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Pregnancy

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Should American Women Learn to Give Birth at Home? (Time.com)

Posted by

CTRedSoxMom

on Sep. 5, 2010 at 10:17 PM

30 Replies

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2011940-1,00.html

Only C&P'ed the first page..

When Hillary McLaughlin found out she was pregnant, she was unable to legally obtain the service she needed. So she looked for an underground contact. She got a woman's name--just a first name--and a phone number from a friend who advised her to destroy the evidence as soon as she made the call. When McLaughlin reached the woman, however, the woman told her she no longer "did that" and that she wasn't willing to risk going to jail for it anymore. Turned off by all the "whisper, whisper, cloak-and-dagger stuff," McLaughlin decided to "jump state lines" from Illinois to Missouri to find a legal provider.

Forty years ago, you might have assumed McLaughlin was looking for an unlawful abortion. Rather, what the small-business owner, 33, sought was a certified midwife who could deliver her baby at home in Edwardsville, Ill. "It's completely ridiculous that I had to do all this because midwives aren't licensed to practice here," says McLaughlin, who delivered her son in April at her parents' home in St. Louis. "I wanted a home birth, but I wanted to do it legally, because I wanted some assurance that the midwife I chose knew what she was doing."

Each year, some 25,000 American women like McLaughlin opt to deliver their babies at home. Although that accounts for fewer than 1% of all births in the U.S., the figure is probably on the rise. From 2004 to 2006, the most recent year for which estimates are available, home birthing in the U.S. increased 5% after having gradually declined since 1990, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the recent uptick is not conclusive proof of a trend, home-birth advocates say anecdotal evidence and informal surveys from the field also point to growing demand.

Why? Largely because women wish to avoid what they deem overmedicalized childbirth. Compared with hospital deliveries, 32% of which end in cesarean section, those taking place at home involve far fewer medical interventions and complications. Some women, like McLaughlin, who have had cesareans in the past, elect to have a home birth because they want to attempt vaginal delivery--what is known as vaginal birth after cesarean, or VBAC, a procedure that most obstetricians and hospitals have banned to avoid liability lawsuits.

But midwife-assisted home births are not always easily or legally arranged. Today, just 27 states license or regulate so-called direct-entry midwives--or certified professional midwives (CPMs)--whose level of training has met national standards for attending planned home births. In the 23 states that lack licensing laws, midwife-attended births are illegal, and midwives may be arrested and prosecuted on charges of practicing medicine or nursing without a license. (Unlike CPMs, certified nurse midwives, or CNMs, who are trained nurses, may legally assist home births in any state. But in practice, they rarely do, since most of them work in hospitals.)

Cloth Diapering, Selective Vaccinating, Breastfeeding Advocate who Formula Fed, Work at Home Mom, Professional Blogger, Social Media Director, Childbirth Educator, Doula, Mother to Camden, and Benjamin.
Expecting Baby #3 in May of 2011!

Posted by

CTRedSoxMom

on Sep. 5, 2010 at 10:17 PM

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norahsmommy

Silver Member on Sep. 5, 2010 at 10:24 PM

this is very sad. I would love to give birth at home but I am not sure I can even do that here. If I am ever prego again I will need to check into it more. I think for many women its SAFER to do it at home than in a hospital. Hospitals are for sick or injured people. Laboring women are generally not one of those groups of people. Hospitals are NOT as clean as we like to think. Plus we are used to all the germs in our own homes and have a better chance of not getting infection or sick if we stay at home.

Cynthje

on Sep. 5, 2010 at 10:27 PM

I am from a culture where home birth is accepted and has always been available to women, here most women go to midwives or family doctors for their prenatal care. Its sad to me that in a country that spends so much money on pregnancy related care that women have so few options :(

home birth is not for everyone but in my opinion it should be available to those that want it. I also think that women need to educate themselves on pregnancy/labor and birth so that they can make a truly informed choice.

doulala

Emerald Member on Sep. 5, 2010 at 10:33 PM

I wish options & choices in health care weren't ruled by money.

:-(

CTRedSoxMom

on Sep. 5, 2010 at 10:35 PM

I completely agree!

It all started in the early 1900's when hospitals, and doctors wanted to cash in on childbirth.

Quoting doulala:

I wish options & choices in health care weren't ruled by money.

:-(

palemoon21

on Sep. 6, 2010 at 1:14 AM

This is why most women who do birth at home in those states do it alone.....unassisted childbirth, freebirthing.....

It's our choice and I think it's discusting that the medical community had made childbirth about money instead of proper/safe/healthy/natural deliveries for moms & babies.

MEDwives are way different then midwives. IMO

justawaitin

Bronze Member on Sep. 6, 2010 at 6:43 AM

I couldnt do it.My son had complications when he was born and withought the help of my doctor im terrified to think of what would have happened.I personally dont think its worth the risk ,If something were to go wrong i would want to be the closest to help that i could be not at home.

CTRedSoxMom

on Sep. 6, 2010 at 10:16 AM

Sadly many things that take place IN a hospital birth are what cause complications that need certain attention at birth.

Also, Midwives are trained and carry equipment such as oxygen, etc for resuscitation, or supplemental oxygen for a transfer to the hospital if it is necessary.

The point is, if women WANT to make this choice, they SHOULD be able to.

Quoting justawaitin:

I couldnt do it.My son had complications when he was born and withought the help of my doctor im terrified to think of what would have happened.I personally dont think its worth the risk ,If something were to go wrong i would want to be the closest to help that i could be not at home.

justawaitin

Bronze Member on Sep. 6, 2010 at 10:21 AM

Oh i absolutly agree that you have the right to the choice it just isnt my personal choice is what i was sayin

CTRedSoxMom

on Sep. 6, 2010 at 10:16 AM
Sadly many things that take place IN a hospital birth are what cause complications that need certain attention at birth.

Also, Midwives are trained and carry equipment such as oxygen, etc for resuscitation, or supplemental oxygen for a transfer to the hospital if it is necessary.

The point is, if women WANT to make this choice, they SHOULD be able to.

wiser_then_ever

on Sep. 6, 2010 at 11:27 AM

i once again feel it should be the mothers choice as to where she would like to give birth to her little one. shame on some ppl!! blahg.

MegHPand3

on Sep. 6, 2010 at 3:02 PM

I like to think of MOST (not all, i get that there are some REAL issues) of the time doctors end up "saving" mothers and babies from their own actions. Induction, Pit, cytotec, epi, EFM, AROM, then naturally shock me, shock me, shock me, someones BP elevates or crashes and baby shows signs of distress and it's off to the c/s races. Then everyone stands around and cheers "OH THANK GOD YOU WERE IN THE HOSPITAL or you or your baby would have DIED".