OT Homebirthing was Time for Birthing

October 11, 2009

** Hi Susan,

As far as provisions in place for an emergency, I want to say that Mothering

Magazine did a great article in their most recent issue on

homebirth/freebirth (aka unassisted childbirth) that discusses this in more

depth. But, basically, your chances of having a spur of the moment

emergency, in a low risk pregnancy (and I'm ONLY referring to low risk

pregnancies, here) during the labor/birth are far less than you having an

emergency while taking a bath in your bathtub at home. I don't have any

provisions in place for an emergency there either. Nor do I when I'm driving

my car (did you know in Israel that more people have died on the road than

in all the wars combined?! And CERTAINLY astronomically more than have had

complications of an emergency nature in labor/birth in a low risk

pregnancy). Basically, I would do what anyone would do in an emergency,

which is call an ambulence and get to the nearest hospital.

Of course, I feel that by having a homebirth, this in and of itself is

taking provisions for potential emergency situations, as the British

Governement/Ministry of Health recently came out with a study stating that

it is SAFER (in a low risk pregnancy) to have a homebirth than a hospital

birth. I saved the link to the study, but can't seem to find it right now,

but it should be easy enough to google. I think the study was done within

the past 5 years. And they aren't alone. There are several countries (I

think Denmark is one, but don't quote me on that!) that have rather high

rates of homebirth and it is covered by their respective socalized health

care systems because the governent has found that they save LOADS of money

in low risk pregnancies by having mothers birth at home where they are safer

and less likely to need addional " emergency " care.

Also, women who birth in a hospital are much more likely to have all sorts

of interventions, including induction, C-Section, forcepts delivery,

illnesses caused by germs in the hospital, medication reactions, etc... and

the side effects of many of these include death to either the mother or the

baby or both. By simply being out of the hospital, my chances of survival

and my baby's chances of survival (in a low risk pregnancy) are much, MUCH

higher. Dr. Robert Mendelsohn and many, MANY others have written extensively

on the dangers of hospital birth in a low risk (or even moderately risked,

depending on the risk of course) pregnancy. I mention Dr. Mendelsohn because

I believe his MalePractice and How to Have a Health Child in Spite of Your

Doctor books (as well as his other books) should be required reading!!

Furthermore, I have taken the liberty of hiring a midwife, who is a

professional trained to recognize any red flags or danger signs that might

necessitate a transfer to a hospital or might cause the pregnancy to become

" high risk " along the way. I also chose to educate myself about any issues

that may come up in the pregnancy or birth experience that are abnormal or

signs that some additional help might be needed. Of course I would need to

weigh out the need for help vs the danger of setting foot into a hospital

during such a physically and emotionally vulernable time. I don't really

consider doing this extra " work " or investigation much of a bother, since I

like to be an informed consumer, anyways, and since I make it a habit to

take personal responsibility for my health and my health care options. It

just kind of goes along with the territory, I guess.

And, on a personal note, I've had 3 births. My first was a hospital birth

with a privately hired midwife. I ended up induced with a 20+ hour labor. I

was on all sorts of drugs (short of an epidural) and then had an emergency

C-section called before I pushed my daughter out naturally and vaginally on

the table on the way to the operating room. Then my midwife yanked the

placenta out of my uterus and I hemmoraged for 3 months. The hospital didn't

even know that I had been hemmoraging.

My second birth was a homebirth. My labor began spontaneously (so did my

other labor, but it stopped the second I got to the hospital, which is a

common phenomonon in a birthing woman, if she feels unsafe, as many do in a

hospital, her labor will actually stop until she gets to a safe place again)

and lasted about 7 hours. I labored in my shower at home and birthed in my

living room, rays of sunrise filtering through the blinds in the window

mingled with the flicker of candles, surrounded by essential oils and herbs

and a loving and caring midwife and husband and our daughter sleeping

peacefully in the next room of our apartment. I bled for about 2 weeks,

without clots or other complications. And had a great birth experience.

My third birth was a miscarriage. Many women are advised to go to a hospital

to have ultrasounds, bloodtests and perhaps a D & C. I stayed home and let

nature take it's course. I had contractions, bleeding, and the whole

unfortunate situation unravel in the comfort of my own home. I was able to

treat my pain with Valerian tincture. My children were by my side, and also

were able to share their pain with me at loosing a sibling, without having

me dissappear on them to for tests and surgeries. The family wasn't torn

apart (either I would have had to go to the hospital alone or leave my two

little children with a baby sitter during this particularly traumatic time

for them...and all of us). We remained intact and went through it together.

