Home Birth vs. Hospital Birth
The actress and former talk show host, Ricki Lake, is worried that moms-to-be aren’t as educated about the birthing process as they should be. With her new documentary, “The Business of Being Born,” Lake raises questions about obstetrics and whether or not mothers and their babies are being serviced as well as they should be. Lake, who delivers her second son at home and on camera in the film, is an advocate of home births. Many moms feel passionately about this topic and were quick to join the debate on our message boards.
Pain is no deterrent for member themodernmother, who writes, “The epidural is the only reason to go to the hospital, and for me, that's just not enough. I've [given birth] every way except a c section (hosp/epi, birth center, hospital/induced/epi and home), and home was by far the best because of being able to be left alone after.” Member digitalbaby agrees. She even feels that a home birth can be less painful. “Birth at a hospital, in my experience, is more painful. ESPECIALLY if you're given pitocin. At home, you're more relaxed, and it's an environment you know. I'm not going to say labor doesn't hurt, but for me at least, it's magnitudes more manageable than at a hospital.”
For some mothers a home birth is preferable, because their comfort and their desires are a priority. Member cartuin8 says, “I love the idea of not having to worry about making it to the hospital. Of having everything ready to go in your house and not having to go to a hospital full of sick people. Not being pressured to have drugs or to be able to do this on your own. Having someone there just for you instead of sharing nurses with everyone in labor.” Member marissamom believes there is no comparison between a hospital and a home delivery. “For me, it's the hospital that is too dangerous to give birth in. There are far too many interventions that are considered routine and harmless. None of those interventions have ever been shown to improve fetal or maternal outcome. But they have been shown to increase complications and c-sections. There is also a far greater chance of infection in a hospital.”
But not all moms feel the same. Some members, like mommy_nan, know that a home birth is not the right choice for them. “I think the idea of a home birth is wonderful. However, I would never be able to do it. I loved the security of being at the hospital and knowing if something did happen to my baby or me, there was immediate care available to us. If I had a home birth and something went wrong and something happened to my baby because I chose to not go to the hospital, I would never forgive myself.” Member leigh9781 also appreciates the security a hospital can provide. “I totally see the appeal of a home birth and everything, but when you haven't done it before you have no idea how you will react to the birthing process. You may just want to have the safety and security of being in the hospital for your first [baby].”
Money is another concern for some mothers. Member Joshsmomme writes, “For us to have a hospital birth we only pay a small co pay; a home birth we have to pay for everything out of pocket, which is not an option for us.” Member threekangas_plus1, who lives in Australia, has a similar view. “The other great thing about hospital birthing for us was that we had no out of pocket expenses. I love that for the couple of days I stayed, my meals arrived, my baby's laundry was done and the only thing I had to do was care for my baby. I also appreciated the very close breastfeeding support.”
There is, however, an alternative to both home and hospital births for those who aren’t comfortable with either one: a birthing center. Member marrymeflyfree has decided to give birth at a birthing center. “We are [using a birthing center], and I'm really looking forward to it. I would have considered birthing at home, but [my boyfriend] was really not up for that—so this is a perfect compromise for us ... And it's directly across the street from the hospital if a problem should come up.”
Expectant mothers, check out this iVillage quiz and find out which childbirth method is right for you.
What do you think? How did you choose to give birth? Do you have any regrets? Share your thoughts below.
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A Midwife delivered birth is by far the best delivery. Most of the time a home birth is safer. But just in case something would go wrong you need to be sure that you have a certified midwife. For our first birth we opted for a midwife in the hospital.
As a nurse in a neonatal intensive care unit, I have seen some infants admitted to our unit from home births that may have had a better outcome if they had emergency care available at birth. We are not a third world nation. All of the fluffy stuff is available now in hospitals. Hire a nurse midwife, a doula, and breastfeed with lactation consultants at your beck and call. The best of both worlds.. without the risk to your baby's life and well being.
A home birth is never safer. I work in a newborn intensive care unit, and EVERY DAY get called to a regular delivery where a baby is not breathing. If a doctor or nurse is not available to effectively resuscitate a newborn in the first minutes of life, the permanent damage due to lack of oxygen to the brain cannot be reversed. I realize that home birth may be more comfortable to some mothers and the privacy is wonderful, but in being a parent, you need to make sacrifices for your children. The safest thing for a newborn is being delivered in a place where someone can care for him/her in an unexpected emergency. It is so sad to see neurologically devastated children because parents wanted a home delivery for their personal comfort.
