and behind-the-scenes things that could go wrong, I'm seriously questioning the safety of homebirth. I guess you could say I'm having a crisis of faith that birth is a natural process that doesn't HAVE to be managed in order to have a good outcome.

Anyway, I was just wondering if other L&D nurses, knowing what they know, would ever opt for a homebirth for their own.

Here is a link about homebirths! On this link it has free access to a full text article from the Peer-reviewed British Medical Journal 2005. It is a great article that some sound research that supportst home births for low risk mothers, under the care of certified midwives, are just as safe as hospitals.

http://www.mercola.com/blog/2005/aug/18/natural_home_births_safe_as_hospital

You dont have to defend anything, I would just not do it and my personal belief is that it isnt safe. That is just my belief.

I'm disappointed. :( I was hoping this wouldn't turn into a thread where homebirthers have to defend the safety of their decisions. The safety of homebirthing for low risk women can easily be shown with a good search and a few good books/magazines about the subject. I hope this doesn't turn into a hospital vs homebirth debate now.
Specializes in OB, ortho/neuro, home care, office.

Please - I find the topic interesting, and inciteful. If it just turns out to be an arguement then it won't be worth reading.

Don't worry about it, Lisa. No one has to defend their choice.

I would hope that judgemental comments would be completely unintentional; I think everyone here is intelligent and supportive of a thoughtful decision.

If not, their loss!

I would only deliver in a hospital with a level III NICU. I don't chastise those that do/want a homebirth, but personally I know s#*t happens. It doesn't happen often, but it does.

I am not judging anyone. I said that I dont feel its safe, and I dont. That is my choice to think that.

Don't worry about it, Lisa. No one has to defend their choice.

I would hope that judgemental comments would be completely unintentional; I think everyone here is intelligent and supportive of a thoughtful decision.

If not, their loss!

Specializes in CV Surgery Step-down.

I'd consider something in between like a birth center with a home-like environment VERY close to the hospital!

yes thatis exactly my point, and no matter how well you prepare sometimes bad things happen even with the best preparation. I've seen women with totally uncomplicated pregnancies and perfectly good looking monitoring strips have deliveries with really bad complcations. Not only to the baby but the mother as well.

I would only deliver in a hospital with a level III NICU. I don't chastise those that do/want a homebirth, but personally I know s#*t happens. It doesn't happen often, but it does.
Specializes in LTC/Behavioral/ Hospice.
Don't worry about it, Lisa. No one has to defend their choice.

I would hope that judgemental comments would be completely unintentional; I think everyone here is intelligent and supportive of a thoughtful decision.

If not, their loss!

Thanks, ljds. :) You would think, after years of fielding those kinds of comments and questions, I wouldn't let it get my back up anymore. :chuckle I guess that's not the case. :chuckle

yes thatis exactly my point, and no matter how well you prepare sometimes bad things happen even with the best preparation. I've seen women with totally uncomplicated pregnancies and perfectly good looking monitoring strips have deliveries with really bad complcations. Not only to the baby but the mother as well.

Here is the link to the free research article from the BMJ 2005!

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/330/7505/1416

I usually go with peer-reviewed research!

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