16 Comments

1. Aunt Ruth
   Posted Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 5:31 pm | Permalink

   It sounds like you have made a careful decision. It is so important to have confidence in your caregivers. Many of my friends have chosen home births but I would prefer to go to a birth centre myself.

2. Jaspenelle
   Posted Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 6:03 pm | Permalink

   Besides, if I choose the birth center, I don’t have to clean up the mess!

3. peppylady
   Posted Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 7:27 pm | Permalink

   My last child was delivered by a mid wife who was a nurse practioner she did an excellent job in care in my pregnancy and delivery.
   But in Idaho anyone can be come a midwife. If you gave birth that quilfies you or less the law changes.

4. jett
   Posted Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 7:57 pm | Permalink

   Thought you described one of the major things ailing the medical
   system in the USA pretty well. Glad you were able to find the care you
   desired though. That is great.

5. Dad
   Posted Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 9:42 pm | Permalink

   I was delivered by midwife, but that was the norm in Africa at that time.
   The birth center is recommended since I assume they have more support there at the time of delivery.
   Modern medicine has its place in case any last minute complications happen.
   Not to be scary, but it is my grandson too.

6. Jaspenelle
   Posted Friday, April 11, 2008 at 5:19 am | Permalink

   Do you mean more support like nurses? They don’t have them at the birth center, just Michael and I and the midwife and Kim too. Maybe an assistant there if Linda or Beth have taken on a student midwife.

   I completely agree with you that modern medicine has it’s advantages, I just think it is unnecessary for most births. In those rare cases it is scary! but I am not concerned, there is not point in worrying myself sick about things that will probably not happen.

7. Jaspenelle
   Posted Friday, April 11, 2008 at 12:42 pm | Permalink

   Sometimes I think Idaho has no laws… ^_^

8. flarecarrot
   Posted Saturday, April 12, 2008 at 5:04 pm | Permalink

   We have the highest infant mortality not from the delivery room and doctors but because of bacterial contamination when parents are mixing baby formula or feeding solids too early.

   It’s unfortunate that the doctor has such a brusque manner, that’s been a huge problem, especially since many people are feeling like you and then being serviced by midwives who may or may not be qualified and giving birth in facilities where a doctor isn’t present when there is a need for one. My advice would be to check the qualifications and skills of the facility and make sure you know what will happen if your baby is born needing an oxygen tent (like I did, I had a bowel movement while I was being born and was born drowning in my own shit which had to be pumped out of me, lol I was born full of shit, I know!) I had to be pulled out as well. A hundred years ago my mom and I would’ve died in childbirth. Its easy to forget that pregnancy is scary and dangerous when the technology and skills *aren’t* there. One out of four women dying in childbirth is the norm in “primitive” societies.

   Anyway, since you luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuv my articles, here’s a review of the dvd that recently came out, “The Business of Being Born”.

   http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=64

   You say in a comment that there is no point in worrying sick about things that probably won’t happen but I daresay there is less risk of something happening to your baby if you use painkillers (I assume you’re having a natural childbirth because you’re concerned about their affect on the baby) than having a complication that harms you and/or your baby, wouldn’t you say?

9. Michael
   Posted Saturday, April 12, 2008 at 6:27 pm | Permalink

   Everyone is going off about how midwives aren’t qualified, and that non-hospital births are very dangerous.

   First, our midwife is not just some schmoe off the street that thinks they can deliver a baby. They are certified nurse midwives. They have taken courses recognized by the medical industry, and are considered nurses. They could get a job in any hospital if they wanted. They are registered with our insurance, which requires a peer-review of practices. They are trained in resuscitation and can even delivery a breech baby if needed. They can do pretty much anything a doctor can, except operate and prescribe drugs. And I would argue to say that they delivery babies better then most doctors – doctors show up at the last minute to play catch. Or to perform a C-section. The midwife is there helping and monitoring the birth through the entire labor. If you are in a hospital, most of your care is going to be by nurses anyways. If a hospital is needed, there are 3 within 10 minutes of the birthing center.

