Home birth or Hospital birth

Contributor: 0letitgrow 0letitgrow
Simple question, for your births have you been at a hospital or at home?
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
All home births
5  (5%)
All hospital births
84  (88%)
I have tried both
7  (7%)
Total votes: 96
Poll is closed
05/14/2011
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Contributor: froggiemoma froggiemoma
all of mine where hospital births
05/14/2011
Contributor: Waterfall Waterfall
I have not had any children yet, however I have heard good things about home births which has me thinking about it. I am curious to see how this poll turns out.
05/14/2011
Contributor: Darling Jen Darling Jen
I haven't had children yet but when I do, I'll be aiming for a home birth or a birthing center. Unless I absolutely need to, I won't set foot in a hospital.
05/14/2011
Contributor: MaryExy MaryExy
My parents had my sister and I in a hospital. I haven't thought about where I'd give birth...
05/14/2011
Contributor: CAKES CAKES
Quote:
Originally posted by 0letitgrow
Simple question, for your births have you been at a hospital or at home?
so many things could go wrong, so its best to be somewhere well equipped to handle such problems
05/14/2011
Contributor: Judas Iscars Judas Iscars
Hospital birth.
05/14/2011
Contributor: Tuesday Tuesday
I really wanted to have my son at home but my husband was very nervous about that. I did talk to midwives who assist births at home. They told me that if my husband didn't want the baby born at home that his fear/nervousness would negatively affect the experience. They suggested I give birth in a hospital. So I did.

My only consolation about that is that my son's cord was over his shoulder so his heart rate was slowing down more than is desirable with each contraction. So I probably would have been moved to a hospital anyway.

A friend of mine had both of her sons at home. She says it was wonderful.
05/14/2011
Contributor: Lady Venus Lady Venus
Other?

I had 2 hospital births. In attempt of the third hospital birth, I didn't quite make it and had my baby on the side of the highway. It was definitely an experience.
05/14/2011
Contributor: wetone123 wetone123
Well, I had my baby in a small town hospital that obviously was not up to par. They left afterbirth inside me and I nearly died from that. So make sure you go to a competant hospital.
05/14/2011
Contributor: Choolz Choolz
Both of my boys were born in the hospital. While I have heard good things about having a home birth, I would never choose to do so just because you never know if there may be a complication. Plus, I'm a medical assistant so my opinion may be biased as I am for medicine, and hospital/doctor care. No doulas for me lol.
Of course there are instances when you can't make it to the hospital, in which case you hope for the best and do what you can.
05/14/2011
Contributor: Ratito Ratito
Quote:
Originally posted by CAKES
so many things could go wrong, so its best to be somewhere well equipped to handle such problems
Agreed.
05/14/2011
Contributor: Tuesday Tuesday
Quote:
Originally posted by Choolz
Both of my boys were born in the hospital. While I have heard good things about having a home birth, I would never choose to do so just because you never know if there may be a complication. Plus, I'm a medical assistant so my opinion may be ... more
Births will go more smoothly the more relaxed and comfortable the mother is. Ideally birth should happen where the mother feels most safe. For me, that's at home. Hospitals make me incredibly nervous. In the hospital I was being poked and prodded and having equipment attached to me constantly. Do this! Do that! Would you like something for pain? You look like you could use something for pain. How about some pain medicine? It was incredibly annoying. I guarantee you it didn't improve my mental state.

A good home midwife can listen to the baby's heartbeat during contractions and watch for other signs to make sure the woman is moved to a hospital if there's any cause for concern. Plus if you have risk factors they won't allow you to give birth at home.

Plus I'm always skeptical when someone says they needed a C-section and thank god they were in a hospital. I know that many are unnecessary. I asked my Dr how close I was to having a C-section and he said that most doctors would have sectioned me but he saw signs that things would turn out ok so he let me deliver vaginally. And my son is fine. I know that if I had been sectioned, my husband would be one of the people exclaiming about how lucky we were that I was in a hospital.

