Angela!

sara~b · #1 February 2nd, 2010, 07:16 PM

Happy 6 month birthday to London!

I was just rereading your birth story and after watching a couple birthing videos and reading your story again i was wondering more about the logistics of homebirth. I'm pretty sure I'm still going to the hospital but I wonder if I changed my mind what I would have to do? I have a midwife practice I could switch to close. I can't do a birth center because there isn't one close and it isn't covered by insurance. So it's either hospital or home birth for me! So can you tell me more about how you set up a HB?!

~*sierra*~ · #2 February 3rd, 2010, 08:16 AM

i know ur not asking me but i just wanted to mention that its very hard to get in with a midwife here since they will only take on a certain number of due dates every month. they're with u the whole birth so its not like a doc who just comes in to catch the baby, so it makes it harder to get a midwife than an ob. now that's here, and both are part of socialized health care so it might be diff in the states.

sara~b · #3 February 3rd, 2010, 08:35 AM

Sarah, thanks. I talked to the midwives and they wanted my 'high risk' label gone before they would take me on. Now that I'm cleared I could easily switch over. I'm just thinking about it because I don't think my OB will advocate for NCB for me and I'm not sure how Shane will be about standing up for me at that time. He's a great guy but not a lot of backbone when it comes to authority figures. I think I might give the midwives a call this week and see about getting in now.

Mars · #4 February 3rd, 2010, 08:38 AM

Good luck!

~*sierra*~ · #5 February 3rd, 2010, 09:48 AM

that would be great to switch to a midwife! i love that they already said you could get in, thats amazing. i think women are like fighting tooth and nail to get into midwives here. the care is just so different than ob care, its great! does this midwif do hospital births too? here all midwives have to do hospital and home births i believe.

sara~b · #6 February 3rd, 2010, 10:12 AM

These midwives are associated with my current OB's practice. They will deliver at the same hospital this OB does so nothing will change except that I might decide to try a homebirth. I'm kind of curious to learn more now that I've been doing some research and reading some stories. Since I already had one pretty quick and easy delivery I would really like to give it some serious thought.

szczepanski · #7 February 3rd, 2010, 10:41 AM

I go to a midwife group and I loooooooooooooooove it. There is one OB that "oversees" all the midwives, but the midwives are all amazing. The level of care is just outstanding. I wanted to do a homebirth, but my DH kept flip flopping on how comfortable he was with it (totally understandable) so I am having a hospital birth at the smaller hospital here - with no IVs, etc. So it'll be a lot less invasive. Plus when he sees how easy this birth goes I will get one next time.

sara~b · #8 February 3rd, 2010, 11:06 AM

I'm thinking I want to do a hospital birth with a midwife. The hospital I would deliver at has birthing tubs and all kinds of nice stuff. I really want to have no IV, no drugs, no episiotomy, no after birth vaxes or eye ointment. I think I will allow the vitamin K shot. And I really want to use the tub this time! They wouldn't let me last time because they had already broken my water! I was so mad that they didn't tell me I couldn't use the tub after they broke my water! I want to just let it happen on its own this time.

soImarriedAnerd · #9 February 3rd, 2010, 02:21 PM

Sorry I just saw this! Thanks for the 6 month b-day wishes...I can't believe he is getting so big

I love talking Homebirths....what do you want to know

sara~b · #10 February 3rd, 2010, 02:32 PM

I just want to know the logistics. How did you get started setting it up? What did you need? How long did it take to plan? How much did everything cost? What were your contingency plans in case of emergency? What were the websites that you visited for research? What websites did you use for timing contractions and your birth blog? etc etc etc? LOL. I don't even know where to start asking questions!

soImarriedAnerd · #11 February 3rd, 2010, 03:18 PM

How did you get started setting it up? I just found a m/w who would take me as a client and she guided me through everything step by step...it was really easy.

What did you need? Every M/w has their own list here was mine- Gentle Birth Care.com

How long did it take to plan? Honestly once I found the m/w it took me about 2 hrs to buy the supplies.

How much did everything cost? $4000 was the bill for all the prenatal care/homebirth/postpartum care and london's first physical apt. The supplies were about $200 (the above plus I rented a tub for $100 through the m/w) My insurance covered 90% of it all.

What were your contingency plans in case of emergency? YES. If we needed to go to the hospital the m/w would come with in a separate car to help the transition and stay till I was out of recovery so to help with BFing and stuff. We talked about and had a birthing plan for the hospital. We each had directions to the nearest hospital (two different routes just in case), plus my hospital bag was ready and car was over half full of gas at all times!

I had to have an apt with the Dr who would be our back up at that hospital just so he knew me and what I wanted,...this had to be in the third trimester. She had all the main drugs/equipment with her for an Emergency...so beside surgery she was covered. Plus I had Kyle to talk troy down if needed

What were the websites that you visited for research? LOL I have tons what exactly are you looking for? The homebirth board on JM is pretty good. Gentlebirth.org is a good general site.

What websites did you use for timing contractions and your birth blog? for contractions- Contraction Master: Your FREE, online contraction timing assistant!
For my blog I used Blogger.com

sara~b · #12 February 3rd, 2010, 04:31 PM

Thanks! I think I'll call the midwives tomorrow and see if I can even get in now first. Then I'm going to have to put some serious thought into what I want. I'm feeling more and more scared about being put under pressure in the hospital. I doubt that there's anyway I can convince the doctors and nurses to just leave me alone for the first few hours of labor!

Boy oh boy is there alot to think about!

soImarriedAnerd · #13 February 3rd, 2010, 08:53 PM

There is a great thread in the HB section of JM (its a sticky) of "how to convince DH" LOL If there is something you need more info on or that you think of please PM anytime...like I said--I LOVE talking Homebirths