   I would like you to back up your statistics before you go spewing off again.

   Here are some statistics about our midwives (period of 6/95 to 12/07):
   Clients accepted for care: 1065
   Terminated care, non-medical reasons: 110
   Spontaneous abortions: 49
   Clients remaining in care: 906
   Medical referrals: 41
   Labor began out of hospital: 865
   Hospital transports in labor: 80 (9.2%)
   Total deliveries out of hospital: 785
   Transfers of newborns: 22 (2.8%)
   Transfers of women postpartum: 11 (1.4%)

   Maternal Deaths: 0
   Neonatal Deaths: 1 (caused by trisomy 13 – most fetuses with this condition do not even survive to birth)

   They also have an 86% success rate for vaginal birth after c-section (VBAC).

   Whether you believe in a creator, or evolution – both are arguments for natural birth. If you believe in a creator, then you would believe that natural methods were designed by said creator, and so you should try to use them if at all possible. If you believe in evolution, then our race evolved to have birth this way, and it’s usually safe and just fine. (If it wasn’t, then that genetic line of evolution would never have survived – death to offspring and/or mothers doesn’t bode well for passing on genes).

   If you truly study everything that happens during childbirth, interventions with drugs causes more harm then is does good. If drugs aren’t safe to use during pregnancy, then what makes them safe during childbirth? They still affect the baby. Just because a baby is born doesn’t mean it’s done developing. Those drugs remain in the baby’s system for quite some time after birth – they are powerful drugs! Just looks up “effects of epidural on newborn” for some illuminating information. (Of course don’t take everything you read on the web at face value, but long lists of references are generally a good thing – check childbirth.org)

   There are risks of not having a medicated birth, yes, I agree. Something could go wrong, yes. But the chances of that are low. The downsides of medicated birth outweigh those risks though. We have researched this in depth, weight the pros and cons, and have decided that an unmedicated birth the the best for mother and baby. If something goes wrong, we have easy access to medical care – though we choose to think positive – nothing is going to go wrong. Women have been having babies for thousands of years with no issue at all.

10. flarecarrot
    Posted Sunday, April 13, 2008 at 10:04 am | Permalink

    Obviously this is a sensitive issue for you. I never said that your midwives were not qualified, I stressed that you make sure that they are and what they will do if something goes wrong. Nothing on their website seems to actually indicate this. What can they actually do if XYZ goes wrong? I just believe in being prepared. I never said that having a natural childbirth was wrong, to each his own… I was just saying that, you’re obviously having a natural childbirth because you are concerned about the health affects on the baby so I would urge you use those same feelings of concern towards the possibility of something going wrong. When I was born drowning, my condition was not something that had a low chance of happening, and it had nothing to do with medicated birth, I think you are completely misunderstanding me. What I am saying is, have these midwives given a plan if your baby is born drowning, or your wife starts hemorraging? You say, if something goes wrong, you have easy access to medical care. That would’ve been enough answer for me, without your oversensitive diatribe.

    Yes, women have been having babies since women have existed… with 1 in 4 dying in the process until modern practices were involved (yes this includes information and techniques of modern midwives, understanding germ theory and all that jazz)………. just saying. I don’t have any problem if you guys want to go through natural childbirth, I just was concerned when I look on their website and there isn’t much there about what happens if a doctor IS needed. Sorry if my concern “spewing off.” Like you, I’m sure everything will be fine, but, there’s still no reason to not be prepared.

11. Michael
    Posted Sunday, April 13, 2008 at 1:25 pm | Permalink

    With the medical industry, looking at a doctors or nurses website isn’t going to give you much information. Medical care isn’t an online service – it’s something that has to be done in person, so it makes sense that the websites don’t have much information.

    As for the 1 in 4 stat that you keep throwing around, I don’t see anything backing that up yet. I would like to know where that is coming from – my research disagrees. According to the CDC, at the turn of the 20th century (i.e. the year 1900), the maternal death rate was 6-9 of 1000 (0.6% to 0.9%) and the infant death rate before age 100 was in 1000 (10%). Neither of those are anywhere near the 1 in 4 (25%) you keep spewing off.

