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Beautifully said.

posted 3 years ago
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Wonderful comments.  Thank you for talking about the differences between midwife care and a surgical specialist care.  It's wonderful that you had both a c-section and a VBAC, so you can talk about both experiences.  Delivering a child doesn't have to be the extreme fight over home birth vs. hospital birth.  It really is best with an educated decision, lots of options and trained people.  Sometimes a c-section is necessary and we should thank the medical institute and sometimes there are normal deliveries where a natural approach should be welcomed.    Wonderful book recommendations.  

posted 3 years ago
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I’m so glad you identified some sources here.  Home birth is as safe or safer than hospital births. I completely agree that the medical intervention and drugs, cause the woman’s body to shut down and then a serious problem can arise.  I recommend that everyone watch “The Business of Being Born” by Abby Epstein. 

posted 3 years ago
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I couldn't agree more.  "Anyway, the point I am trying to articulate is that while homebirth is a safe, viable option for many women, there needs to be a greater range of choices than homebirth with a DEM or lay midwife vs.  intervention-filled hospital birth with an OB (who, as JPoundstone mentioned, is a surgical specialist, not a specialist is normal childbirth)"  There should be more options for woman.

posted 3 years ago
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The earlier discussion about the "breech" baby transferred to the hospital being a disaster...  First, I’m delivering at home and my midwife will not deliver a breech baby.  I’ve already been told if the baby is breech we would start at the hospital. I can’t speak for all midwives but I’m not sure if delivering a breech baby at home is common.  In fact, I’m sure it’s uncommon.  Most midwives would have identified this situation early and insured the right steps to inform an ob/gyn way ahead of time.  Second, Karen Adams experience was one incident.  11,000 babies are born every day.  Third, the transfer rate of clients to hospitals for most midwives is very low.  As pointed out earlier there are hundreds of successful home births. 

posted 3 years ago
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Actually home birth is the safest place to have a baby, check the statistics.  Hospitals is where most maternal and infant deaths occur.  Of developed countries the USA as the worst rates.  Other developed countries in Europe that have 1/3 to 2/3 of home births have better outcomes.  

posted 3 years ago
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Giving birth doesn’t have to be about a life and death situation.  Hospitals breed fear.  Actually of developed countries the USA has a horrible maternal death rate and infant mortality rate, but this in hospitals.  So I would think twice about delivering a baby in a US hospital.  A woman’s body is completely capable of delivering a baby.  All the medical intervention and drugs, cause the woman’s body to shut down and then a serious problem can arise. 

posted 3 years ago
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The debate over cost of home birth vs. hospital birth is a complex issue.  It’s not about people being able to “afford” a child.  The issues that come into play are; over inflated doctors salaries, big pay offs for drug companies and insurance.  Next time you go to the hospital you are costing everyone in America a big bill for unnecessary procedures.  Also, midwives have a very difficult time getting insurance companies to corporate with them, this should change in this country so women have options.  

Giving birth doesn’t have to be about a life and death situation.  Hospitals breed fear.  Actually of developed countries the USA has a horrible maternal death rate and infant mortality rate, but this in hospitals.  So I would think twice about delivering a baby in a US hospital.  A woman’s body is completely capable of delivering a baby.  All the medical intervention and drugs, cause the woman’s body to shut down and then a serious problem can arise.

Sources: CBS news report

Maternal Mortality Rate In U.S. Highest In Decades

documentary: The Business of Being Born

CNN Health report

Parent Dish

"the U.S. has the highest rate of obstetrician-attended birth in the world, and among the highest rates of hospital birth and C-section (if not the highest). We are the richest country in the world by just about anyone’s estimation, yet our maternal mortality rate is worse than Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." source.

posted 3 years ago
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