Comments on: My Quest For A Natural & Gentle Birth

By: Maggie

Maggie — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:55:06 +0000

With my first baby, I told my female doctor that I didn’t want to be induced if the baby was late until two weeks had passed. She told me the new protocol was ‘one week’ and got an attitude with me. Fortunately, the baby came the morning I was scheduled to be induced at one week.

I picked a different doctor – a male – in the office for my second baby. (She had actually left their practice by then). I found that the male doctor was a lot more empathetic than the female doctor ever was.

By: Hope (of hippie dippie bébé)

Hope (of hippie dippie bébé) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 23:56:33 +0000

So glad you found someone who shares your values more closely! One benefit to home birth that can’t be emphasized enough is the value of being in your own personal space. Subconsciously (or consciously) we all know that hospitals are places where you go when things are not right, when something is wrong. Add to that the medicalization of the monitoring equipment and you get a place where it’s very difficult to find your own power in the knowledge that everything is OK, you can do this, it is all as it should be.

Being at home is so reassuring in that regard. Birth, in my opinion, is quite a private thing. Having had a baby both in a hospital setting and at home, I can say from experience that it is so much easier to achieve a state of pure bliss when giving birth in your own private space! I’m sure there are powerful women who’ve had this in the hospital as well, but for me it was all about being at home, with my family. So excited for you that this possibility has opened up! And how excellent that you are already prepared with Hypnobirthing and can add a home water birth to your experience!

Thank you for stopping by hippie dippie bébé and reading my water birth story, too!

There are several resources for planning a water birth on my site as well:

http://www.hippiedippiebebe.com/childbirth/plans-for-the-birth/

Have a wonderful birth! I’m sure your midwife will be there for you, but feel free to email me if you have any last minute questions on setup. What an exciting time for you and what a learning experience about your own ability to stand up for your values and your personal power. Best to your family in these exciting weeks!

By: Melodie

Melodie — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 18:45:26 +0000

Good for you Monica,
I have known a number of women with female doctors who felt safe in their hands because they were women, and even more so, felt “obliged” to have them deliver their baby because of their past relationship. I knew a woman who stayed with her doctor after she’d had a c-section who really wanted a VBAC and her doctor was supportive but only to a point, and from what she was telling me the doc was giving her bs information. This was right around when I was planning my own VBAC. She could have changed providers and gotten a midwife, my midwives said they’d take her on and I told her this, gave her literature to read about VBACS, but in the end she stayed with her doctor because she didn’t want to hurt her feelings, and she ended up with another c-section because her labour didn’t follow the right schedule. I’m glad you took your power back. I wish more women felt strong enough to do what you did.

Melodies last blog post..Vanilla Chocolate Marble Banana Loaf

By: Monica

Monica — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 02:46:20 +0000

@Lu – I decided to avoid any more drama with her and simply said that I have decided to have a home birth, which doctors in Canada cannot do. So it was simple really! Thanks for visiting

@Sommer – Yeah, I was reeling a bit wasn’t I?! ha ha. Thanks for connecting me with your cousin, I’ll look her up on Facebook, it’s fun to see how each woman’s experience is.

@Misty – I think you are right about the OB/Midwife thing. there are lots of amazing OB’s. One thing that struck me though when speaking to my British friend was that it is ALL midwives for babies and doctors are only called upon in an emergency. So the midwives have daily experience with babies and doctors also practice in which they were exclusively trained. It’s a win win. Imagine how that would free up come of the issues to do with medicare in our countries?

@Evelyn – Thank you for your prayers and positivity. It means a lot to me

@Kathleen – Thanks Kathleen. I think no matter how things work out for us, it feels different with a midwife knowing that we are responsible for our decisions her on in. I had this discussion with my midwife about how the mindset shifts because in a doctor setting it can be so easy (and simple) to release responsibility (to free ourselves in a way). You know though, I totally relate to you having felt pressured into procedures, and even if you can’t change that event, what a powerful learning experience. I think the more responsibility I take for my health, the more I am tested to speak my mind or make a decision..it’s funny like that. The responsibility never ends! ha ha. I’m glad you stopped by, thanks

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:20:27 +0000

Good for you Monica! I wish I had followed my intuition that late in the game too, because my birth experience was not at all what I imagined, and I felt pressured and scared into having procedures done that had I been in a different frame of mind (ie. not in labor), I would have refused. I really look forward to hearing how things work out! It’s great that you’ve taken control over YOUR experience and will be more comfortable in an occasion that is worth remembering, not fearing.

Kathleens last blog post..Friday Featured Blog: The IE Mommy