I watched the documentary "The Business Of Being Born" yesterday and it was really amazing. It discusses mid wives and home births vs hospital births. I have to say I thought (up until watching the film) that midwives were not safe and too kooky to really do the job.
I definitely had a change of heart after seeing some home births (I bawled through every one), and seeing how the hospital birth system works.
The fact is birth can take 22 hours. Doctors and hospitals do not have time for this. They want to get the show on the road. That means pitocin. Then you speed along and the contractions are too strong and you need an epidural. Then that slows the birth down and you need more pitocin. Get it? Once they intervene it's a vicious cycle.
It also talked about the infant birth mortality rate being very high in the US! Scary! In Europe home births are way more popular, here they are only about 1% of births.
This really opened my eyes I must say! I don't know if I'll use a midwife next time, but I will be much more bossy with my doctor!
It's available on netflix to rent if you like!
What do you guys think about the whole midwife thing?
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A friend of mine gave birth to a little girl last month and had a midwife. She was in labor for a lot longer then most women are but like you said, that's because she wasn't in a hospital. She enjoyed the experience and said she will do it again and again - if she has more children.
Personally, I had a great birth experience and it was in a hospital. And our hospital gave you the option to go with a midwife but for some reason, I didn't. I brought up having the baby at home once and was quickly shut down out of fear and 'who's gonna clean up the entire mess afterwards?' deal
I used a midwife with R...LOVED it. However I did use her in a hospital.
My labor was LONG, the pushing went on for 3 hours and many people told me that I would have ended up with C section without a midwife (she never left my side.
I thought it was the best of both worlds, the safety of the hospital, but the personal touch of a midwife.
They also treat the pregnancy more holistically, which I loved.
I used a mixed practice for G's birth, with midwives and OBs.
I live in upstate NY and a lot of women use midwives but they deliver at hospitals. I really wanted a female doctor so that's who I use and I love her but I have seen the midwives occasionally and they have been great. In my opinion they are much more patient centered than the doctors and they spend more time with you.
Being married to an OB/GYN I have to say I tend to lean towards a hospital delivery with or wothout a midwife. It's just a good idea to have a doctor and an OR near by...just in case! Home births do not always have happy endings. Being in a hosital with a midwife could be the best of both worlds. My husband's hospital has 4 midwives on staff.
This creeps me out! How will I know if they are really trying to rush me or if I really need the pitocin?
I would love to tell the story of my 1st baby's birth...it's too sad and nasty...I wish that I had a midwife 25 years ago to give me some motherly advice, if not any thing else. What happened to me with daughter 25 years ago...is still a medical issue that I deal with daily. Blah, blah, blah, sorry this a sad comment but it is the truth!
PS...I commented to Pigtails and Pacifiers. I'm sure she is super busy, have not heard back from her. Hope I didn't break the rules...xoxo
Damm...my comment didn't go through! Now I've got to remeber what I said and try to repost ir!
My first hospital birth withan OB was great. The second time around, the doctor wouldn't put his coffee down long enough to learn how to pronounce my name correctly. And wouldn't let me get off my back to find a more comfortable position. Should we have more kids, I will certainly consider a midwife. I don't think a homebirth is for me, but if the AMA gets it;s way, homebirth and midwifery will soon be illegal. And I think that's a damn shame, because women have the brains to make the decisions for themselves.
My first hospital birth withan OB was great. The second time around, the doctor wouldn't put his coffee down long enough to learn how to pronounce my name correctly. And wouldn't let me get off my back to find a more comfortable position. Should we have more kids, I will certainly consider a midwife. I don't think a homebirth is for me, but if the AMA gets it;s way, homebirth and midwifery will soon be illegal. And I think that's a damn shame, because women have the brains to make the decisions for themselves.
I love me some pitocin and epidurals. To each her own, but I like the doctors and hospitals.
It is so different in USA to rest of the world. Most of my friends had home births (in NZ) I had to have a C-section, but I think I would still choose to be in hospital. I had a lovely midwife (as well as OB) who was very into natural childbirth - no interventions.
I know someone who used a midwife at the hospital and loved the experience. I think that might be the best of both worlds. There are so many variables with a home birth.
I had four births at home with a lay midwife, who mostly works with the Amish. My labors ranged from 14 hrs to 3 days and with two of them, I was 42 weeks. My babies were all beautiful and I had no tears.
Have no fear - the midwife cleans up everything and tucks you into a clean bed. Friends bring food - it's wonderful to be at home.
I totally agree that you should be very bossy with your doctor and question/understand the decisions s/he makes for you. I am very confident in the competence of the 2 OB's I had for both of my labor/deliveries but I have some girlfriends who have had some not so great experiences. For example, at my girlfriend's baby shower, she was telling everyone how she was most likely going to have a c-section because that was going to be easier and she was going to have a huge baby. She didn't understand or realize why that may not be in her best interest (longer/harder recovery and greater risk of infection). But a scheduled c-section worked very nicely into her doctor's schedule. There is something to be said about waiting until you actually go into labor...on your own!
I had hired a doula to help with the whole birthing process, but we were in a hospital. I ended up getting induced, and have a horrible birth experience. I found out later that this may of had a lot to do with my doctor than anything else. i will definitely have to rent this movie!
This movie changed my way of thinking, too. I think it is our responsibility as mothers to educate ourselves on all of our options so that we are able to make the best decision regarding our specific pregnancy.
I ADORE the midwife who delivered my daughter. However, I delivered in a hospital, with other medical resources available, and would NEVER do it any other way. The support and "philosophy" of my midwives, as well as the emowering experience and labor it allowed me to have are priceless. However, the care both my daughter and I received after some minor complications would have only been available to us in a hospital which supports and works closely with midwives, surgeons, and neonatologists. For me, this is the best of both worlds.
I had both of my boys in the hospital. With my first my labor was "taking too long" so they broke my water and started pitocin at 1:00pm. I was trying to avoid the epidural but by 7pm and 7 centimeters even my husband was scared of the pain I was enduring. I had the epidural and had the baby an hour later.
My second, I waited before I went to the hospital...almost too long. We arrived at the hospital at 10:00am and the baby was born at 10:40. There was no time for an epidural and honestly, without the pitocin I did not need one. The last 20 minutes was painful but not near as bad as the labor with pitocin.
From my experience, what you say this movie points out is very true. I would not be comfortable birthing at home since I live in Rural USA. I like knowing the hospital staff is there in case of an emergency.
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