Scared to death about a hospital delivery

 HI,

 

I was 6 or 7 cm already and my water hadn't broken, so he went ahead and broke them.  Just like you everything was perfect up to that point and them all hell broke loose.  My epi wasn't working properly so they knocked me out and I had a crash c-sec.  He is fine now but I wouldn't that delivery on my worst enemy.  The reason I commented on your dilemma was because one of my friends had tried to convince me to have a home birth....and I am so thankful that I did not, otherwise my Elijah would not be here.  Even if I was only 5 minutes from a hospital he still would have died, and I know had I made the decision to try to deliver at home I would never have been able to forgive myself. To this day I am against home birth, there are so many unforseen things that can happen, (not being negative)

alsestis:

Hi Tiffany,

Why did your doctor break your water?  Mine did so at 3cm dialated to "move things along."  I think my son may have also had a prolapsed cord as a result although that wasn't indicated on any of the records.  Everything was cool until the membrane was ruptured. 

AL :)

 

I'm still wondering why he broke your water? Mine didn't break until 10cm on it's own with DD2. Some babies are born in the caul.

RainDreamer:

I'm still wondering why he broke your water? Mine didn't break until 10cm on it's own with DD2. Some babies are born in the caul.

 

Never heard of this RD!

History and tradition

According to Aelius Lampridius, the boy-emperor Diadumenian (208–218) was so named because he was born with a diadem formed by a rolled caul.^[4]

Many caul bearers claim to possess clairvoyance or other preternatural abilities.

In medieval times the appearance of a caul on a newborn baby was seen as a sign of good luck.^[5] It was considered an omen that the child was destined for greatness. Gathering the caul onto paper was considered an important tradition of childbirth: the midwife would rub a sheet of paper across the baby's head and face, pressing the material of the caul onto the paper. The caul would then be presented to the mother, to be kept as an heirloom. Some Early Modern European traditions linked caul birth to the ability to defend fertility and the harvest against the forces of evil, particularly witches and sorcerers.^[6]

A legend developed suggesting that possession of a baby's caul would give its bearer good luck and protect that person from death by drowning. Cauls were therefore highly prized by sailors. Medieval women often sold these cauls to sailors for large sums of money; a caul was regarded as a valuable talisman.^[7]

 

Incidentally, the baby is supposed to be floating in his amniotic sac throughout labor as this protects him from prolapsing the cord upon exit.  Why rupturing intact membranes has become common place is totally beyond me.  They have women convinced that they need medical intervention in order to birth and when something goes wrong, they have you thanking them for saving your baby's life - when in fact, they practically killed him in the first place by messing with mother nature.

*lurking/reading

 

one of my children was born still inside the sack, come flying out and the nurse broke it

my last birth was quite traumatic, posterior baby  she WOULDNT get into position!!! they broke my waters and that helped, she was born 6 mins later

 

 

I would so love to have a home birth, my first was delivered in hospital vaginal it didn't go as planned either, I didn't know what to expect, my second delivery was awesome, it was in the hospital but it was my way, I got up when I wanted to, I walked, it was perfect and thankful I opt out of homebirth because I lost a lot of blood, I needed pitocin to help my uterus to contracct and slow the bleeding down and then needed blood, all this happened in a few short minutes, it could of been fatal at home, ds3 was scared to do homebirth afraid I would bleed to death and his delivery was fine, ds4 delivery wasn't plan to happen when it did lol I went in hospital for fever at 37wks, gbs+ crossed into the womb, they induced me and he was sent straight to nicu with pneumonia needed oxygen spent 10days in nicu, he would of died at home, so as much as I would love a homebirth a hospital birth with a midwife and my wayis the way I go so they are there if needed, and I believ your first birth you had nothing to do with needing a csection, baby going in destressed has nothing to do with anything we do, if you weren't at the hospital for an emergeny csection it could of been very bad and very sad, hosptialsare there to help you, nurses say things that need to be done but you don't have to do them, you don't have to be hooked up to the monitor as soon as you check in at the hospital, I just remind the nurses that me and my midwife has dicussed my birthing plan, and they normally get it, then when the next shift nurse comes they should know from the previous nurse and if not then have someone in the room (I make dh lol) tell her that its okay with midwife we are following our birthing plan, but I have always got such nice nurses, the more natural way birth. In a hospital is so popular now, normally the hospital staff is accustomed to all the different ways of birthing, I would relax and remember its your body and your baby, you can have it the way you want it in a hospital so they can be there for emergencies, and I think your dh is scared and feels more comfortable with medical help being right there too, talk to him and let him know how you feel if this labor awesome no complications you might get that home birth next time around :)

