Natural and home birth and un natural hospital births

I just wanted to say that the fear of a loose vagina is not a really valid concern. My kids will be two years apart and tightness and muscle down in my downstairs had never been an issue. If it was i doubt I would be knocked up again. LOL!

And I really stand by each birth is so different. My best friend was 42 weeks and a bit. They tried inducing her 4 times. No luck. Let per labor on pitocon for awhile. Zero progression. She was swelling like you would not believe and it was starting to get scary. She had her son 12 hours after I had Briggs via c-section. That kid was HUGE! He was 11lbs, 3oz and totally healthy. I feel terrible that she had to go through her c-section because the recovery was god awful for her and she feels terribly guilty and like her body failed... but it isn't like she didn't try her darn hardest. She was a saint those last two weeks of going over due and I just as proud of her for her birth experience as she was for me for mine.

WHAT????? It has been PROVEN that one single unti can trigger FAS! You would take that risk?? That is straight up child abuse!!!

Do you have a link talking about that? The articles I've seen talk about correlation, but I haven't seen one talking about definitive proof, and I'd love to have more information.

Like others have said each birth is different. I would LOVE to have a home birth but for me it is not an option. I have to have an Epidural each time. Reason being is the psychological effect of being raped when I was younger. I do not dialate without it. I stay at 2cms no matter how strong the contractions are or how long or so on. As soon as I have the epidural in a few minutes or a couple of hours i dialate enough to give birth naturally. Plus all my kids have had to be induced.

For my first I had to have the membranes striped manually by my doctor after I was 2 weeks late. Within a few hours I was in labour. But 21 hours later I was labouring hard, totally exhausted and still only at 2cm. So they gave me an epidural and within a few minutes I was at 10cm and able to push her out naturally.

With my second I wanted to see if I would dialate on my own for the first 10 hours so my Doula put that in the birth plan. Agian I had to have my membranes striped after being 2 weeks late. My kids seem to like it in there. I was in labour within a could of hours. I waited the 10 hours, even with waters broken after only a few hours I still stayed at 2cm. So they gave me the epidural. 3 hours later he was born naturally.

My third agian went 2 weeks over. I went in and had the membranes striped but nothing happened. So 2 days later they had me come in and put gel on me. The contractions hit within a few minutes and were the most intense I had ever experienced. They waited an hour to give me the epidural. I was only at 2cm when they did. 4 hours later I had him naturally.

So for this one we know I will have to have an epidural. Home births for me are not an option and I will do all I can to have a natural birth and not a c-section. This baby is measuring large(still don't know the sex even after two ultrasounds, foot was in the way) and my glucose was high on my first test. So I took out all sugars from my diet. My second test was normal but I am still staying away from sugars to try and ensure the baby stays under 9lbs so I have less chance of a C-section. All my kids have been either 6lbs or just over 7lbs. So here is hoping. I also have a Doula for this one too. The support they give is unbelievable.

I think if I were to give birth, I would want to be at a hospital just in case but would want to go as naturally as possible. It really would just depend on the circumstances. All I'd really care about would be a healthy baby at the end.

Reading through this thread, it's really amazing what a brave strong bunch of women you all are. (((hugs)))

Stephy, the docs have way better drugs than alcohol for when you're delivering.

I also wanted to comment on Nancy talking about ice chips. I LOVE ICE CHIPS WHEN PREGNANT. That seriously was the most amazing thing about hte hospital. I don't really like eating when I'm preggo but ice chips are like my candy. MMMM

Ice chips... my landlord is home and I'm going to go use his ice machine maker thing now.

Lol my mom was the same way. She chewed ice like it was going out of style but only when she was pregnant.

For me it was celery lol

Didnt read the responses yet as I am in a rush today but HUGE homebirth and natural birth advocate here. And yet both of mine were c-sections, sigh. However, I still maintain that homebirth and natural birth are safer for both mom and baby in the vast majority of situations. Many things that OBs are not used to delivering (breech etc) midwives are and can deliver.

Just look at the US rates on c-sections, maternal and infant deaths comparedto the rest of the world, abysmal

My mom had two kids.

With me, everything went perfectly. Little morning sickness, no problems, easy, a-typical delivery, and I even came out looking like a porcelain doll via Csec rather than vaginal birth. She swore all the nurses were planning to kidnap me, and I didn't walk until 18 months just because no one would put me down long enough for me to learn.

