[stanne]

“. . . as long as you have a competent midwife.”

That’s just for the birth. And that’s if everything, ahem, comes out alright. But the amount of, well, bleeding that occurs in a complicated birth makes a head wound bleed look like a scrape. It is quickly life threatening.

In any case, access to a pediatrician and emergency equipment is the reason to deliver in the hospital (with a competent midwife if one prefers). Most moms and babies (after a non anesthetized delivery) could go back home (with housekeeping assistance) within hours.

[Explorer89]

I agree with your post. I gave birth to all 3 of mine in the hospital. The first was a normal birth, but I was in labor so long that I was exhausted, and the epidural was blessing.

I waited as long as possible to go to the hospital for #2, and it turns out that the cord was wrapped around her head TWICE, and at every contraction, her heartbeat stopped. They used the plunger to get her out in a hurry, but I have no doubt that a C-section could have been imminent. If I had been at home, she might have died.

#3: used my OB-practices nurse-practioner midwives. Had the baby in the hospital, easy birth.....but knew that there was a doctor on call just down the hall if complications arose.

Natural birth is wonderful.......if all goes according to plan.

[thecabal]

But the amount of, well, bleeding that occurs in a complicated birth makes a head wound bleed look like a scrape. It is quickly life threatening.

Very much so, thanks for saying it. Without getting too graphic, everything was fine with our delivery right until the very end, when things got tore up real bad. I damn near passed out from seeing all of the bleeding. The OB had to immediately call in a team with another MD and about 5 other nurses. Had they not immediately sprung into action, I have no doubt that my wife would have been in serious danger. It was then that it really sunk into me why the mortality rate from childbirth was so high before modern medicine.

[svcw]

There is nowhere in my post that says there should not be prenatal care. I know many women who saw doctors through the pregnancy, and working with a midwife. According to my OB-GyN 95% of births are perfectly normal, if a woman wants a home birth fine. I could have easily had my first two at home, my third it was apparent from month eight there was a problem. We just need to use common sense. A friend of mine went to a birthing center for her four, she labored and delivered in the same room. We all got to be with her and her husband even the kids. Very homey, hospitals are not the only option.

[Twink]

Interesting.

Both of your posts were interesting as is this thread.

Personally, I had four high risk pregnancies and c-sections. Two of my children had to be in NICU immediately and one a few days after delivery. Thus, I’m a bit biased.

Pregnancy and childbirth is natural and usually normal. Sometimes it isn’t and since I’ve experienced that four times I tend to lean toward hospitals/doctors when it comes to delivery.