Birth Center vs. Hospital???

[firemama]

I am due mid-July with our first. Up until recently I have been seeing an OB and planned on delivering at a hospital. We were also signed up for the all day childbirth class at the hospital... Then we heard about Bradley classes and signed up immediately (and cancelled the hospital class). We missed the first few classes, but the teacher was soooo nice to get us caught up and now we are on schedule. This has opened our eyes up to a whole new world of the concept of natural childbirth. I always had it in my mind that I would not ask for pain medications or the epidural. Now I am considering going to a Birth Center and using a midwife. This means we will not see my OB anymore.

My poor husband has been so supportive and wants the best for me and our baby to be. Now I am really throwing him for a loop by suggesting a Birth Center and midwife. His background: he is a firefighter/paramedic and has seen good/bad deliveries. We also have friends that used a midwife/home birth and the outcome was not good. They had major complications during the birth, had to call paramedics, and go to the hospital. The baby had severe birth defects and eventually died at 2 1/2 years of age, so sad. He is forever skeptical about midwives and wants to go the traditional route of going to the hospital.

My background: I have had a perfectly healthy pregnancy. I do not have gestational diabetes, anemia and every checkup has gone great. I feel confident we could go to the birth center and have a beautiful natural childbirth.

One catch: the Birth Center is 2 1/2 hours from our house. Our hospital was 1 hour away and my husband was not happy that I chose to stay with my OB/GYN and the hospital he is affiliated with. Now he thinks I am crazy for wanting to drive 2 1/2 hours away.

Has anyone here used a birth center or midwife? I would love to hear your thoughts and advice!

[MoJo]

I am blessed. I have an OB-Gyn who works with three midwives. He founded a natural birth center AT the hospital, which also has a great NICU if the need arises. I think it's the ideal situation.

I see the midwives for nearly all of my care, and one of them was the one present at DD#1's birth. . . even though I ended up "on the other side" of the hospital when I hadn't gone into labor 36 hours after my water broke and had to be induced in the regular L&D portion of the hospital.

We did Bradley classes, too.

The 2 1/2 hour drive WOULD make me nervous. The hour drive to our hospital makes me nervous, especially since there's often construction and we really don't know our way around the city. But everyone agrees that the closest hospital is one to be avoided at all costs, so we will make the drive. (And we're hoping again for a natural childbirth at the birth center).

Some friends recently became interested in natural child birth in the middle of their first pregnancy but were too far away from the birth center I used. They were able to talk to their doctor and hospital and actually got the natural birth they wanted. The hospital even brought in a portable tub for water therapy for them. That's not your typical story, but it worked for them, so you might start by asking your OB/hospital about that type of option.

But it sounds like your DH isn't happy with EITHER option? What does he think you should do?

Best wishes to you!

[wellyes]

For a Bradley birth I wouldn't hesitate to go to a birth center. Not for a second.

But an extra 1.5 hours in the car while you're in labor??? Oh my gosh. No freakin' way.

When I was having contractions and decided to go to the hospital -- the contractions themselves were not that bad. But that car ride was exceptionally unpleasant. I was also vomiting a LOT (which is not an unusual for labor) and even though I had a bag with me it was still in my hair, on my clothes, on the floor of the car. My husband was a wreck, too, although a paramedic would be better equipped emotionally for that drive.

I suggest you talk to your OB and tour the OB ward if you have not already. I was pleasantly surprised by mine - they had birthing tubs in every room, rooming in with the baby, a dedicated OB nurse for each laboring woman. It was better than I thought it would be.

Maybe hire a midwife or doula to stay with you during the birth at the hospital? I'm sure your Bradley instructor would have some recommendations.

[bubbaray]

No way, no how would I drive 2.5 hours while in labour.

[Katigre]

I used Midwives for both of my births - the first for a hospital birth with a CNM and the second for a homebirth with a CNM.

[firemama]

We have made our decision! :thumbsup: Birth center here we come!! I know, you guys think I'm crazy for driving 2 hours (mapquest said 2 1/2, it only took 2 even with a little construction hold-up) to the birth center, in labor of all things. We went to meet with the midwife and had a tour of the birth center yesterday. WOW! I was impressed! We walked in and had a good feeling right away. I'm usually not like this, but it had good energy and all of the staff is so nice and down to earth. Small town atmosphere. They have been open for 7 years and around 550 babies have been born there. They have had plenty of people drive in from our state - some even further away.

Their episiotomy rate is less than 1%, transfer to hospital rate less than 5% (mostly first time moms with long labor or no dissent), and 7% c-section rate.

We feel comfortable driving up there when my labor starts. We will check in, as long as it is during the day, then go out for lunch, a walk, or shopping. If it happens to be at night, we'll just get a hotel room until hard labor starts.

Now we just need to break the news to my doctor that we are leaving him. C'est la vie!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I wish you a safe, wonderful birth. :) My ds1 was a hospital birth with a CNM and ds2 was a birth center birth with a CNM. I can't even begin to say how different the 2 were and how much I loved the birth center.

Beth