Home Birth
by drmithra
Recently my wife was featured in an article because we chose to have our children at home. Some have called us irresponsible, others courageous, bur for us it was a decision driven by the lack of choice in this country.
To me, hospitals are for sick people. I don't regard pregnant women as sick. However, outside the hospital there is little to no choice of where to have children. Sure there are so called birthing centers available, but a floor in a hospital called a "birthing center" is still at the hospital.
Most European countries offer stand alone birthing centers that specialize in low risk pregnancies with little to no medical intervention (and a much reduced cost). This idea has yet to catch on and results in the "either or" choice of hoslpital or home. In this land of the free there are few available places to give birth.
To me, hospitals are for sick people. I don't regard pregnant women as sick. However, outside the hospital there is little to no choice of where to have children. Sure there are so called birthing centers available, but a floor in a hospital called a "birthing center" is still at the hospital.
Most European countries offer stand alone birthing centers that specialize in low risk pregnancies with little to no medical intervention (and a much reduced cost). This idea has yet to catch on and results in the "either or" choice of hoslpital or home. In this land of the free there are few available places to give birth.
10/24/2008 12:16:35 PM
Comments
http://green.wellness.com/blog/20488/home-birth/drmithra
That was an option, assuming you can find a hospital that will "follow your wishes" which in my experience is near impossible. Their ingrained routines don't allow for a personal experince. Intrestingly when you compare outcomes (adjusted for race, econimic status, etc) you find that low risk women and babies have better outcomes at home than in the hospital. This is of course not true for women with medical complications (obesity, diabetes, multiples, etc) but as I stated before, hospitals are for sick people. I wouldn't let hospital patients come visit my baby at home, so why take the risk and bring my baby to them.
Again, my main point is that a choice with only one option (hospital) is no choice at all. I want to follow the European model and move birth out of the hospital and into dedicated facilities that cater to normal, low risk births supervised by a mid-wife, not a surgeon.
Posted by drmithra
http://green.wellness.com/blog/20488/home-birth/drmithra
Our children have never been to a hospital. We hired a state certified mid-wife to oversee the labor and delivery. We worked hard before and during the pregnancies to avoid falling into any of the high-risk catagories (obesity, diabetes, etc.) We had regular check ups and maintained a relationship with the hospital in case we did need to transport.
We avoided the hospital because having surgeons (obstraticians)overseeing normal births results in unncesecary C-sections and excessive medication.
The remaining point is that the choice available, hospital or home, forces people to make this decision. (Homebirths are up 19% in Virginia since 2005) Where are the stand alone, mid-wife attended bithing centers that other countries enjoy?
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