Oh and I wouldn't do my first vbac at home either, those are complicated, very successful vbacs in the world but there is that small percentage that you could need emergency help with bleedings and tearing due to weakness from the csection incicion area, not to scare you but you need to know how your body does with a vbac before you try at home, many successful vbacs so don't worry but I think first vbacs need to happen in a hospital imo :)

Hey Alsestis.... on further investigation into homebirthing in australia... i'm concidering it now thanks to you. lol... I've now got myself a private midwife who is happy to birth me in hospital if I choose.... or come to my home to birth me .... if i choose... or if i have no option because it's too quick.

DH isn't keen on the idea.... not because of safety reasons... but because "it's not normal". lol. so we'll see what happens. atm we are planning a hospital birth with my midwife... but i can change my mind when i go into labour if i want. She's happy to prepare us for a homebirth.... just so our minds are at ease... and she lives only 5 mins from me. woot woot.

She discussed with me the supplies she carries in case of emergency... ie haemorhage... arrest... etc.... and she's got the full kit... full resus kit... drugs to stop haemorhage.... and the hospital is 10 mins away.... ambulance even less!

Because the practise she's in is the first medicare rebated (goverment rebated) midwifery service, they are very particular... and the first sign of anything thats outside of "normal" they will get the appropriate people to intervene.

I like the idea of the continuity of care, and the idea that I have choices... albiet when push comes to shove... I'll probably go for a hospital birth still... but I like that you put the idea in my head to investigate, and I found this private midwifery service!

So thankyou!

I hope you are doing well. you haven't got long to go now... 12weeks? I think you are about a month in front of me.

 

tickleme:

Hey Alsestis.... on further investigation into homebirthing in australia... i'm concidering it now thanks to you. lol... I've now got myself a private midwife who is happy to birth me in hospital if I choose.... or come to my home to birth me .... if i choose... or if i have no option because it's too quick.

So thankyou!

I hope you are doing well. you haven't got long to go now... 12weeks? I think you are about a month in front of me.

Hey!  This thread did do some good.  I'm so happy to read this.  I'm going to consider your homebirth my homebirth, Tickle!  There are a ton of documentaries on this subject.  If your DH will watch them, trust me, he will get on board.  The Business of Being Born, Pregnant in America to name two that we found especially eye opening.

I've got 10 weeks and 3 days to go!  AHHHH!!!!

To the last poster, Melinda, I am so happy all ended well with your 4 kids.  I don't agree that two of them would have died had you been at home though.  Midwives aren't gas station attendants - they are well trained to be alerted to complications and respond.  And my son went into fetal distress because of the interventions that were performed that day.  He wouldn't have it weren't for the epidural and membrane rupture. 

Furthermore, the risk of uterine rupture is VERY low with my type of C-section scar and it occurs in no VBAC deliveries as well - rarely.  Other than that, there is no increased risk in a VBAC.  Otherwise, midwives wouldn't be willing to perform home VBACs.  

Bottom line, sh*t happens during childbirth, sure.  Birth is risky by nature.  Giving birth at the hospital carries with it its own risk. My SIL gave birth 2 weeks ago by repeat c-section and is currently suffering through a very badly infected scar and hematoma.  She never even considered having the 2nd baby naturally.  She was convinced that her body wasn't made to birth a baby for some reason...

