I saw a different midwife than I normally do yesterday. I guess you could call her the boss of the birth center. She told me my test results, noted that my blood pressure was amazingly consistent, and then asked me where I planned on having the baby. I said, "Oh, here. At the hospital." She said I sounded disappointed, and I explained that I had hoped to have the baby at the birth center, but I had been risked out. She furrowed her brow and said, "Well, what about a homebirth? Would you like that?"
I was surprised by the offer. After all, if I had been risked out of a birth center birth, it seemed logical that I would be risked out of a homebirth. And I am 38 weeks pregnant! It seems a little late to change the game plan. I told her that I thought my apartment was too small and that my neighbors might be disturbed by the ruckus. She laughed at me for using the word "ruckus" and then she surprised me again. "What about giving birth at a hotel?"
I checked her expression for some sign that she was joking, but she was very serious. She told me that she had recently delivered a baby at a very nice hotel nearby. The father checked the couple in while the mother labored out of sight, then they all met in the 5 star suite. The suite had a full kitchen, furniture and a large luxurious bathroom complete with jacuzzi tub. There was a need for discretion, of course, since the hotel staff might freak out and call for an ambulance if they found out what was going on, but overall, she found the whole experience very pleasant.
I politely declined. I just couldn't stop thinking about those Dateline specials that reveal how dirty hotels really are under a black light. And then imagine if the Dateline crew ever checked out that hotel suite where the woman gave birth. They'd probably think there had been a gruesome murder. I think I'll just stick to the hospital birth plan. It's no 5 star hotel, but I have greater faith in the cleaning staff.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
the harbinger of barf
7 comments:
HI there,
I understand your concerns but since you've posted this for the world to see (and comment ;) I'd like to point out a few things that I have a different view point on.
1) Hospitals are very germy places! So much so that thousands of people die because of the germs they harbor.
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Health/story?id=1213789&page=1
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/07/22/gupta.germs.hiv.otsc/index.html
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/1007/464319_video.html?ref=newsstory
2)As for the "ruckus"... yes, birth can be loud and overwhelming, but my 2 hospital births were louder and more painful than my home births. Why? I was terrified and forced to labor in bed. At my home births I had learned ways to minimize the pain and one of those is NOT lying in bed! I delivered 5 of my seven children at home and all were born out of the bed in various positions. I could share with you other things that I learned to help minimize pain if you'd like.
Also, hotels are pretty well insulated for noise, esp. a 5 star hotel!
3) As for birth being like a 'murder scene' you'd be amazed at how little blood there is at a homebirth. I have never had any blood get on anything unintentionally, not carpet, blankets or even the bathroom floor! And only one baby was born in the bathtub. I just simply put down a sheet, some chux pads and a towel or two. The pads got thrown away and the towels washed. Simple!
4)As for changing plans this late...A friend of mine went from planning a medicated hospital birth to a medically unassisted birth in the same amount of time. Her birth was wonderful. If it is something that you want or feel led to, you can do it!!!!
5)Your apartment probably isn't too small to give birth in! You'd only have to accomodate you, your man, and the midwife/midwives. As for me I usually labor on the toilet, in the bathtub, or leaning onto a sofa. Usually I only use one or two rooms. And I am sure that if you informed your neighbors of your plans they would be very excited for you. And remember, not all births take place at night! Three of mine happened during the day.
Blessings to you!
Susana
http://spiritledbirth.blogspot.com
Thanks for the comment! I trust that my midwife wouldn't have offered the hotel suite delivery if she didn't think it was perfectly safe, and I know my excuses for having the baby at home are flimsy. What it really comes down to is insurance.
I know that's sad, but I am being practical. I hope to have the best possible birth experience in the hospital with my midwives that I can, fully realizing that it won't be as calm and possibly fulfilling as a homebirth. Maybe next time when I am better prepared!
Thanks for reading and commenting. I never really thought anyone but my friends and family would read this, so I tend to go more for the humor angle than the fair and balanced one :)
How come insurance factors in? Do you mean because insurance will help pay for a hospital room, but not for a hotel room? I bet the difference is negligible, but I can understand the hesitation.
Also, seriously, if your major reason for not liking the hotel idea is because hotels are icky under a black light, do consider that you can bring your own blankets. You don't have to use what they give you. You can use clean things!
It sounded like such a good idea... hospitals are such a horrid and miserable place to be.
Just sayin'.
So you didn't have a baby yet, huh?
x
My insurance won't cover homebirths, even if they take place at a hotel :)
It seems more like you to give birth somewhere other than a hosital, I thought you were doing a water birth...is that still the "plan"?
Nope, the hospital doesn't have birth tubs. The birth center does, but insurance risked me out of delivering at the birth center because I didn't receive professional prenatal care prior to 20 weeks, despite the fact that I was shown to have a healthy fetus and was quite myself once I finally did. Insurance companies are bullies.
good thing you didn't do the hotel after all...unless the concierge doubles as a surgeon...
Post a Comment