We got a midwife this week! Yay!
We have been waiting and hoping for a midwife since I was 5 weeks pregnant. I had pretty much given up on the idea that we would have one, it just seemed hopeless. This week I got a call telling me that the practice I was waiting on is hiring a new midwife. She is due to start in June or July. I know, I'm due in July... I reminded them of that fact when they called me. "Are you sure you will have someone for me by then?" I asked sweetly. They assured me I would.
Until then I am going to see the other midwives in the practice. It's not an ideal situation - I would have loved to have seen the same health care provider throughout my entire pregnancy, but, beggers can't be choosers can they?
Giving birth with a midwife allows for several different birthing options. If I choose, I can give birth entirely at home. I can have a waterbirth! I can also go to the local hospital at any point if I choose to, or need to. The OB I have been seeing works very closely with the midwives, so if I need a doctor, there is that option too.
I have several fears about giving birth at the hospital. I hope the midwife will be able to assure me that following practices do not still take place, or do not take place at the local hospital:
-Automatic IV hookup. How can I labour naturally and in different positions when I am hooked up to an IV?
-Automatic fetal monitoring. There have been no studies proving that constant fetal monitoring is necessary, nor does it help keep the baby or mama safe. The same applies as above, how can I labour naturally and in different positions when I am constantly hooked up to a monitor
-No eating during labour. I've heard that you're not really allowed to eat during labour, especially if you have had medications. I think they worry that you will have food in your system if an emergency surgery is necessary. This practice just seems mean, where am I supposed to get my energy from if I can't eat?
-No waterbirthing at the hospital. My OB told me I couldn't have a water birth because he didn't want to get wet. Guess what buddy, this isn't about you!
I'm not ruling out a hospital birth yet. Like I said, I have concerns about having the baby there, hopefully I can get those concerns addressed when I finally meet my midwife!
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We learned in our prenatal classes that the "no eating" thing is a policy that differs from Canada to the US. In Canada, you are allowed to eat while in labour. I think the water birth issue varies from hospital to hospital. I am at the Montfort, and I can labour in the tub (they have nice big new ones), but the actual delivery is on dry land.
ReplyDeleteFirst off I want to say congratulations on the pregnancy and finding a midwife!! I've been reading your blog since the fall but with a busy toddler never find the time to comment.
ReplyDeleteI'm in Victoria so my experiences may be different from Ontario.
I had an amazing midiwfe and would have homebirthed if not for baby daddy being so nervous about it.. I laboured at home all day (contractions started at 3am, used the shower for my pain relief and some massage. I actually didn't want to eat at all, just sipped on water/juice.
I have a birth plan/request typed in my file (midwife subbmitted to hospital along with some records prior to due date). This gave us a chance to go over what I did/did not want :)
I did not need the IV hookup or fetal monitor hook up. I was free to move about the room/shower or even the halls of labour & delivery. Again I spent a great deal of my time in the shower.
Once I reached 9cm and my water finally broke the nurse would use a portable monitor to check on baby (just like the one midwife used to check heart rate).
During our birth prep classes we where encouraged to move about,sleep or eat during labour. As one of the doulas said you would never be refused other emergency surgery because you recently ate!
Water birthing depends on the hospital and whether it's even offered there.
You may be able to labour mostly at home then spend only a few hours at the hospital for the final labouring/delivery and then come home with baby just hours old. Had it not been for our 11:15 delivery and the concerns about Annabelle's rapid breathing we would have been back to the comfort of home right away.
Some hospitals have birthing tubs. Personally, I would not want to give birth at home. I'd rather be in the hospital because if something goes wrong, they can do what needs to be done there. You can always check around to see if a hospital has a birthing tub and if you have friends or family in that area, you can ask if you can stay with them in case you go to labor sooner than expected.
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