Hellobee Boards Topic: When did you start thinking about your birth?

Hellobee Boards Topic: When did you start thinking about your birth? https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 19 Apr 2026 02:46:49 +0000 looch on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-897529 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 07:18:31 +0000 looch 897529@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I knew I wanted an intervention and med free birth in a hospital setting, just in case I needed assistance with the birth. I didn't really think about it before I got pregnant, but once I reached about 24 weeks, I started educating myself more. I didn't read a lot of birth stories or anything. heffalump on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-897521 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 07:15:48 +0000 heffalump 897521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My OB practice offers midwifes and doctors, so I had to pick early. The midwives aren't against meds and they spend a lot of time with you, both at apts and during labor. But I felt more comfortable with a doctor, and I didn't feel like I needed them there the whole time. lemondrop on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-897301 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 00:57:00 +0000 lemondrop 897301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I never worried much about the details, I learned my options, and figured we would work with the cards we were dealt. All I knew was I wanted it to be in a hospital with a good NICU, beyond that I would try it out and see. I was very go with the flow and so was my doctor. We agreed that our first priority was a healthy baby. He was fine with however I wanted to get there safely and informed us every step of the way. He has since changed practices, and you better believe I will be following him with our future #2. MamaJ on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-897294 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 00:39:45 +0000 MamaJ 897294@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I always knew if I had kids I wanted a natural birth. Well I got pregnant and just kept going to my regular obgyn. I took Bradley classes but didnt really discuss anything with my obgyn until my third trimester. She said very few women can do it naturally and to not get my heart set on it. C section was thrown around at several appointments too, which left me crying to my husband. Well I was overdue and got sent to the hospital for tests at 40 + 4. Baby wasnt showing much movement and the evil triage nurse walked in and told me I was getting induced. My awesome husband started yelling at her for not explaining the why of it all. We demanded to speak with a doctor and finally when we did, he said the baby seemed fine and we could go home but he recommended we stay. DH and I talked and we both agreed to stay. I was already have contractions and was 4 cm ( I was walking around at 4 cm for weeks!!). So I got induced and chose no epidural. I had really really bad side effects from the pitocin. The doc that delivered LO said if I had an epi I definitely would have ended up with a c section. I wish I would have switched doctors but I felt stuck. If we have any more kids I will be having a midwife and home birth. I wanted a home birth to begin with but DH was freaked out about it. Now he is totally on board with one. Uhh sorry for the book haha. daniellemybelle on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-897197 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 22:51:38 +0000 daniellemybelle 897197@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I thought about it years before I got pregnant, and would read birth stories online. Now that I am pregnant, though, I am much less focused on having a "perfect" natural birth, and more on getting my baby here safely. We're delivering at the hospital with a midwife practice, and a doula, and we're taking natural birth classes, but I am intent on going with the flow. I will say the fact that I was interested in a natural birth before I got pregnant was a good thing because I was seeing my midwife group for well woman care, so it was easy to get in for prenatal care. I've heard they aren't taking new pregnant patients so I lucked out! sarac on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-897164 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 22:21:57 +0000 sarac 897164@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I wanted a natural birth from the start. I didn't get it, and my birth experience sucked majorly. I feel very at peace with it, though, because it was all needed and beneficial to my daughter. If I hadn't been so educated about the process, I might have been talked into something that I later regretted. lomom on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-897055 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 20:56:07 +0000 lomom 897055@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I never thought much about it. I knew I wanted pain meds ASAP. That and a healthy baby... Lol that was my birth plan. I was told, due to IUGR, I'd probably need a c-section and I never questioned it. The circumstances of his birth were that LO had stopped moving and while his heart rate was fine, the cord blood flow was an issue and they wanted to deliver quickly and pushed for a c-section. I never questioned it. Anutka on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896979 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 20:08:00 +0000 Anutka 896979@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My family doctor referred me to an OB and that's what I went with. Then I slowly started reading about pregnancy and birth and learned what midwives were. I realized that type of care lined up much better with my philosophies and switched at about 26 weeks. I was very lucky to actually find a midwife, there is more demand than supply in my area. I enjoyed the care in the latter part of my pregnancy much more and had a wonderful home birth experience. Dandelion on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896682 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 16:16:27 +0000 Dandelion 896682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I wanted the same kind of birth as you're saying...with a MW and all. That obviously flew out the window! PointeShoesTutus on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896679 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 16:14:11 +0000 PointeShoesTutus 896679@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I thought I'd probably end up in a hospital with an epidural but I wanted a vaginal birth. Even though we are not currently TTC, that has changed for reasons beyond my control. I had ann emergency surgery related to my Crohn's disease. To spare you the TMI details, the surgeon said that a vaginal birth would be out of the question for me. So a planned C-section it is. I was upset at first, but I've come to terms with it. One less thing to think about once we actually are pregnant. CupQuakeWalk on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896648 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 15:49:12 +0000 CupQuakeWalk 896648@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I voted banana split! Because I didnt care how my baby got here! I just wanted ten toes and ten fingers on a little baby! I didnt think about it really---it seemed like, even if I took time to plan it, it would all be up to fate anyways and there is so much that is out of my hands :) Foodnerd81 on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896609 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 15:21:04 +0000 Foodnerd81 896609@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I started thinking about it before we were TTC, when a good friend got pregnant and started looking for an OB without really knowing where to start. I figured I may as well think about it then since I was planning to TTC soonish. I knew I wanted a midwife practice in a hospital and found one that fit the bill perfectly, so I scheduled my next annual exam with them instead of my regular gyn (who doesn't do OB anyway). Haven't had the baby yet, but I really appreciate all the low intervention policies at the hospital and feel certain that I will have at least as good a chance at a natural birth there as I would anywhere, especially since I know DH and I are both most comfortable with me being in a hospital setting. swedishfish on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896579 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 15:10:35 +0000 swedishfish 896579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My RE recommended I switch to the practice I am currently with because my pregnancy was originally a twin pregnancy. My new practice delivers at a hospital with a NICU and my former practice (a midwife practice underneath an OBGYN) does not. Even though my pregnancy ended up as a singleton pregnancy, I am very glad I was at the hospital with the NICU. LO had to be checked by a NICU team as soon as she was born due to meconium in the fluid. Corduroy on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896449 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 12:32:36 +0000 Corduroy 896449@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I started thinking about it at the start of my third trimester and hired a doula around 30 weeks. At some point 2nd trimester one of the doctors in my HMO's practice told me to hire a doula if I wanted a natural birth. I was a little surprised that she said that since the hospital advertises themselves as being natural birth friendly and staffed by midwives. I was motivated to hire a doula by that comment. I saw several different doctors and midwives in the HMO so I never told any of them my plan. Espion on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896437 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 12:16:58 +0000 Espion 896437@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I started thinking about it closer to my due date, when I began to suspect that things were not going to get started the old fashioned way. When I raised these concerns to my OB, he listened and went through every option. