Carmen
Junior Member
Posts: 57
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Post by Carmen on Apr 21, 2005 21:53:47 GMT -5
I've noticed several homebirth mama's on the intro page and wanted to say "Hi!" My son was born at home last September and it was the most amazing, beautiful, peaceful experience. He was born into the water in my bathroom tub. My daughter was born in a hospital and although I was attended by a midwife, it was nothing like being in the comfort and security of my own home. All of our future children will be born at home (barring any medical issues, of course). I really have a passion for childbirth and for teaching women that it is not something to be afraid of. I'm currently in child birth education training through Birthworks www.birthworks.com and am planning to start working part time as a midwife assistant when my son is no longer nursing so much, probably in a year or so. I can't wait!
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Post by strivingforpr31 on Apr 22, 2005 15:43:11 GMT -5
Hi Carmen! I love homebirth as well. I have no hospital births to compare to though. My first birth was a "land" birth and the rest water. We usually use a 150 gallon stock tank which is so deep when filled. I can completely submerge and float if I want and if I sit on the bottom the water level is at my neck. Very nice. My upcoming birth (in about 3 weeks) is the first that we plan to have the children at. I'm a little nervous about that, but we've invited an extra adult to tend to their needs so Dad can tend to mine and also to take them out of the room if I need that. I'd like them to at least see the baby being delivered. I think they would be fascinated.
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Carmen
Junior Member
Posts: 57
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Post by Carmen on Apr 22, 2005 20:44:04 GMT -5
Wow! Where did you find that tank? Where do you set it up? It would be so awesome to have something so deep. We are building a new house and the tub there is not going to be as big or deep as the big garden tub that we have here, so I will probably have to rent a tub (or tank) for my next birth.
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Post by blessed2Bmama on Apr 23, 2005 10:44:49 GMT -5
Carmen,
I've had two homebirths so far and hope to have all our future children at home, too! (barring any complications)
I hope to someday become a midwife or a doula, in God's perfect time!
Do you live near a Tractor Supply store? You can get stock tanks there or at any farm supply store. I labored in a 150 gallon stock tank with my first labor and it was wonderful! With the second we just used a little kiddie pool. It wasn't nearly as nice.
I look foward to getting to know you other homebirthin' mamas!
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Post by strivingforpr31 on Apr 23, 2005 11:39:40 GMT -5
Yep, any local feed store should carry a stock tank. They are nice because they have a drain on the side down real low to hook a hose to. Makes it easy.
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Carmen
Junior Member
Posts: 57
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Post by Carmen on Apr 23, 2005 15:12:54 GMT -5
Oh yeah. There are several of those types of store around here. I will have to remember this next time I am pregnant...which probably won't be for a few more years. Blessed2BMama--I, too, have aspirations to become a midwife in the very distant future. The profession is extremely taxing both emotionally and physically though so it will not be until my children are grown. I do know of midwives with young families at home and it is very difficult to say the least. DH and I have talked about it and decided that I will start studying when our youngest starts high school. Considering that we only have 2 children right now and would like to have at least 2 more, it will be a long long time before that happens. That's why I'm doing the childbirth education thing right now. It is something I can do that will not interfere with my family life. I will only have to commit one evening a week or Sat morning. When DS cuts down on his nursing (I don't say wean b/c that may still be a few years away) I am going to start working once or twice a week in a midwife's office. She does the training for her assistants herself, but I will have to take a course or two at the community college to learn to draw blood, do blood pressure check, etc. I will get to attend a couple births a month as well as do the first part of the prenatals...weights, bp, questionairre, etc. I am getting so excited just writing about it here . I never planned to work while my children were young, but this is something that I really really want to do.
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ruth
New Member
Posts: 8
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Post by ruth on Apr 25, 2005 22:41:58 GMT -5
Hi. I'm a home birther also. First two were c-sections, and the next 6 were born at home. I am due with my ninth in a couple of months.
I was told I would never deliver anything over 6 or 7 pounds, and my homebirths have ranged from 8-8 to 10-8!
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Carmen
Junior Member
Posts: 57
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Post by Carmen on Apr 28, 2005 13:03:33 GMT -5
Hi Ruth,
I have a dear friend who has had 2 c-sections and desperately want a vaginal birth next time around. Of course, no doctor or hospital will agree to a vba2c, she has talked to many. Most midwives around here won't even take her on as a patient. She has found 1 midwife who says *maybe* if her backup doctor approves her. She has considered unassisted birth, but has fears of the unknown. I'm going to tell her about you here and maybe you two can connect as she really needs some encouragement that it IS possible. Everyone else she has spoken to has been so negative about the possibility of having a vaginal birth after 2 surgical births.
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Post by blessed2Bmama on Apr 28, 2005 15:37:45 GMT -5
Carmen and Ruth,
My aunt had 4 c-sections in a row with her first four children. Her husband, my uncle, had a vasectomy and then a reversal. They had four more children all naturally. They were not homebirths but they could have been. I think it is very feasible to have safe homebirths after c-sections.
