AMA: Ricki Don't Know 'Bout Birthin' No Babies

61. What's next...mandatory epidurals?

I really feel that it should be the decision of the parents about where to give birth. I have heard about great experiences and horrible experiences with both places, with the hospital and at a birthing clinic. Unfortunately, I have heard and experienced more of the horrible experiences with the hospital than I have with the doulas (mid-wives). The last experience resulting in the death of my friend and her child...at the hospital. Each situation is unique and the government should not be making the decisions for parents.

By the way, I am pregnant and I do believe that the "baby industry" is big business, and if moms are not careful people everywhere are going to try and sell them stuff they don't need. Just check out how many books and crap people try to sell you in the regular stores!

Posted at 3:24PM on Jun 17th 2008 by currently preggo

62. I am shocked by this! being 8 months pregnant with my second child i like options! for me personally I have a mid wife but i will give birth in the hospital. that's my preference. but women have had baby's since the start of time and what about women who don't make it to the hospitals in time?
I personally think they should stop offering c-sections to women who don't need them! what a waste! i was given the option with my daughter and there was no reason i would have needed one! what a crock just ways to make more money!

Posted at 3:32PM on Jun 17th 2008 by Holly G

63. It is common knowledge in the medical industry that c-sections are a far overused procedure in the US. Reports have been done... docs have acknowledge it. Home birthing, when done properly, is probably safer than being in a hospital. Think about this: what are hospitals full of? people that are sick... diseased and such, of which you are willingly exposing yourself and your newborn to, when doing a hospital delivery. And bottom line: pregnancy is not an illness... birthing is not an illness... therefore you really don't need to be in the same area as sick people are. If you don't feel safe birthing at home, then go to a birthing center where your newborn will not end up exposed to stuff its little system can't handle.

Posted at 3:48PM on Jun 17th 2008 by Jeezzzzz

64. This is disgusting, it's legal to kill our babies in utero but they don't want to give us choice in where and how to birth them? Hospitals cause many more problems than they fix, especially on the labor and delivery floor. I'll be delivering my 4th child in 3 months where I am most comfortable- at my home.

Posted at 3:45PM on Jun 17th 2008 by anti vax

65. America land of the Free?

Posted at 3:51PM on Jun 17th 2008 by dianne

66.
Do you sobbing beeches ever realize that your 'emergency complications'
were actually CAUSED by you being IN the hospital?

Neglect, stress, overmedication, failure to hire enough nurses, improperly hooked up equipment, etc.

It's called iatrogenic complications, ya douches!

Posted at 3:49PM on Jun 17th 2008 by hartzel

67. #54 hk said it best. We really do notneed to hear from peoplewho had great outcomes in a home-birth. They will say it is great!!! Those who have had hospitals ones will say it is better. Do what you like. If you want a home birth, fine. Your choice and YOUR RISK!

Posted at 4:31PM on Jun 17th 2008 by Your choice, no big deal.

68. Boston Belle...it sounds like the hospitals you're talking about really are poor facilites. They did a terrible job. I don't blame you for having a bad opinion of hospitals if those are the situations you've dealt with or heard about. I would definitely find another hospital if I were pregnant and my hospital had that kind of track record. It doesn't change the fact that people are taking a risk, a huge one, by choosing to give birth at home. I will say that I think people should be able to make that decision for themselves...there should be no law requring a hospital birth. Also, if a woman wants a midwife or doula to assist, great! Just why not at the hospital? Again, just my opinion.

Had I been at home my son would not be alive today. Those who are so certain that home birth's are risk free, or low risk, couldn't be more wrong. So, knowing that at home there is much less that can be done if complications arrise, WHY TAKE THAT RISK????? It's not worth it for me to be comfortable at home if it means my child isn't in the safest place for his birth.

That's how I feel. I simply would never dream of risking my baby's well being, no matter how wonderful my pregnancy had been or how easy of a time my mother had delivering me.

Posted at 4:16PM on Jun 17th 2008 by dixiegirl

69. What is going on???? This is a violation of all of our basic rights. I am also in the medical field, and do not agree with this at all. It doesn't matter if *you* want to give birth at home, it should matter to you that they want to take your choice away.

Posted at 4:05PM on Jun 17th 2008 by disturbed

70. I went to look at Rikki Lake's site. It seems all anti hosptials. Did she tell the good and bad side of hosptials? Did she tell and show the bad side of home births? I BET NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 4:26PM on Jun 17th 2008 by Your choice, no big deal.