    Source: CDC: Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Healthier Mothers and Babies

12. flarecarrot
    Posted Sunday, April 13, 2008 at 2:10 pm | Permalink

    I was a physical anthropology major, so when I meant primitive societies, I meant primitive societies. Something I learned in class years ago, I would be hard pressed to find you the source at this point as it was like, maybe 3 or 4 years ago. Listen, you seem to think I am part of some conspiracy to make you go to the doctor or that I think midwives are all quacks and I am not. Do you really think that I am saying this for any reason other than concern? Why are you so defensive about it, I am not trying to steal your midwives from you I just know that labor is not a walk in the park and deaths do happen (to mother and child) and I just was concerned that there is a backup if something goes wrong. Is there something so horrible about this? I notice you are responding and not her, so if I have made her upset I apologize. I am not trying to scare, I was just trying to understand their qualifications and what they would do in an emergency. I know that a person like myself is not your friend, as we have never met in RL but could you imagine having a friend that was not concerned ……..?

    I am done with this, congrats you… win?

13. Jaspenelle
    Posted Sunday, April 13, 2008 at 3:39 pm | Permalink

    I figured I would let you know you are not upsetting me flarecarrot. I am staying out of this because I dislike arguments and I think you are both butting heads.

    The way you wrote your first comment made it sounded like you were just assuming we had not done our homework regarding midwifery, and that is what annoyed Michael (I think.)

    Anyhow, I do appreciate and understand your concern for my well being. Michael and I did not come to this decision lightly though (it took me 6 months to find and switch to a midwife after all) but after a lot of research we consider this to be the best choice for our particular situation. After all, I for one am not keen on dieing in childbirth!

14. Anne
    Posted Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 11:04 pm | Permalink

    Hi Jaspenelle,

    Not sure if you remember me from your Yahoo group, but I came across your site and wanted to post.

    I just wanted to wish your the best. I’ve had 4 babies, 2 in the hospital and 2 at home with a midwife. By far, the experience with the midwife was so much better. I don’t think you’ll regret it. Definitely use the birthing tub! It really does help to relax you and dull the pain.

    Many blessings.

15. Sue
    Posted Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 10:08 pm | Permalink

    It sounds like many of you view the decision to have a home birth as an emotional decision to have the experience that you desire. I attended a home birth last week with a midwife present and was shocked at the lack of medical care. Being a medical professional, I can appreciate the importance of preventive medicine and early intervention to prevent complications. In my opinion, if a mother wants to endanger herself, that is a personal choice. Why would a mother endanger her child? My friend’s baby did not live through this natural delivery, and would have been perfect in a hospital setting. If childbirth is natural and doesn’t require medical intervention, then why were these midwives sneaking their medical supplies into the home? I asked a midwife about medications she carried for deliveries and refused to answer for fear of prosecution. The very need to carry medical supplies implies that their is risk and need. I suppose it would be a great choice to hire a midwife if you want candles lit, home environment, etc. Why chose these things over the safety of your child? To be clear, I am not speaking of Certified Nurse Midwives who have formal education and are professionals. I am speaking of Lay Midwives….women who call themselves midwives, with NO formal training.

16. Jaspenelle
    Posted Monday, May 12, 2008 at 9:16 am | Permalink

    I am sorry your friend lost her baby, I am assuming she went with a lay midwife and I am sorry she made that choice. It must have been hard for you not to intervene seeing things must have been going so wrong. I hope she is doing okay, or as well can be expected.

    I am giving birth at a birth center this time, not at home and I have a Licensed Midwife (lay midwives are not allowed to practice in Washington State, unlike Idaho) which kind of makes your anti-homebirth/lay midwife lecture pointless doesn’t it?

    Thank you for your concern, but we have done our research on this issue and are staying with our choice of using midwives.