Kill or Cure Show On Discovery Health

rdhdnrs · Nov 12, 2001

I have a warped view of this subject because I work in high-risk OB, but have seen so many normal labors turn bad. If there's no prenatal care, how does a woman know if she's developing gestational diabetes or preeclampsia? Some may be able to deliver breech babies, many may not. What if there's prolonged ROM and mom and infant get septic? What if there's a post-partum bleed? Retained placenta? Undiagnosed twins? What if the baby has some unforseen problem like an esophageal atresia or web? Gastroschesis? Hydrocephalus? Spina bifida?

I know I sound like a doom-sayer. Nice, homey labors and deliveries are great, but give me access to an OR and blood bank any day!!!! In my opinion a healthy, well mom and babe are worth giving up the idealized vision of home birth.

Just my two cents.

Lisa:)

kennedyj · Dec 5, 2001

In many cases a home delivery can go well. But i feel as rd.

There are many home deliveries that go bad (somewhere around 15%). There is nothing worse than wheeling a woman into the ER during fetal distress. You lose transport time, wasted time setting up for a c/s if needed and no one knows very much about the woman when she arrives.

Many of the midwives who do home birth can not practice in hospitals so they push for homebirths. It works out great for women who have had previous uncomplitated deliveries (especially if they went fast). Most of these have routine prenatal care done.

Personally I think the best place is a nice comfortable birthing center.

We have a high risk OB center and if women wanna go natural we just hep lock em and let em go with occaisional fetal heart monitoring and continuous when near second stage.

mark_LD_RN · Jan 13, 2002

Hi ,

Both my wife and I are RNs ,i work in L&D. We both believe that birth modern birth practices are causing problems more often than not. we have had 3 children First was typical medical birth, pitocin, continuous fetal monitoring, demerol, No food or drinks allowed, epidural, forceps, episiotomy, etc. MY wife had long agonizing labor and birth, recovery was long also. this baby was only 7 lbs, dr told us she could only have maybe 71/2 lb baby due to small pelvis. next baby was 8 lbs delivered in hospital with less intervention things went much better, still had routine episiotomy to prevent tearing( which lead to a 4th degree tear). third birth we had naturally , after interviewing several doctors. we had it in hospital, no heplock, or IV, allowed to eat and drink as she wanted. able to walk around and do what ever we liked. only monitored for 15 minutes on admit, I did all her exams except for few dr performed. only time continuous monitoring was used was during transition phase. She had no episiotomy, no tears and delivered a 9 lb baby , Apgars of 9 and 10 at 5 minutes. I delivered her she was allowed to use any position she felt comfortable in. we went home 4 hours after birth. Wife felt so much better this time it was amazing. I feel natural is the only way to go. But admit there are cases that medical intervention is needed. we need to get back to basics! Even as much as I support natural child birth I would have a hard time advocating home birth. this is proabably related to my medical back ground. I know a lot of people have gave birth at home and loved it. I guess i would really need to be convinced of a high percentage for a good outcome to do it personally.

annies · Jan 14, 2002

After having 3 babies in the hospital and 2 at home, I would rather have a baby in a cab than at a hospital. I could go for the birthing center if there were really no "routine episiotomies, internal monitors, etc."

In this area the c/s rate is ridiculously high. It goes hand in hand with the induction rate. How safe is that?

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Jan 14, 2002

I think that home births are more popular these days because women lose control as soon as they walk in the door of a hospital. Lots of hospitals say they go for "natural" labors, and then they say"except for the heplock and moniter" and then women find out they are stuck in their room, or can't eat or drink what they please, can't sit in a tub, or in their comfy rocking chair, etc.

So if I knew all was well up to the point of labor I would stay home, and having worked L&D say that being aware of what could happen. But knowing that all the women in my family have had babies for several generations with no problems gives me lots of confidence. Having been hospitalized in the past, and being a nurse makes me want to avoid going in again for any reason.

I absolutely would have my own baby in a warm tub at home, no bright lights or shots, a soft warm blanket ready, and immediate bonding time. Might be worth it just to see the look on the doc's face when I show up the next day for a pp checkup. (I'm kidding of course)

PS I just found out my sister is pregnant with her first baby, and she wants me as her labor coach. I will have to try to behave myself. I'm so excited. Any tips on being a coach? Or how not to drive the nurses crazy? :rolleyes:

shay · Jan 23, 2002

I'm on the fence. I think the idea of a home birth is great, as I share Mark's philosophy that modern medical interventions cause more problems than help.

I'm more in favor of a free-standing birth center as opposed to a home birth, as these facilities are home-like and structured around birth being a NORMAL, NATURAL process, but understand that things CAN go wrong and have the staff/equipment to deal with it.

I dislike continuous EFM, medically unnecessary IV's, AROM when not medically necessary, etc., etc.. I like auscultation, no IV, using the tub, birthing ball, music, blah blah blah....yep, I'm a 'granola' at heart. I can manage a high risk mag/pit/epidural/hellp patient racing to the back for a crash c/s with the best of them, but I PREFER the alternative.

I do think good prenatal care and prenatal testing/screening is a good thing, though.

Canoehead, the best advice I can give for you being your sister's 'doula' is to leave your nurse hat at home and just be her sister. I did it for my sister. It was hard to not be all 'medical,' but it was the best thing for the comfort of the staff and my sister alike for me to just act as a lay person who was helping her loved one. And above all, DON'T LOOK AT THE MONITOR. It'll drive you nuts if you do .

mother/babyRN, RN · Mar 4, 2002

However you feel ( and I can see both sides), as a mom who had complete previa, toxemia and a host of other difficulties including an anaphylactic reaction after one of my three sections, I know I wouldn't want to do it again without immediate backup....To me, Natural childbirth is any way they get here safely...But, if it works for you, more power to you....(you meaning whoever)

kimtab · Mar 4, 2002

I got interested in this subject as a result of this thread and found the following website http://www.unassistedchildbirth.com

I went through this site with my jaw hanging down to the floor! Apparently these women can get up from the dinner table for 5 minutes, give birth, and be back at the table with baby at breast in time for dessert.

Of course they aren't going to publish any of the tragic stories, and I'm quite sure there are some. I found it so interesting to discover this whole subculture of parent's who believe in unassisted home childbirth though. The lady on the Discovery Channel show was not alone in her philosophy.

Kim

fergus51 · Mar 5, 2002

That is the craziest thing I have ever seen!!!!

shanzo89 · Mar 5, 2002

Kim,

Thanks for the site. I can't imagine giving birth without any medical intervention at all. It just seems too scary!

Shannon

semstr · Mar 6, 2002

Can't believe it!

Some of it ok, but having sex or an orgasme while giving birth?

Kind of kinky for me, besides no man was allowed to touch me!

Anyway, all are different and that is good, isn't it?

Take care, REnee