The Choices We Make....

Everything is moving along here..... just fine, I might add. :)

Here I am at almost 27 weeks. We were on our way to the Chili Cook-off. We also used the stroller for the first time, minus second seat, and it was awesome!

 

The baby is should be somewhere around or over 2 lbs. right now. I love that. And the last thing I read, on the internet, compared him to some type of roast (usually, they use a fruit or veggie comparison). I found that funny.

Everything here is great. I am, actually, 27 weeks this week. Somehow, last week, I got ahead of myself. Wishful thinking, I guess.

I'm super excited about Thanksgiving coming up, and going to visit family. Ryden is really looking forward to it, as well.

I think I am going to make a gift registry. I know some of you family want to get some things for lil' baby man, so, I figured why not.

Since we aren't having a baby shower (not needed), I hadn't thought about making one. 

This weekend, we FINALLY bought a dining room table. I have been looking at tables for almost a year, and finally made a decision. We are super stoked, and I can't wait to entertain, for the first time, with it.

Here is our baby, and it also has two 15" extensions that go on the ends, so, it becomes GIANT. I hope it lasts for generations (more wishful thinking, again). :) 

 

It will be a great Christmas. And speaking of Christmas, Ryden is also getting beyond jazzed about it!! He has picked out some presents for his family to tell Santa about (yes, I have no problem propagating the whole Santa Claus thing).

He also told Eric and I yesterday that he wants a spaceship!

I think that was one of the best things I ever heard him say.

Now, for a little insight into our upcoming birthing plans.

What's that... what hospital are we delivering at? Wellll......................

I know most of you know that we had Ryden in a birthing center with a nurse midwife. Considering that my pregnancy was low risk (no twins, baby not breech, no placenta previa, no signs of pre-e or GD or anything else that would possibly put me into the higher risk category) and also having a very standard labor, everything really went as planned.
At least, as much as you can plan labor and birth. ;)

With everything remaining low risk, Eric and I felt very confident in our decision, and think it was the best one for us and Ryden.

One of the reasons we chose a birth center (stand alone, not connected to a hospital) was because this was all new to us, and it felt like the safest middle ground. Funny though, it offers nothing more, in terms of safety, than a home birth. Just maybe a little bit of easier clean up. It just seemed easier to process, is all.

After having Ryden, I do not have a single regret with the choice we made.

There are several things I can list that made all the difference in the world. I know most of these things can happen in the hospital setting, but it does depend on your hospital's policies and your doctor's comfort. There was nothing I wanted that I had to fight for.

1. Receiving a healthy baby and having minimal interventions.
2. Being able to hold my son immediately and uninterrupted for the first hour.
3. Being able to start labor on my own, even though my water broke first, and it was beyond 12 hours before I went into active labor.
4. Being able to constantly move during labor and having a tub to labor in and even birth in had I chose to.
5. Not having Ryden taken from me to have tests done until after we had nursed and he was a little more familiarized with his world.
6. Being able to do delayed cord clamping.
7. Not being offered drugs (which, admittedly, would have been very tempting at times)
8. Not being exposed to an abundance of germs or super bugs.
9. Having pre-natal appointments that lasted upwards of 30 minutes and were never rushed.
10. Having a third stage that was minimally managed and not rushed.
11. Being able to drink and eat (though, I didn't eat) throughout labor.
12. Not having to worry about good intentioned nurses offering my son formula, sugar water, pacifiers or anything of the like without my knowing.

I could go on about benefits that I feel are part of our decision process, but you get the picture.

I do want to say, that I am not at all opposed to birthing in the hospital. I think we all have different wants, and that is why it is wonderful that there are so many choices for us.
However, from doing loads of research, this pregnancy and last, I do not feel that there is any conclusive evidence that proves a hospital to be safer for baby or mama, who is low risk and is being attended by a competent midwife.
Keys being low-risk and competent midwife.

Most very serious complications are few and far between and can be managed by a midwife until mom or baby is transferred to the hospital.
There are only a couple of things that are so extreme and unknown until labor or delivery that they can only be handled at a hospital. Things like uterine rupture, severe PPH requiring transfusions, heart issues for mom or baby, cord prolapse and a couple others. These are all extremely rare and are difficult no matter the setting.

However, there are lots of complications that can be caused by interventions typically done in a hospital setting. Things like overuse of pitocin, AROM, too many dilation checks (germs), actively managing third stage too aggressively, sections on a baby who is too young and so on.

These are the risk/benefits I weigh with every decision.

I guess some of you, other than most of our family, may be wondering why I am making this case.
That is because with this birth, Eric and I have opted for a homebirth with a wonderful CNM (certified nurse midwife).
Not to mention, we are about 7-10 minutes from our local hospital. And that is a straight drive.
And speaking of hospitals, I hope to not have to use ours. It does not even have a NICU, there is no OB/GYN or anesthesiologist on staff overnight. Therefore, even if I did have to transfer for an emergency, in those hours, they would be calling the docs in anyways. If we need a NICU, we would have to transfer to another hospital for that, too.
If I were planning a hospital birth, I would probably use another hospital, even with that meaning we would have to drive to a nearby city.

I prefaced with so much, because unless someone has researched the subject, just hearing the word homebirth sets in panic and takes people back to the 1800's.
Which is not the case, thank goodness!!

There is a lot of research I could cite. Most of it showing benefits and dangers on both sides.
I recently read this blog entry from a Doctor in California who attended the recent homebirth summit, and I really think he summed up things nicely and really showed both sides of the coin. I am on the same page as him.

I am confident in our decision, and hope that everything stays low risk, and we are able to go forward with this.
I understand there are risks with a homebirth just as there are risks with a hospital birth. We are opting for the less frequent, though very real risks at home, and in the case of an emergency will transfer to our hospital. And I have absolutely no problem with transferring. I feel safer with the rare risks of birthing at home than dealing with the more common and often risks that happen at a hospital.

Any questions... feel free to ask.

Now that I got that out of the way, hope everyone has wonderful holidays next week!!!!!!

Michele & the gang