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| Natalia Moments after her Grand Arrival |
Everything was going as planned, when she successfully birthed her beautiful baby girl. But thats when things took a change- the baby, with the umbilical cord still attached, stopped breathing. Went blue and completely limp. Watching the clip I was having about 50 strokes a second and starting to panic. But the Mother in the video was SO CALM! It was amazing. As though it was routine, she started to give the baby neonatal CPR. After a few seconds, which seemed like hours to me, the baby started to cry, pinked up again and was fine. All follow up on the blog says that the Baby is perfect and healthy.
I am in NO WAY saying that I think Home Birthing is dangerous or wrong. Not even remotely close to that. But FOR me PERSONALLY.. I don't think I could do it. By the off chance (which I know is extremely slim) something like that were to happen to me, I would FREAK out. I KNOW I wouldn't be cool calm and collected. I am far too emotional- After Talia's birth I could barely remember my own name. I realize, and respect how empowering a home birth can be- however I think thats too much power for me to handle!
However, I'm also aware, that I had a great birthing experience with Natalia. My nurses and Dr were very respectful and encouraging of my goals and plans. I know this is something that not all women can say!
What are your thoughts on this?
*** Up Date*** It has come to my attention that this post perhaps could have been viewed as anti home birthing, or implying that I think home birthing is not safe. This is not the case at all. I KNOW that birthing at home, with qualified attendants (ie Midwife) is JUST AS SAFE as a birth in a hospital. And in some cases even safer, since there lower rates of interventions. You do not have more of a chance for a complication at home that you would in the hospital- if something is going to happen it's going to happen regardless of where you birth. The Video I mentioned, is not because I think that it was a dangerous unsafe birth, therefore not something I would do, it was about the Mothers amazing response. I think that the Mother had an AMAZING reaction, she was calm and did what needed to be done. I do not believe that I would responded in that way, and I admire that Mothers reaction. My reasons for not wanting to Home Birth are not regarding "the safety"- more just my comfort level.
I agree with you, I wouldn't be able to do a home birth. I would rather be in a hospital on the chance that something happened to the baby or myself. I respect women that can go through with home births, but I'm way too much of a worry-wart!
ReplyDeleteI have mad respect for the women who can and do home birth. I panic if I think I've done up a diaper too tight... I don't think my personality is suited for the home birth experience. Maybe time will change that!
ReplyDeleteWas the woman in the video giving birth unassisted or was there a qualified birth attendant present to help? I think you need to continue to do your researching on "Home Birthing" and widen your view a little bit. You Tube videos are interesting but IMO not the best resource for objective information on the risks/benefits of a given birth place and choice of attendant. A qualified professional or certified nurse midwife is prepared to handle a variety of complications in the home setting, including a baby who doesn't breath normally right away. Of course something can go horribly wrong at a home birth, and the mother or the baby could die. The same can be said of birthing in the hospital, and no, those stories don't always end happily either. The fact is, most hospital births are fraught with unnecessary interventions that make complications and problems MORE instead of less likely. Just being forced to leave her "nest" and travel to a hospital, then be subjected to all the far-from-natural routines and policies of the hospital, can make a mom's labor shut down and "necessitate" more interventions. Giving birth at home is not right for everyone, but please don't assume that home birth = unsafe while hospital birth = safe and only people who are willing to risk their own or their babies lives choose homebirth. There are risks no matter what.
ReplyDeleteThe midwife in the video was late. But the Mother had already done one purposeful unassisted birth, and one midwife attended birth. I am in no way saying what she did was dangerous. I am in awe of how calm and collected she was!
ReplyDeleteI know many people who have birthed at home and have the utmost respect for what they accomplished- and do not for a second think they did anything "unsafe" or "reckless"- I think they are incredible. Perhaps I didn't get that across enough in this entry. :)
I agree with you 100%... if a complication happens it doesn't matter where you are, it needs to be dealt with. I honestly think I didn't consider home birthing seriously with my birth was from lack of knowledge and fear.
Since then I have learnt A LOT. I still don't feel as though a home birth is for me. But that being said, there is still a lot of time before I **plan** on my second, and my thoughts on this may evolve. I'm open to that :)