If I wasn't at a hospital I wouldn't be alive right now. After being in hard labor for 16 hours because my epuridural didn't work only dialated to 5cm and I began swelling so I was taken in for a c-section. After the baby was delivered I would not stop bleading, causing me to go into DIC and it was later realized that I had an aminoic fluid embolism. It hit where I had been cut for the section and didn't make it to my heart. If I haden't been in the hospital with a doctor I may have pushed (and it only would have taken one push) and it would have hit my heart instead and I would of been dead. Also, if I didn't have a doctor who cared and kept working on me I could of died on the table from being in DIC. If thats not a good arguement for a hospital I don't know what it. You just never know whats going to happen and I could of had 2 children, at that point, left without a mother.
Many babies born in a hospital require the oxygen because of pitocin givien to speed up a naturally progressing labor, because the dr wants to go home or because the hospital is worried about being sued, it is sad that the hospitals liability insurance is what dictates the birth process not the best interest of the baby or mother. continuos EFM and Iv's, no food during labor and pushing on your back these things are policy to prevent lawsuits, not any harm to the mother or baby. the risk of needing to be in the hospital is 1%, and 99% that you will have uneeded interventions. A 28% chance of a unessacerry c-section as only 7% of all the c-sections in this country are actual emergencies
I can't believe Rikki Lake is giving birth on camera. Where is her dignity? I hope there are no close-up shots.
Just think about it...women have been giving birth Longer than there have been doctors! I myself am an RN & have seen both hospital births & home births. I personally am having home births due to several reasons. In the hospital, you are on THEIR time, if you arent "progressing" like THEY think you should...you get induced...not cool. Also, they take your baby away right as it comes out (i've actually participated in this while in training) & give him/her shots & all sorts of medicine while you have no idea because they are stitching you up. Which brings up another point, if you have your baby naturally & only push when your body TELLS you to push...whaalaa...you will not tear. Its just in hospitals they want the baby out because they have another lady ready to deliver & well they just have to cut you. They dont have time to rub olive oil around your vaginal opening until you have the baby..it can take a while. So all in all, home births are such a more natural (no drugs) choice when it comes to me.
I can appreciate the privacy and security interests of mothers - especially when giving birth. There's nothing like the comfort of your own home when it comes to bringing a child into the world. HOWEVER, while neither of my pregnancies were eventful and both labors progressed well, the births of both of my children were quite the opposite. My son had to be turned due to his shoulder/collar bone being "stuck" and, while being revived several minutes later, a serious esophageal defect was found. Had it not, he could have asphyxiated during his first feeding. My daughter's 1 minute APGAR score was a 3 of 10, and it took a team of physicians and nurses to perk her up. So, yes, I get it. Home births are wonderful, private and somewhat romantic. But, when it comes down to it, I'll take the security of a team of physicians, trained to save children, over my bedroom any day of the week. Had I not made that choice, it's possible that neither of my children would be sitting beside me.
I'm so glad that her documentary is getting so much coverage. I think homebirth is the most beautiful thing in the world and it is too dangerous being in the hospital with doctors insisting on using unnecessary interventions. Birth is a natural process and interventions make it seem as if a woman's body was not made to give birth.
interesting ..
after the sterile, annoying, hospital birth of my first child, which began with a nurse telling me "you won't stay - you're not in labor, you're too happy, you're smiling" (I was 6 cm already and happy that the baby was almost here!) With people who pushed me to have pain meds even when I had a birth plan that said no, coming in to offer them again when I was in transition (dh swears my head spun a complete 360 that time, lol)etc. But the kicker that made me vow never to have a child in a hospital again.... after it was all over they made me sign a permission for vaginal birth. I looked at the doctor and said "what happens if I don't sign? They put the baby back???" Constantly being woken up at night. Lectured because I had my eyes closed while I held the baby "don't sleep holding him, put him in the bassinet"... ugh, it was dreadful.
My next two children were born at a lovely Birthing Center... no problems, no complications and no annoying lectures :)
I have to laugh when I read (especially by RNs and MDs) how much safer it is to give birth in the hospital, because they have seen things go wrong. Hmmm...
First of all, midwives are better at screening high risk moms than doctors...by far...and they also require their clients to take far more responsibility for their health, through diet, exercise and life choices. If a baby born in the hospital has problems, it cannot be assumed that the same scenario would have played out at home, because everything would have been different, not the least of which is the woman's attitude. Labor happens 100% between your EARS, not between your LEGS. If she thinks birth is some sort of medical emergency, that is only responsibly tended by someone with a knife and drugs in hand...it will play out just that way for her, and most certainly she should be in the hospital. Then afterwards she can make herself feel good with her tragic "good thing I was in the hospital because" birth story.
