Birthing Center - Going Home Right Away

Kimberly,
I wrote a private message to you. But I would recommend a post partum doula to help for several weeks! Contact me for a list of women.
K. Voigtsberger, CD(DONA), AAHCC
www.wholeheartbirth.com

Irrational???? Are you kidding?

I don't think any fancy birth is worth being at a place where they kick you out after 4 hours. It's the last rest and pampering you will get for a long time.

For me, I'd rather have people I hate deliver my baby and then have two days of a restful hospital stay afterward; than have people I adore deliver my baby and then kick me out a couple of hours later. Sounds pretty uncaring to me.

I have had 1 baby at a hospital and then 3 babies at home. After the birth, the midwives left after a couple of hours it is actually so nice b/c you are actually in your own bed w/your baby. It's a sweet time. Your own house, your own stuff. I was never concerned about the older kids b/c my mom & husband were here and by the 3rd day or so I felt good enough to actually venture out of my bedroom! I didn't move very fast, but I was out! It never even crossed my mind to cook or do anything else. I would not count the birthing center out just b/c of that....you'll just have to have strong boundaries. Maybe after you get home & settled a bit (for a day or so), the older 2 children could go spend time w/some family for a few days to give you that uninterrupted time w/the baby. My mom usually takes the youngest one back w/her for a week or so...she lives in KY.

Yes, there is bleeding, but that was not a problem either. Just part of childbirth. Even in the hospital, no one was going to the bathroom with me anyway! lol I used Tina Rowe Woodall in Rockwall....she has a birthing center now called Heavenly Hands. I am actually pregnant again and may use the center instead of giving birth here at home. Which center are you looking into? I'd love to talk more about it if you want to.

I suggest you have your baby at the hospital....get pampered and relax...
Good luck : )

My opinion, having aided my own daughter in giving birth only yesterday, is to allow yourself time before going home.

Once you're home, you're home! Those precious moments with your baby under supervision can never come back. You are an experienced mother, and my daugter gave birth to her first child, but she had so many questions and really was glad to know she had 48 hours to talk to the pediatrician and get to know her baby.

If it were I, I would not go home until I had to!!

A mother who last gave birth in '69!!

I had both of my babies at the hospital and with my first (now 4 yr) I had a lot of bleeding, a 24+ hour labor, no sleep (we had the baby by our bed) and I had to share a bed with my husband because they provided nothing for him to sleep on. Definitely not a movie experience and I could not wait to get home and out of the sardine can they called a recovery room. After I got home though, I wished I could have stayed in the hospital longer. My stitches (I tore) were sore and getting around was painful and I was really stressed and overwhelmed with what I felt I had to do.

With my second baby (now 8 months) I went to a different hospital and it was just my husband and I and the baby for almost 2 days post partum (my daughter could not visit because of the flu season regulations). It was wonderful to have the special one-on-one time at the hospital where all of my meals were provided, my husband had his own bed, I had help teedering around (stitches again) and people there told me not to do stuff and not. We had our son in the nursery the second night (he was born 7:45 pm on a Friday and we went home mid-day Sunday) so we could get a full night's sleep and it was HEAVEN!!! We felt much better leaving the hospital this time than the first. I would not have wanted to go home 2-4 hours after giving birth. I had not had a BM by that time, I was still bleeding a lot, and they were still trying to regulate my blood pressure and temperature that soon after. I was not even out of the delivery suite 2 hours after. THAT WUOLD HAVE BEEN NUTS!

I did the birthing center thing and went home right away. It was wonderful. I slept better in my own bed. My husband and son helped out so much. I didn't do the dishes, and I didn't do any chores. It gave me a chance to bond with my baby on my own home turf, take a shower in my own bathroom and not worry about nurses coming in or anything else.

Kimberly,

i recently had a homebirth, so a very similar situation to a birth center. This was my second at home birth and my first was at the hospital. When you are at home it is no different than the hospital as far as needing to be in bed or on the couch to rest for 2-3 days sraight. However it's very tempting to want to get up and try to get things done around the house so you'll need to assign someone a job as your boss to tell you to stay in bed and not to lift a finger. It's very important that you obey doctors orders and really just lay there the first 3 days NO work whatsoever. It's doable a d I very much encourage your decision! I loved being at home vs the hospital. It was the perfect choice for our family. Some will frown upon this but do what is right for you and nobody else.
S.

I agree with you. I absolutley LOVE the bonding time in the hospital. I still daydream about it :) (and my youngest is 6!) I know that it would have never been the same if i was sent home. I have been sent home from outpatient surgeries and couldnt stay in bed... the life of a mom...lol!

I have had one baby at a hospital and two more at birth centers. I actually really disliked being in the hospital and we left as soon as we were allowed, 24 hours later. The bed was uncomfortable, the food was terrible, and my bonding with my baby kept being interrupted by all these medical people coming in.

At the birth center we usually stay about 3-5 hours after the birth. Long enough to eat something, rest, take a shower, rest some more. Then on the way home we pick up something to eat. I will always remember that after my second child was born I got to eat my favorite meal from Olive Garden instead of yucky hospital food!

My parents live in town, so they always watch our older children starting when I go into labor. It's not a big deal for them to keep them for 24 hours since they would do that if we were in a hospital. So the first night after the baby is born is just me, my husband, and our new baby in our own home. The next day my husband picks up the kids, brings them home to meet the baby, and then takes them somewhere super fun for the whole day. Sometimes my mom comes over to stay with me.

So I basically get the two days with just me and the baby anyway.

As for the bleeding, my midwife had me pick up a package of Depends so I could walk around in labor even after my water broke, so I just kept using that package for a few days, and made sure we used dark colored sheets or had a towel on my side of the bed just in case. It's not a big deal, we had no messes to clean up.