I had this birth alone, without the help of any sort of medical professional

or health care provider, but I did take it upon myself to consult with a few

as well as gather information about how a normal miscarriage should proceed

and I was prepared to seek help should the need arise. It never did. Later I

heard all kinds of horror stories about women going to hospitals, recovering

from surgery (D & C) and having complications, needing to be kept under

" observation " for days, etc... For me, I had the comforts of home, a relaxed

environment, I was able to sleep (with the lights OFF) without interruption

for constant vitals checks, etc... As far as a miscarriage goes, it was a

" good " experience.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to briefly share a little about

homebirth with the group.

Rivkah

okay, time for birthing....

</message/55678;_ylc=X3oDMTJyNmU3c3V\

uBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzIwNzA5MzYEZ3Jwc3BJZAMxNzA1MTYyMzk3BG1zZ0lkAzU1Njc4BHN\

lYwNkbXNnBHNsawN2bXNnBHN0aW1lAzEyNTUyNTY5ODQ->

Posted

by: " SusanP " ripple95

<ripple95?Subject=+Re%3Aokay%2C%20time%20for%20birthing%2E%2E%2E%2E>

lucy100204 <http://profiles./lucy100204> Sat Oct 10, 2009 7:03 am

(PDT)

Hi, I'm so curious about this I have to ask although it is off topic of the

herbs/aromatherapy question. Regarding home births, do you have any

provisions in place for an emergency that may arise? I have 4 who were all

born in hospitals and originally the thought of homebirth was very appealing

but the thought of something happening and needing emergency care scared me

too much to seriously consider it. Susan

<%40>,

" rivkah511 " <j.rivkah wrote:

>

> well, not quite. I'm a little over halfway through the pregnancy. This

will be my 3rd. Our second was a lovely homebirth. We plan on doing the same

for this one. But right now, I'm trying to get my herbal and aroma therepy

kit together for the birth (and anything else I might need, for that

matter). My midwife will have some things in her birth kit for emergencies

(like the cohashes, shepards purse, angelica and maybe even

birthroot/bethroot) but I'd like to have some supplies on hand that I will

have a good chance of actually using and using again long after birth (on a

budget!) So, here is what I was thinking...perhaps some of you could comment

to what you would add or subtract from the list and why.

>

> Thanks everybody.

>

> Rivkah

>

> Herbal Tincture:

> Skullcap

> Valerian

> Motherwort

>

> EO:

> St. John's Wort (do any of you carry this?!)

> Clary Sage

> Lavendar

> Chamomile

> Etrog (Citron...again, do any of you carry this?)

>

> Homeopathy:

> Arnica

> Hypericum 30c (if I can't find the st. johns wort eo)

> Aconite

>

> I want to add for those in the know about homeopathy, my friend recommends

taking a mix of:

>

> cimicifuga 12c

> caulophyllum 12c

> arnica 12c or 30c

>

> each one one day per week (not on the same day, spreading them out) for a

fast an easy labor. Homeopathy isn't exactly my thing...I've seen it do

wonders. I've also seen it not work at all. But what do you think?

--

J.Rivkah: American/Israeli

Theatre Director and Student of Medicine.

October 13, 2009

Hi, I'm sure this isn't a topic we want to linger on too long so I would just

like to relate my experience and why I question the home birth method. I also

respect the idea of anyone who wants to home birth and wish them all the luck

there is. I always had perfect, uncomplicated pregnancies. However, with my

third, my water broke and his heartrate sank to almost zero. I had an emergency

c-section and he was born in less then 7 minutes of is heartrate tanking (no

ambulance would help this situation) The only way this was known was because I

was hooked up to a fetal monitor (which had shown a perfect heartbeat for an

hour up to this point). Had I been anywhere but hooked up to that monitor, no

one would have known his heartrate was sinking and he would have been stillborn.

Of course, I was in the right place at the right time, thank God. My water could

have broke in the grocery store and I eventually would have made my way to the

hospital with sad results. BUT had I been home birthing and this happened

because I thought an uncomplicated birth would most likely result in a

relatively safe delivery I would have truly never forgiven myself for not taking

advantage of the access to the best medical care in the world, even with its

faults. I know that the hospital stay itself after the birth, or surgery or

whatever is a risky option due to the chances of infection, etc. but for the

initial procedure I am greatful for my good fortune. Best to everyone who

chooses the more natural route. Susan

October 15, 2009

Hi Susan,

We love talking about birth of all kinds here, esp. homebirth type things In

the end a happy healthy baby and mama is the result we all want no matter where

that rite of passage experience they have together takes place and I'm surely

glad your little one was some place that he had what he needed when he needed it

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

, " SusanP " <ripple95 wrote:

>

> Hi, I'm sure this isn't a topic we want to linger on too long so I would just