 

My friend just had a harrowing birth experience with her fourth - she had a prolapsed cord where the cord was delievered before the baby and had to be rushed for an emergency c-section since the baby wasn't getting oxygen.  Things happened so quickly her husband wasn't even in the room.  I really do think a matter of 5 minutes saved her baby's life - he was born not breathing and went immediately onto a ventilator.  She was full term, her water broke on it's own before she went to the hospital, the only  intervention she had was an epidural at her request.  Which thankfully allowed her to be awake during her delivery since they had the line in her spine already...

I know this things are the total exception, but I'd never even heard of this complication, and I'm grateful my friend was able to have immediate emergency action taken at the hospital. 

alsestis:

To the last poster, Melinda, I am so happy all ended well with your 4 kids.  I don't agree that two of them would have died had you been at home though.  Midwives aren't gas station attendants - they are well trained to be alerted to complications and respond.  And my son went into fetal distress because of the interventions that were performed that day.  He wouldn't have it weren't for the epidural and membrane rupture. 

 

I thought this to be kind of harsh, I know midwives arent gas station attendants, i have an awesome midwife! I went into the hopital because I was running 102 fever, they did not know that the gbs had crossed into the womb because the chances are low now a days for that to happen, they found out after I had given birth and he was born with pnuemonia which they knew right away then what happened, he was not breathing on his own because of pnuemonia was severe,and when youre not breathing 5 mins makes a huge difference, they told me he might not make it, he needed equipment that is only available in a hospital and asap, not something a midwife carries in her vehicle, I was just giving my experience of why I dont home birth, I have lost of friends that homebirth and I have been there supporting them, I am NOT against homebirth, just why *I* dont feel comfortable doing it, so I didnt need the harsh words nor do I think midwives are gas station attendants! I apologize for ever giving my experience didnt mean to offend anyone but I feel you really misunderstood me

 I've definately heard of babies born in the caul and I think it sounds like a very interesting birth to witness. I say birth at home is the best option if it's dear to your heart because if your doctors support you and you will have a midwife there it is just as safe in my opinion.

I totally understand your fears!  DD #1 delievery doc was such a disappointment, so when I found out I was having DD #2, I was not kean on a hospital setting at all!  After much thought and research, we settled on a hospital that offered a hospital delievery by a midwife instead of an OB, but if the baby needed any intervention there were plenty of doctors in the building.  I had a 2 1/2 hour labor with a 8lb 7oz baby, I think my comfort zone with my midwife helped me a lot.  I was glad I was at a hospital with this delievery as the cord was around her neck twice, but the midwife handled everything beautifully but there again it was something that was unforseen and I am glad I delivered her in a hospital!  Good luck to you!

Good luck to you.

Its difficult for me to understand when people say that things did not go as planned in their hospital births. Home or hospital birth, there is only so much you can plan. When the day comes it all depends on how the baby and body behaves at that point. No amount of planning can help what naturally goes on. I had no epi natural birth in the hospital with my DD. I did not plan anything. I did not care if they broke my water at 5 cm or 10 cm or did not break anything at all. I was consumed by pain anyways. My only concern was that I should have a safe delivery and my baby should be fine which I could only think in a a medical setting. My water broke in the morning, I went into the hospital, I had labour pains, my DH, my family (including my aunts) were there suporting and relaxing me, the nurses and doctor were there for the actual procedure. After 6 hrs DD came one. All fine. Home birth did not even cross my mind.

My friend was taken to the hospital when she started getting labor pains. She was also running a temperature at the same time. When they checked on the baby when she went in, they figured his heart was racing... and beating very fast like 190+ hbm and he was in distress. If they had not done a C-Section on her, the baby propably wouldn't have made it. No matter what you plan, I believe you cannot control few things.

And my collegue, went in when her water already broke.. and during the delivey, the baby was moving soo much that she got the cord tied around her neck pretty bad. She had a normal delivery and when the baby came out, it was not breathing because of the cord. She survived because she was in the hospital and I just went to her 1st birthday this weekend.

I think ppl get dissapointed and frustrated when they try and think through every minute single detail and want exactly that and think that will happen. And its not like you are in the dark, you have been told everything that is going on and why is going on. The three main things for me was the baby, my family and me and a setting that helped us to be a family and welcome a newborn at the end of all.