hospital or home birth???

What do u ladies perfer or r u having a hospital or home birth

[Lesley27]

hospital... i am pro medical intervention and pain management :)

[katelynn27]

Me and my fiance dont know what to do!!

[Ashelen]

PERSONALLY I prefer a minimal-intervention hospital birth....I was a candidate for home birth with my first child, and nearly chose one but my nerves won out (or momma's intuition..?) in the end, and I went with the hospital.

I tore so bad in so many directions (my daughter's head was abnormally large - almost hydrocephalic but not) that I was in the OR being sewn up for 1 1/2 hours after delivery....but the worst part of it was that for some reason (some unknown reason, to this day) I bled out so quickly that I would literally have bled to death in-transfer from home to the hospital (I would have bled to death in less than 15 minutes without a hep clamp). So for whatever reason..nerves, intuition, it saved my life to be in the hospital.

Nerves again led me to the hospital with my 2nd birth, where my delivery was PERFECT...quick, easy, and my son was beautiful...but he developed a rare jaundice shortly after birth that could've quickly killed him without medical intervention (it had to do with blood incompatibility, but NOT Rh).

So my 3rd child (due in April) will be born in a hospital. No epidural, pushing however I want, but where we can be close to help if we need it.

I think if a woman truly wants a home birth, she of course has that right. But I know that if I had gone with my wish and been at home the first time, I would be dead....and there were NO warning signs for my risks...it just HAPPENED. So I think it's important to make sure that the choice is one that is made carefully and after consulting with your midwife/OB as to what they truly believe is/isn't safe for you.

A wonderful, safe alternative to either is a birthing center birth..it's way more like home than a hospital, but not as sterile as a hospital. And you will be close to medical intervention if things go wrong...so I think it's a wonderful alternative to either if you can't make up your mind :-).

[katelynn27]

Yess we are leaning torwards hospital but i should tear cause shes tiny!!

[Ashelen]

Well my little girl was only 7lbs6oz so slightly smaller than average...but she came so quickly (I only pushed for 20 minutes) for my first baby and she had such a big noggin that my poor body had no chance, lol.

Most women don't tear or won't tear in a big way - but again, the tear wasn't my big issue...it was AN issue, but the problem for me was the rate at which I bled out, and THAT is definitely a rare complication so not one I would worry about.

If you feel more comfortable being in a hospital because you feel safer - GO with it. Your comfort and mental/emotional well-being will make the difference between a joyful labor and a stressful one, no MATTER where you choose to give birth..so wherever you truly feel more comfortable is where you should be.

Some women feel more comfortable at home, that's just how they feel better laboring. Some women feel better knowing that help is right around the corner if things go wrong. It's completely up to you and your fiance.

Like I said there is always the alternative of a birthing center, as well - it's a great middle-ground!

[Clysta]

It doesn't matter how tiny you or baby is. My niece was premie and born at 5 pounds and my sister had quite a bit of tearing. (she is 5'8, medium frame build) My own daughter was 6 pounds 12 ounces and I has two tears, though mine were tiny and healed in 2 weeks.

[katelynn27]

Okayy well I hope I don't tear!!!

[Ashelen]

Try massaging your perineum and make sure that you listen to your body when you push...also, pushing on your back with an epidural is considered a slightly higher risk for tearing, so if it's a concern consider another position and either a mild epidural or no epidural.

like I said, most women won't tear badly..so I wouldn't worry about it. but if it does concern you there are ways to try to prevent it. mine came from such a fast labor and short pushing stage...this is NOT the norm for a first baby! :-)

[Clysta]

Mine was because she was turned sideways and face up. Faster birthing will usually result in tearing. Even if you do it's usually no big deal. I would rather tear than be cut personally.

[stacey10]

totally agree with ashelen!! birthing on your back is like riding a bike up hill!, it tilts your uterus upwards, I gave birth in a birth center attatched to a hospital with my first, thank goodness I did as I ended up with a post partum hemorage, with all my others I was then considered  not really suitable for a home birth so chose the next best thing,midwife based care, and deliveries by midwives as well, with the tearing side of things, if you listen to your midwife etc, when they tell you to push, push, went they tell you to stop STOP, you may want to but dont and when they say tiny pushes do just that, that way you give your perinium time to stretch and hopefully you will have minimal if any tearing :)

[katelynn27]

Thanks ladies!! You all really helped our decision

[PriceFamily91611]

I really want a water birth or home birth but since I'm high risk and have heart problems I can't have either one of those!!

[honeydew21]

I work in a hospital, my mom worked at the hospital I gave birth in and I knew all my nurses and doctors prior to my twins birth. I wouldn't trade that experience in for anything. I was quite literally surrounded by friends and family, they took wonderful care of the boys (they were 6 weeks premature) and me. (Plus the food was AMAZING!!!! Honestly, Magee in Pittsburgh, well all UPMC hospitals, have AMAZING food!)

[Mrs_Love]

I was planning for a home birth for my 3rd since the last 2 i felt wete unecesereans but my intuition tells me to labor at home for aslong as possible & birth at a hospital. I really want a home birth but i am not completely comfortable with it.

[katelynn27]

We have offically decided I will be delivering my little girl Paisley in the hospital!!! And we can't wait to have her!!!