[Lash]

What are you actively planning? This thread will come up many times but I figured we should go ahead and have one now. Is anyone thinking about a birthcenter or homebirth?

We are high-risk and will be seeing a perinatologist potentially so I'm not sure if we will follow that perinatologist through to the hospital or switch to a birth center or home. I've wanted a home birth as long as I can remember and I've been reading about them for 6 years on JM and through friends stories!

[RUNNER25]

hospital, same one I had my first 2 at. I love my hospital. They just built a brand new birthing center wing, it was open 1 month when I went there to have my second son. I've had great experiences with the nurses too.

[L-SBB]

we'll be in a hospital b/c i'm also high risk and will be in care of a peri in addition to my OB. Due to the bloodthinners i'll be on entire pregnancy, it is also likely peri will want an induction plan in place, but i won't have that discussion until first consult with him (around ~12wks).

[LaceyMay2630]

We're planning a home birth We live seriously 2 minutes from the hospital just in case something goes wrong (and that makes DH feel better) but we're not a high risk so we shouldn't have to go there

I've seen some birthing centers and they are gorgeous! I hope you're able to get the birth you want Lash

[Lash]

Infertility is sometimes really frustrating because I feel like I have been a crunchy mom for so many years but infertility sticks you in the medical world sometimes at the high-risk level so trying to balance the two can be hard. Do I go to this high-risk doctor and then switch over to a midwife at some point? So confusing

[pickle0313]

Usually a midwife won't touch a pregnancy labeled as high-risk, but MOST will do a free consultation/interview with you, where you could meet with one, discuss your "high risk" status and they may decide that if it's only because of infertility to take you on, but I'm sure they'd want specifics before deciding...

As for me, I am not sure yet. While I would REALLY like a homebirth, insurance will cover if I go to the hospital & have the baby there. My first birth experience has me traumatized, even though my second was at a hospital with a midwife and was fantastic. Knowing that I will have an ob/gyn this time due to insurance reasons, I'm really dreading the whole labor & delivery so I've been trying to put it off as long as possible. Also, I'll have to switch drs when we move which also has me a tad bit hesitant to really make an effective "plan" since I can't really plan it with the dr I should be delivering with... So many factors. I've honestly been trying to not think about this part since I still have so long.... It just gets me anxious.

[TTC2907]

We'll deliver at a hospital!

[rachna]

A LOT of hospitals act as birthing centers and are very supportive of natural techniques. I had no issues going natural with my sons, the drs were 100% supportive of every choice I made, nothing was ever pushed on me


I am actually switching to a midwife and a new hospital this time because as supportive as my other one was, they do not do water births, and that is what I want this time.

I understand a bit, I was a NICU baby myself, and with my medical history need to give birth in a hospital. had my mother had a home birth with me, I would be dead. This being said I would LOVE to have a home birth. But psychologically I just cannot do it. So I feel safe going all natural but right in the hospital where if anything happens they are there and am I feet away from one of the top NICU's in the country.


I hope you find a place that meets your needs, that allows you to be your crunchy self and you can have the care you want. Interview practitioners and ask around.

[sweet.hun]

I have a midwife, but will deliver at a hospital here in town. I originally wanted to go to a birth center, but it's about an hour away and with all the things that could happen...I just don't think an hour away is ok for me. LOL. I've known a few women who made that drive just fine, but a few cut it really close and I don't really want to labor in a car for an hour. HEHE.

[L-SBB]

Originally Posted by Lash

Infertility is sometimes really frustrating because I feel like I have been a crunchy mom for so many years but infertility sticks you in the medical world sometimes at the high-risk level so trying to balance the two can be hard. Do I go to this high-risk doctor and then switch over to a midwife at some point? So confusing

Is there an additional medical concern the peri is going to assist you with? I agree btw with the high degree of medical intervention we end up with TTCMA (boo) but with my first (before my serious issue was identified) I saw a peri but only for a couple of appts (12wks + 20wks) as I was considered "higher, but not high risk" and then was discharged back to my OB....if you don't have further complications or underlying health issues that would cause them to track you more closely, i just wanted to offer you hope that you may end up discharged back to your OB/midwife, in which case you can (probably) have whatever type of birth you want.

[Lash]

We have a ton of issues, but the main two that would conplicate pregnancy are recurrent loss and a super misshaped uterus/polyps/fibroids. We had to have a septum removed and essentially had a total home makeover in my uterus. But much of that grows back and my surgeries were a few years ago

[RUNNER25]

I've had the same OB doctor since we started TTC in 2007. She has never delivered any of my babies! In my experience, the nurses are far more important in the labor process. I saw the delivering doctor for about 10 minutes while she delivered the baby and sewed me up. But my nurses were amazing!!!

[1st.time.mama333]

I'd love a homebirth, but we are 30 minutes from the hospital and that makes dh too nervous. So, I'll be having a hospital birth.

[L-SBB]

Originally Posted by Lash

We have a ton of issues, but the main two that would conplicate pregnancy are recurrent loss and a super misshaped uterus/polyps/fibroids. We had to have a septum removed and essentially had a total home makeover in my uterus. But much of that grows back and my surgeries were a few years ago

so the good news is the RPL won't likely keep you high risk unless you have an identified cause and assuming your losses were all 1st tri (it's a different situation if you've had later losses)...the uterine issues though might, you'll definitely have to explore/push on just how serious a risk the peri thinks that is when you get your first consult. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you - it'd be great to see you get to choose your birth instead of stuck in a hospital if that's not where you'd ideally like to be for it.

[KtKuKi]

I want a home birth, and was set on one with the baby I lost, but I've had a rough year, and I'm afraid I'll freak out...so for now, I'm not making a decision. If we had a birth center in St. Louis, I'd go there, but they've been trying for years to open one with no luck. I feel like deep down I'll do the home birth, I just need to get comfortable with it again. Maddie's birth was so traumatizing I just can't imagine going back to a hospital.

[livinglife06]

We will be going to to a hospital/birthing center. I've had natural labors there before and they do an excellent job on allowing you to labor on your own. Plus, I have my husband there in case anyone tries to get in my way hahaha

[amandabee]

I will be having my baby at a hospital because I have to have a c-section.

[mummy-juju]

It will be another hospital birth for me too. It's only a few minutes away, and they totally supported my plan to have a natural birth and breastfeed immediately after delivery the first time round. The nurses were great and so helpful last time too

[naalie]

With our daughter, we did a waterbirth at a freestanding birth center with a midwife. Long story short...there were some complications arising from the midwife not making the call to get help...I almost didn't make it. However, with all that happened...we plan on doing more research on our midwife we choose (more experienced) and we are planning on a home waterbirth.

[Irish_Wristwatch]

Planning another home birth