71. Why don't people think before they open their big mouths? Mid-wife is a licensed medically trained title. The women who hold the title keep the woman's health in mind always. If you are a high risk pregnancy they will NOT ALLOW you to give birth at home. Plus nowadays you can give birth in a hospital with a midwife if you want to.

Posted at 4:09PM on Jun 17th 2008 by Jackiemichele

72. WHAT KIND OF HOSPITALS ARE YOU PEOPLE GOING TO???? Most hospitals in the US off the highest quality of healthcare anywhere in the world. If you were too spineless to take control of your wants and need while you were delivering, that's your fault. You are NOT a prisoner in a hospital while giving birth. They can't do anything to you if you do not allow it, unless you are unconscious! If your hospital did do something to you that you said "absolutely not" to, then you need to be filing lawsuits.

Up until the point when my son's heartrate dropped to the floor, I enjoyed my hospital delivery. It was wonderful (ONCE I GOT THE EPIDURAL...THANK YOU LORD FOR THAT). And to whoever said that most situations could be averted with the thoughful care of a home birth specialist....no ma'am. Not in my case, and not in many cases. Unlike my mother, who delivered me and my brother with no issues, my pelvis was too narror. Of course, we couldn't have known this until my poor little boy's head was wedged between my pelvic bones while the cord was getting tighter around his neck. A doula or midwife, or whatever they are called, would have stood by while my son lost his life had I taken the terrible risk of delivering in the "comfort" of my home. To me, it's a SELFISH decision to give birth at home. DO NOT RISK YOU CHILD'S LIFE PEOPLE.

That all being said, I don't think the government should be able to force people to be smart and responsible, not in this case anyway.

Posted at 4:22PM on Jun 17th 2008 by dixiegirl

73. The World Health Organization says that with the c/s rate is above 10-15%, too many c/s are being done, and the risks outweigh the benefits at that point. Our national c/s rate is above 30% now. CBS news did a special report which tied a portion of the increase in preemie births, directly to c-sections.

Oddly, I can't get a c/s at home from a midwife. I have to go to a hospital to have them. Half the women who've had them have obviously been misled into thinking that they and their baby required this procedure, when they did not. And when there are serious short and long-term risks for mother and infant as a result of the c/s (allergies, developmental delays, etc.).

Credible research in Europe has shown that midwife assisted births have fewer complications and fewer risks than OB assisted births. Midwives know when to refer mothers to OBs, and they do so. But when it is patently safer and more comfortable for a mother to birth at home, with a midwife - it's ironic that an association which obviously makes money off her being in the hospital, is trying to coerce her into one to give birth there, where it is more dangerous than at home.

Any mother posting here who thinks that hospitals and a c/s saved their child's life - if there were any medical interventions at all (as simple as an IV even) that's been shown to impact labor in what is called a "cascade of interventions." Pitocin and epidurals often have a negative impact on infant heart rate, for instance.

Finally - those who think birthing in the hospital is 'safer' in case of a catastrophic emergency while birthing - don't give birth at a hospital which does not allow vaginal birth after c/s (VBAC). If they don't allow VBACs that's because they don't have the ability to deal with a uterine rupture while a mother gives birth - whether she's had a c/s or not. And they may not be prepared to aid in your medical emergency while birthing adequately, either.

Posted at 1:50PM on Jun 18th 2008 by Jayhawker

74. Hartzel..You are a complete and total moron. You have absolutely no knowledge about this, it's obvious from your statement.

Did "neglect, stress, overmedication, failure to hire enough nurses, improperly hooked up equipment, etc" cause my pelvis bones to be too narrow for my son's small head to fit thru? You idiot. Did that cause the cord to be wrapped around his neck twice?

I had a totally happy, low stress, pregnancy with plenty of nurses and properly hooked up equipment...You are a total jackass for making a statement like that.

Posted at 4:31PM on Jun 17th 2008 by dixiegirl

75. I don't think it should be mandated by law for women personally - but I do think that it should be strongly discouraged and no national recognition/certification should be given to nurse-midwives, or dhoulas or any of that other hippy crap.

Why is it that people keep wanting to cite the past and imply that it was somehow more enlightened...in the past people died at 40, we pulled teeth without novacaine, there was slavery and women couldn't vote. It's called progress, it's better now - accept it. Say it with me - modern medicine is good, medications often help people live longer, healthier lives, hippies who don't use any of that stuff die just as fast as the rest of us...

That said, last I checked, it's still a personal choice to be an idiot. So go to it, ladies.

Posted at 5:47PM on Jun 17th 2008 by whatever