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Post by DaiseyMama on Apr 29, 2005 13:53:58 GMT -5
Hi ! I am a home-birther , too. I've had both boys at home. An 8 pounder and a 10 pounder. I'm hoping that eating well this time around will afford me another 8 pounder instead of a 2nd 10 pounder. LOL ;D I would LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to water birth. It sounds really fantastic. I can water Labor....but I have heavy bleeding issues, so the midwives I've had strongly suggest that I not water birth so they can gague blood loss, etc. I also wanted to third or fourth the suggestion that regular birth after C-section is..almost quite normal. My mother had an emergency C-Section with baby number 4....then went on to have two more home births! So I know it's done all the time , everywhere. Oh, and about that big 'ole stock tank....ummm...I'd love to labor in one....but where would I put it? In my living room? I DO have wood floors so it's not like any carpet wold be in jepordy and also....if it's being filled with a water hose...is the water clean enough, and could I add grapfruit seed extract or something to disinfect the water.......then if being filed iwth the hose...... wouldn't that mean the water is ....COLD??? Ahhhhhhh I am a warm/hot water person, and can't stand cold water. I am sounding really picky aren't I? LOL Is there any way to heat up the water that goes in a tank or a pool ? Well, Thanks for the chat... Daisey
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Post by strivingforpr31 on Apr 29, 2005 15:01:44 GMT -5
Hi Daisey,
The stock tank really isn't that big. I'm using my midwife's and it's parked at the end of my bed in my small bedroom right now being ready to use in a couple weeks. Last time I birthed in the living room and it was very roomy. I put flannel backed vinyl tableclothes on the floor underneath the tub in case of drips.
You need to get a hot water hose and hook it to the hot water faucet behind your washing machine. At the onset of labor (or prior if you feel comfortable with it) you turn your hot water heater all the way up. Then when you fill your tub you fill it with hot only. By the time your hot water heater drains, cold water starts flowing in, and the tub is full enough the temperature ends up being just about 100 degrees which is perfect for the delivery of a baby. NO cold water. That would be miserable and terrible for the baby.
The water going through a clean hose should be clean. Although GSE couldn't hurt.
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Post by DaiseyMama on Apr 29, 2005 15:51:16 GMT -5
Oh Wow thanks!! What helpful information. It would have never occured to me. Looking forward to a tank full of water. I've heard it's remarkable for cutting down on pain.
Blessings!
Kirstin
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Post by strivingforpr31 on Apr 30, 2005 0:28:05 GMT -5
Water is absolutely AWESOME for pain!
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Post by stackeyha on May 13, 2005 6:16:48 GMT -5
Okay, I am officially NOT allowed to play on this thread.
I SO want a homebirth, but due to various things my dh has requested that I stop asking...<POUT>
We had planned a homebirth with my first but having never done it before we ended up being frightened into some things because the baby was big (9lb 3oz) and because my water broke at 1am and I didn't sleep again but my labor didn't start until 5pm so by midnight I was SOOO tired...and then there was the fact that my midwife had been up all night the night before delivering a baby...anyway, long story short, I transfered to a hospital where my midwife did not have priveledges (hmm, why? I don't know, her hospital was only about 3 min farther down the road) and having an epidural and finally delivering my very healthy girl after being threatened with c-section 4 or 5 times.
My second ended up being in the hospital because we were in the process of moving from California to Texas and I really wasn't sure that I'd have a home to birth in (it wasn't finished yet)...so I found a midwife (that I love and am using this time by the way) but she only delivers in the hospital...in comparison my second birth experience was a million billion times better and that is really why my dh says, "you know what, you liked the mw and most of the nursing staff...let's not rock the boat, eh?"
But I'm getting to the end here with new concerns this time...
I've got REALLY sensitive blood sugar and some super goofy preservative allergies...I don't want to be stuck in the hospital with their food and their "juice" for any amount of time...
I've got 2 kids that have had bad reactions to vaccines and so I have every intention of telling them we are delaying (well, delaying forever, but they don't have to know that part) but what if...you know?...This could be the kid that is seriously injured because someone didn't take my word for it...waiver or not.
And then there is the fact that my 2nd baby was 9lbs 8oz and had low blood sugar which I KNOW was caused by my 15 hour labor with nothing to eat but "clear fluids" which consisted of cranberry juice and water...no broth in sight which might have been the better choice...and the fact that one nurse (she really was the only nasty one) snatched Becky from my breast (I was actively nursing) to go give her formula...irks me to this minute...my girlie spit it back out at her so she had to give her back so that I could bring her blood sugar up my way, so praise the lord...but what if it happens again.
Anyway...hmmmph! Maybe I'll get one of those births you hear about that mom didn't even know she was in labor and thought she had to go potty so sat down and whoops there was the head. Here's praying!!!
I love your stories. Stack
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Post by DaiseyMama on May 13, 2005 11:29:12 GMT -5
Oh, Stack..Sorry for your experiences...but a midwife at the hospital has got to be so much better than nothing. I'm happy that you found her. And as for the baby snatching nurse. My Goodness..She needs to learn a thing or two. I'd have had trouble not raising alot of trouble over that. Why are nurses so...that way? Well, May you have an extremely blessed experience. I bet it will all go wonderfully. Love, Daisey
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