A friend sent me this article: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-block24-2008dec24,0,102434.story
Having given birth to 6 children, 4 of them in a hospital setting and 2 at home with a midwife in attendance, I can say with absolute certainty that I would never choose a hospital birth again unless there was a clear medical necessity. It's not about being brave (giving birth sans drugs hurts like a mofo!), it's about making choices that are in the best interests of me, my family, and my baby. And OB/GYN care just can't compare to midwifery care. All my prenatal appointments took place in my home, my midwife got to know all of my other kids and husband, and by the time I was in labor, it was like having a friend here with us - in fact, we have become friends. My homebirths definitely left me feeling more positive and fulfilled about the birth experience than any of my hospital births.
But aside from how happy I was with the experience, there is no denying that my homebirths cost a fraction of what my hospital births did, and I received better, more personalized care from my midwife than I ever did from an OB. And after having had to fight the doctors off of me with their scalpels for the birth of my twins, I have no doubt that Lilah's birth would have ended up a c-section after a week of prodromal labor had she been born in a hospital. I shudder to think how things would have gone with Finn had he been born in a hospital - he would have been whisked away from me the moment they suspected Down syndrome.
I'm Moving - Please Follow Me!
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I'm calling it quits. Sort of.
When I started this blog a couple years ago, I envisioned a group of
friends sitting over virtual cups of coffee and tattere...
13 years ago
3 comments:
I agree,birth in America is sorely in need of an overhaul. I had a midwife deliver my 2nd, but then she left our area because of the way she was treated by the hospital staff. Of my 3 girls that will always be my favorite birth.
I disagree. No matter what, hospital births are lot safer. I opted for a hospital over a midwife or a home birth.
Yes loving mama, birth choices are in need of a overhaul. Not the hospital births, the dangerous home and midwife led births should not be recommended.
I would choose hospital birth in a heartbeat- yes I would.
Thara, I think you are expressing an emotional response. Can you back up what you're saying with actual facts and statistics that show that home birth is dangerous or that hospital births are safer and have better outcomes than home births? I understand that home birth isn't for everyone, but it IS a viable, valid choice, and one shouldn't assume that a mother who chooses home birth is being reckless or ignorant.
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