My brother was major issues, though. She was constantly sick, her stomach got huge, always popping Tums, false labor a few times. When it was the real-deal they gave her the Epidural...and it only worked on one side of her body. Then didn't wear off in time for delivery. So half of her body was numb and she wasn't pushing right. Labor was long and pretty complicated because of it. He popped out and no doctor or nurse would let her see him for two days. She had dreams she gave birth to a monkey. She pretty much did. He was 22 inches long...too long for my mom. He was all arms, legs, big thatch of dark hair on his head. Wrinkly like an old man. And only 8lbs for such a long baby. His legs were stuck for the majority of the last trimester. He couldn't turn, twist, or anything. So his legs were bent inward, his feet/ankles were rolled completely inward. They said he wouldn't walk for YEARS. 3-5.

Walked on his first birthday, though.

I haven't given much thought to it for myself, honestly. I don't plan on having children. But I am a very "natural" person. I would want a midwife, all the options I could ever want, minimal drugs unless necessary. But again, I don't really plan on having children, or at least any time soon. I might be married and be in the best position to have a child, but it is my choice to not have any. I prefer dogs. LOL

No I don't have links. I live in South Africa where FAS is a huge issue and they run campaigns towards education. I have watched various TV forums with Drs talking as well as articles and press releases.

I am of the belief that its even a mere murmur you are downright selfish even taking the chance.

If there is legitimate medical findings that it is true I agree you should avoid it. I don't have kids or want kids so I haven't spent any time paying attention to anything aimed at mothers.

That being said.

I think if we lived by that statement no one would be doing anything right now.

Honestly? The whole natural birth thing peeves me just a bit. I think it's the result of a generation who was fortunate enough to be born in an era where hospital births were the norm. As a result, I think the idea of birth at home with minimal assistance has become romanticized. People no longer remember exactly how many women and infants died during childbirth from complications that are now a non-issue. My mother spent her childhood in a very undeveloped, small village in Asia. Her grandfather (my great-grandfather) was the village healer and midwife, so to speak. My mother has memories of women and infants dying regularly during the birthing process. The whole reason the modern "non-natural" childbirth process was developed was to avoid these deaths. Perhaps it worked too well....I wonder if that's why, now, people think childbirth is a safer process than it really is.

I have no problem with people wanting to not use painkillers, epidurals, not having c-sections unless necessary, etc. But I think those that push the idea that "oh, hospitals are bad, midwives are better!" are undoing all the years that were spent developing these procedures in the first place.

For all those who crave ice during pregnancy, it could be a sign of anemia. Not saying it IS, just that it is a possibility. I think iron deficiency during pregnancy is fairly common.

I just like the crunch and am a huge water drinker. So, its like killing to birds with one stone.

LOVE it!!!

^^I have to agree with this, personally.


A friend of mine was very nearly swayed into having a home birth. Basically, some friend of hers told her she would be a rotten parent for doing something so "un-natural" as a hospital birth, what with all those corrupt doctors around. She did her research, and ultimately chose the hospital route, though it was a fairly last-minute decision. In the end, it was a very good thing she did, because even at the hospital she had a very complicated birth and nearly died.


Though I must add, if you (general "you") want to have a home birth, that is none of my business, and I won't judge you for it. Especially if you've put in your research and have made an educated decision on the matter. But don't you (still general "you" lol) dare give me grief because I choose to have my baby in a hospital. That is where I feel safest, and it's also none of your business.


I guess I also don't really see why a hospital birth must immediately be considered "un-natural". In my case, my son was born in a hospital. No drugs, no incisions, none of that. It would have been basically the same if I had been at home. However, at the hospital, I had the added security of immediate intervention if something major were to go wrong... like in the case of my friend.

I definitely agree that no one should be pushed or swayed or made to feel bad for whatever they choose. It's a personal decision and not really up for debate to those who are not directly involved.

And Erin (stardogs), WOW to all of that research that you've already done! Thanks for posting all of those links too!

LOL jen I'm just happy to have somewhere to share it with others - I have to be really careful where I mention my researching and how many birthy pages I like on fb to avoid scrutiny and probing questions from the in-laws.

:hail::hail::hail::hail: