When you choose to give birth outside of the hospital at a birthing center you're required to go through a birthing class curriculum that's taught by birthing assistants. Last week was the first class and we went through introductions and why we all chose a birthing center over the hospital and covered labor expectations, Fear/Tension/Pain Cycle, and the anatomy & physiology of late pregnancy. There's a guest speaker at the end of each class and this week was about chiropractic care and how important it is during pregnancy and with your newborn. If you weren't aware, chiro care can turn a breeched baby, as well as acupuncture :) This Dr. also has a holistic health care practice that started our research engines on vaccines (we haven't started this yet...); which ones to get if you decide to get them or when to actually get them.
Class Two
This second class basically discussed the first stage of labor; early to active and the transition period, true and false labor, when to actually call your midwife, and the role of your support person. I think Nate's excited he'll have jobs during this so he feels more involved, plus he'll need tasks or he's going to go crazy. The big jobs he's responsible for is making sure I stay hydrated by drinking water and snacking on nutritious things like fruit since we all know this will take more than an hour. He's also supposed to make sure I pee at least once an hour and reminding me by saying things like, "Hey honey, I have to pee, why don't we go together". I hope he's taking a mental note during class...
When to call the midwife
The most important take away about when to actually call your midwife was the 411 rule; contractions are 4 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute for 1 hour. Before this, relax in the comfort of your own home the best you can...unless your water breaks of course. And, if you're having a contraction and actually saying "that really hurt" you're still in early labor because when they truly hurt and your body is really working and preparing for birth you'll be quiet and in your own mind until the contraction passes.
Should you hire a Doula?
The guest speaker was a Doula and the benefits of having one even if you're giving birth with a midwife at a birth center or at home. I didn't see the purpose of having a doula until this class but I'm actually considering a doula in case something should happen and I"m transferred to the hospital. This will help because she will know your birth plan and the hospital 'routine' that Dr.'s perform once your baby is born. She's able to step in an let them know what you want or don't want performed so you and your partner don't have to worry about it after delivering an 6 pound (hopefully) bowling ball. Also, we learned that hospitals have a pregnant patient's bill of rights, check it out to see what freedoms you actually have!
Class three is next week when we cover the second and third stage of labor which reviews birthing positions, pushing and plans, the placenta, breathing techniques and visualizations and more tasks for dad: massages :)
If you were wondering about our birth plan...
I was OBLIVIOUS to birthing centers, home births and anything out of a hospital before being pregnant. Good friends of ours even had a water birth a year and a half ago and I still didn't understand the benefits and always assumed I'd go to a hospital like everyone else. Nate is the one who did the research first and suggested the idea of an out of hospital birth and I immediately told him he was crazy. After more conversations, learning about other couples we know who went to a birthing center and speaking to them and finally starting my research, I was convinced. I'm now petrified of giving birth in a hospital even if it were natural, you don't receive the same benefits of the experience, leisure of your birthing position or personal care. Watch the documentary, The Business of Being Born if you want to learn the basics about out-of-hospital births.
No, we're not against hospitals
I'm not against hospitals or doctors, at all. I just believe hospitals are for the sick and injured and having a surgeon deliver your baby doesn't fall into either of those categories. Yes, complications arise during birth but most of the time Dr.'s interfere with drugs and/or unnecessary C-sections which can make situations worse. I know, it's hard to believe! It took me a while to comprehend what an actual 'complication' was during birth since you hear of things happening so often. To be honest and graphic for a sentence or two, my biggest fears of not being in a hospital was tearing and bleeding out. After doing the research, you're way better off with a midwife when it comes to tearing; they care about your vagina and massage you so there's none to minor tearing! My midwives at Labor of Love very rarely have 2nd and 3rd degree tears and that's clearly because of 10+ pounders, and an episiotomy is never performed!
A Birthing Center
Almost two hundred babies were born at Labor of Love in 2013 and only 1% was an emergency hospital transfer and around 10% that are transferred well before anything serious happens. If a complication does arise your midwife knows well in advance if Dr. intervention is needed. Trust me, this took me a good month to swallow. You definitely have to WANT to give birth the old-fashioned way and experience your entire birth but I never wanted to until I did the research and understood the benefits. If you don't know your options, then you don't have any.
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