If a woman believes that labor and birth are her God given birth rights, and her body and baby are perfectly capable to preform this miracle, then again, a self-fulfilling prophecy is born, along with the baby.
Second, often times right before the hospital "saves" the baby, they nearly killed it, as most of the problems encountered are iatrogentic in nature. For the poster who wrote she'd never forgive herself if she birthed at home and something went wrong that being in a hospital would have prevented...what if you birthed in the hospital and your doctor or a nurse made a mistake that cost your baby its life, or the baby contracted one of the many icky infections looming in every square inch of every hospital? If healthy, low risk women really knew these stats, OB wards would go out of business.
This is coming from a mother who gave birth three times, successfully and happily at home...yet knows exactly what her "good thing I was in the hospital because..." story would have been.
I've had the blessing of both experiences- and I say- I love being able to have the right to "choose".
My first child was born in the hospital after 19 long hours of labor a healthy 7lbs10 oz without incident. At that time- when you went to the hospital- you didn't get up to progress things- you just waited. I had no drugs in either case. My 2nd baby girl was born in an apartment below the doctors office with a midwife about 2 blocks from a major hospital. From the moment I felt my first contraction until she was in my arms- 4 hours. I loved her sleeping right beside us the first night - the boding was incredible. For me- had I had anymore- I would have chosen that experience again. The most important thing is pre-natal care and your comfort. Remember- if momma ain't happy- ain't no body happy :)
I always like the comments "women have been having babies longer than...". Humans have been doing lots of things for a very long time; however, that does not mean that we have to continue to behave as we always have. So what, women want to have babies in a hospital even though they have been having them at home for so long. Just becuase I want chicken for dinner doesn't mean that I go "out back" and ring a chicken's neck, pluck the feathers and cook it for dinner. If I lived on a farm, I might consider it...but I don't and I don't live in a society that has no access to exceptional healthcare. We now have options for easier, safer, and more advanced ways of life. Hospital births are at the top of that list...for me anyway.
I always am amazed that people say "women have been having babies without doctors for thousands of years"...that is true, however, until the advent of modern medicine, childbirth was the leading cause of death in women of childbearing age. My sister for instance, gave birth in a hospital, no pitocin, no intervention, and then proceeded to almost bleed to death. Had she been at home, she would not have survived. And what about all of the unforseen...undiagnosed congenital malformations, meconium aspiration, etc? And as far as all of the "germs" in hospitals, there are germs, but that is why handwashing is the number one initiative in hospitals, it kills germs. Home birth may be the right option for you, but it is not safer than hospital birth.
I know how awful hospital birth can be. My first son was born prematurely, and the hospital experience was terrible. It was not the fault of anybody, though. It was terrible because he was premature. I felt like a thing, on a table, as they discussed c-section as if I were not even there. He was breech. They didn't have a chance to c-section me, he came out on his own. Had we been at home, he would have died. I happen to have a condition that puts me in a "high-risk" category, and I didn't know about it until after my son was born. I had no signs of trouble and no problems until the birth.
Next time around I would love to find a birthing center and have a pleasant birth experience. I do not want drugs and I do not want to be treated like I was last time. However, I am NOT willing to risk my safety or my child's safety for those luxuries.
You birth-at-home moms can have your "experience" and I hope your babies are healthy. I know a woman whose birthing plan goes like this: "Everyone gets out alive, nobody dies."
I am planning a home birth. I have a nine year old who I gave birth to in a hospital. The experience was not horrible but it certainly was not what I imagined childbirth to be. I got to the hospital and was dialated to 5 and believed the remainder of labor would come quickly. Six hours later I was still dialated 5. Why? Because I was poked, prodded, and checked by five to seven different people who I'd never seen in my life. (some weren't so friendly) My body knew I was not comfortable, therefore instinctly stopped. We are, believe it or not, a part of the animal kingdom. We give birth with instinct, not our brain. I ended up having an epidural, I had her three hours later. Two and a half hours I was pushing. I could feel absolutly nothing. No pressure, no urges to push, nothing. I still have back problems and nightmares from that wonderful needle. I am due in two days for my second child. I have researched home birth and know that "in a healthy, low risk pregnancy" it is by far the safest and most effective way to bring a little miracle into this world.