I had my son at Birth and Women's Center in Dallas. I'm pregnant with my second child and will deliver there again. I do think 2-4 hours is a little soon to leave after giving birth. I was there about 6 hours after my son was born. I ate dinner and took a shower and my husband and my mom gave my son his first bath before we left. I was put on bedrest for 3 days so my husband and mother did all the chores and cooking and my son and I stayed in the bed and bonded. It was WONDERFUL!! My mid-wife actually came to my house to check on us 3 or 4 days after I delivered. If you feel like it's something you might be interested in, check out several birth centers before you make your decision.

Congratulations and I hope you have a great birth experience no matter where you decide to deliver!!

I had both my kiddos at The Birth and Women's Center in Dallas, right by Baylor on Swiss Ave. (www.birthcenter.net). They did not let me leave for 6 hours on both accounts. This was to ensure not only my health, but my baby's as well. I think 2-4 hours seems a little soon.
Is there any way that you can have relatives or friends take the boys for a day or two as part of your birth plan? Have some meals already prepared, in the freezer so all you have to do is heat them up (hubby is capable of that right :-)) I know most moms think that they have to do everything while at home, it's in our nature, but especially at home you should be able to bond and relax (you just ran a marathon!) with your little miracle. Also, for a baby shower gift maybe you could ask for a house cleaning, so when you are relaxing, someone else is getting your house clean--that's what I did, so wonderful! Just a few ideas, I'm sure there will be more mamas with some great ones too! God Bless.

First, congratulations to you and your family!
I had the best of both worlds. I delivered in a hospital with a midwife. She asked me about my birth plan, and followed it when I arrived at the hospital. Afterwards, I had time to be with my daughter and bond, without having to worry about my other 2 children and chores around the house. The post partum doula that the other poster talked about is also another wonderful idea.

I would REALLY stress your concerns to your husband and make sure he understands that if you choose to go this route you will NOT be doing ANY chores, etc. for two days - period. Make this really clear ahead of time and set up any preparations so that way you can have the birth experience you want but not have to deal with the stuff you mention. The post partem doula could be a great help too if you have the money to hire one of them. I was like you and VERY hesitant about birth center ONLY because of that very reason. I ended up sticking with the midwives at the hospital and told my midwife I would leave AMA if she didn't discharge me the next day because I barely slept a wink at the hospital. So do NOT let that be your only reason because I really think even though you have other kiddos you'd still be more comfortable at home. Good luck with whatever you decide and hope you have a great birth!!

I had my son at a birth center. He was born at 10:20am and we were back home, after a nap, by about four. We had friends who came in to clean the house that day and then my mom flew in shortly after to help with cooking and other stuff. I liked being at home and in my own bed although there is a part of me that would have liked having a few days in the hospital to transition from being pregnant to being the mother of a new baby. Mostly because he's my first and those first few days, before my mother came (my son was born earlier than expected and so it took a few days for her to get her tickets changed), were kind of scary. But on the other hand I didn't have to deal with nurses barging in and out trying to do their jobs. I think you should have your baby at the birth center and INSIST that your family behave as though you aren't even there in regards to cleaning etc once you get home. I know it's hard to be in your own house and let other people take care of the chores because of course they aren't doing things the way YOU would, but give it a try.

I went straight home from the hospital after my daughter was born (no overnight stay). I loved coming home to my own bed and spending my baby's first night at home. I did not feel compelled to cook or clean - but this is my only child, so I can't really say anything about having older kids to care for. I think if you have help (hubby and family) with taking care of the siblings, it would be fine.
Taking care of the bleeding wasn't an issue for me at all, just ask your midwife or buy some of those superlarge pads for the first day. I switched to regular pads the next day.
If I ever had another child I would totally choose a birthing center or a home birth over a hopsital - even though my experience was overall positive, I just don't care for the hospital athmosphere.
Good luck!

Kimberly,

I used the most wonderful mid-wife through a birthing center but I did not use a birthing center, I had my baby at home so I was immediately home obviously. I had so much more time to bond with my baby because their where no doctors or nurses coming to check on me, no middle of the night distractions, or anything else. Your baby sleeps so much at first, that is when you can just tell your family that you are tired and want to rest with your baby. I don't know anything about your husband or your children, but most of them totally respect that your body just went through a major ordeal. You just need to lay down the law plenty of time in advance that way it is understood that you need to heal and bond with your baby and they need to respect that time. I am sure your husband will make sure your boys are following through. I tore a little bit and my mid-wife put me on bed rest for a week and my husband and my two older boys waited on me hand and foot plus we had people bringing us meals. Even though I was sore, I would not trade that experience for anything in the world. I do not think you will have any regrets. Best of luck to you.

Talk to your midwife about a post partum doula, see if any are available in your area. After one hospital birth I didn't like, two homebirths I loved, I had my fourth in the hospital with a midwife and LOVED those few days without having to take care of anyone.

You shouldn't be doing ANYTHING but taking care of the baby for at least the first week after birth, it is overwhelming to have other children to take care of, so I hear you loud and clear. If you can't find a post partum doula, hire someone to come in and help you, or ask family to help in shifts.

My twins were 2 when I had our 3rd at Lovers Lane Birthing Center. I thought coming home right away was an advantage of the birthing center model. Www couldn't imagine my husband balacing he care of the older two while going back and forth to the hospital. When we got him the baby and I stayed in the bed and let my husband (and other friends and family) do everything else. If you don't have help you could also consider a post-partum doula. If you want to contact ms directly I'd be happy to talk with you about my exoperience.