I'm not trying to say home birth is for everyone. I just wish it had been in the cards for me.
05/14/2011
Contributor: Waterfall Waterfall
Quote:
Originally posted by wetone123
Well, I had my baby in a small town hospital that obviously was not up to par. They left afterbirth inside me and I nearly died from that. So make sure you go to a competant hospital.
That sounds very scary!
05/14/2011
Contributor: wetone123 wetone123
Quote:
Originally posted by Waterfall
That sounds very scary!
It was. It was almost a year later when I passed out on the sidewalk in another town that I found out about it. The Drs. said the infection from the afterbirth had spread all thru my female parts. They said that many women die from afterbirth being left inside them. They could not tell me if I was still able to bear children after that, but it terrified me so much that I made sure that I would not get pregnant again. I have always had terrible periods since then. I'm now going thru menopause. I really do not trust hospitals much now. Wish I had home birthed. I feel that if I had, all of that would not have happened to me. Of course, like I said it was a very small town hospital, but thats really no excuse for their incompetence.
05/14/2011
Contributor: SapphirexIce SapphirexIce
I did a hospital birth with a epidural! awesome!!
05/14/2011
Contributor: kelaaa33wish kelaaa33wish
My boys were born in the hosp. I would be scared to do it at home.
05/14/2011
Contributor: K101 K101
I voted hospital birth because with both of my pregnancies I planned on hosp. births, but unfortunately, I miscarried both times and cannot have children now.
05/16/2011
Contributor: Miss Anonymous Miss Anonymous
Never gave birth but i'd always to it in a hospial, just incase something happends
05/22/2011
Contributor: Linga Linga
I've only had one and he was born in the hospital. If I were going to have a second it would be where the drugs are at, I'm sorry... Childbirth is an other worldly pain and I never ever want to try it drug free.
05/22/2011
Contributor: Chilipepper Chilipepper
My mother is a certified midwife and registered nurse, and had home-delivered scores of babies over the past forty years. She always recognized when something was wrong and got the hospital involved when necessary (which was only once), and firmly believes in natural birth.

Ironically, both my brother and I were born in a hospital - as she had an infection towards the end of my gestation and she had complications during my brother's birth. However, she did go without painkillers and delivered both of us vaginally; she had a very understanding OB doc who respected her principles.

As I plan on not having children, I never gave the home vs. hospital debate much thought.
05/22/2011
Contributor: wetone123 wetone123
Quote:
Originally posted by Chilipepper
My mother is a certified midwife and registered nurse, and had home-delivered scores of babies over the past forty years. She always recognized when something was wrong and got the hospital involved when necessary (which was only once), and firmly ... more
Wish she had delivered my child!
05/22/2011
Contributor: Chilipepper Chilipepper
Quote:
Originally posted by wetone123
Wish she had delivered my child!
She became a midwife because she and dad were thinking of joining a commune - it would have been her contribution. Then Life got in the way and my hippie parents never did, so mom was an RN who midwived on the side.
05/22/2011
Contributor: ss143 ss143
Both my boys were born in the hospital -both were c-sections unfortunately.
My first I planned in the hospital and was going to go as natural as I could but being a week overdue and failed induction ended up with a c-section that's when they found out my uterus is super thin so any other babies would have to be c-section to prevent rupturing so our second son was a planned c-section. It crushed me that I couldn't have a natural child birth or attempt a home birth but the important thing is they are safe and healthy
05/22/2011
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by 0letitgrow
Simple question, for your births have you been at a hospital or at home?
I would have loved to have home births. But, I have a constricted pelvis, and home birth would have been very dangerous for me. I tried vaginal births for my first two kids, and after very long labors (56 hours of labor and 3+ hours of pushing) with the first baby and about half that for the second and ending up with a C Section both times anyway, I am pretty sure I would not be capable of vaginal birth.

When I became pregnant with my third child, when my oldest was in her early teens, we decided to schedule a C Section. With my health and the constricted pelvis it would have been not good idea to try an other vaginal birth.

I would loved to have a vaginal birth or a home birth. So many of my friends have had them. Only a few needed to be transported for C Sections or procedures. If things were different I would have had home births.
05/22/2011
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by CAKES
so many things could go wrong, so its best to be somewhere well equipped to handle such problems
I'm a Lactation Consultant and have worked as a Doula and a nurse. I have many friends and clients who have had home births. IF you live fairly close to a hospital, and you need transport for an emergency during a home birth, I can assure you; you will be in the OR more quickly when transported from a home birth, if necessary, than you would if you were down the hall in labor IN the hospital. Hospitals take home birth emergencies (which are rare) very seriously, and I have NEVER seen a women brought into an Operating Room faster than when she comes in with fetal distress or bleeding or other rare problems from a home birth transport situation.

And, especially if you have a home birth and your labor has not been interfered with (which happens in about 97% or so of ALL hospital births and causes issues that would not have occurred) there is not "a lot" that can "go wrong." The human body usually births babies properly. Most women if left alone and not messed with during labor will have no problems. I have SO many friends who have had home births and only a few had interventions and/or transports. In over 20 years, I have only seen one tragedy that could have been prevented. But, this woman should have been transported sooner, and she made the poor decision that avoiding a C Section was more important than her child's life. THIS is very rare, and this entire family is a bit nutty about this stuff. They are not an indication of home birthing women.

The very fact that often in hospitals happen just so the staff feels they will have something to do is disgusting. The chances of a hospital causing a problem with an otherwise healthy labor is MORE common than issues happening spontaneously. The USA has some of the worst birth outcomes in any developed country.

There will always be women who do better with intense medical intervention during labor (like me) but these women are far and few. Most of the time, labor works! Especially if the woman isn't bothered and given drugs and attached to machines etc.

Most of the time, leaving a woman, carefully watched, to labor in a healthy way with NO intervention results in the most healthy births. The female body was made to give birth. It nearly always works.
05/22/2011
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by wetone123
It was. It was almost a year later when I passed out on the sidewalk in another town that I found out about it. The Drs. said the infection from the afterbirth had spread all thru my female parts. They said that many women die from afterbirth being ... more
Your placenta was left in your body for a year? WTF were they doing? A placenta is expected after birth. Even small hospitals have people who watch for that.

What a horrible experience. Were you unable to make milk? Usually when even a small bit of placenta is left in the body, it prevents the proper cascade of events which causes lactation from occurring.

I'm sorry this happened to you. A competent midwife or competent doctor would have never let this happen.
05/22/2011
Contributor: Misfit Momma Misfit Momma
My babies were all born in the hospital, mainly because I didn't want to be the one to clean up after myself

I regret the first 2 births, because I was made to feel that an epidural was a must and ended up getting an episiotomy with both as well.

I had my youngest 2 naturally, but it was probably a good thing I was at the hospital. About an hour after my now 6 year old was born, I started bleeding heavily. Soaking through a pad in less than a minute kind of heavy. It just so happened that the pediatrician had come in to meet my baby for the first time right at that moment and called for help after I walked out of the bathroom and bled all over the floor before I made it to the bed. With my 2 year old, the cord broke and for some reason I couldn't push the after birth out and had to be sedated so the Dr could get everything out. The positive side of these two experiences is that I had very light bleeding in the weeks after birth, since most of it came out right away!
05/22/2011
Contributor: Darling Jen Darling Jen
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
I'm a Lactation Consultant and have worked as a Doula and a nurse. I have many friends and clients who have had home births. IF you live fairly close to a hospital, and you need transport for an emergency during a home birth, I can assure you; ... more
Ditto to everything P'Gell said. I am a huge advocate for natural, outside-of-hospital birthing. So instead of reiterating everything already said, I'll give people resources to look into. Both of these movies are available on Netflix instant viewing for extra convenience.

"The Business of Being Born" Directed by Abby Epstein

"Pregnant in America" Directed by Steve Buonaugurio
05/22/2011
Contributor: kinksters kinksters
Quote:
Originally posted by Darling Jen
Ditto to everything P'Gell said. I am a huge advocate for natural, outside-of-hospital birthing. So instead of reiterating everything already said, I'll give people resources to look into. Both of these movies are available on Netflix ... more
epidural lol
05/22/2011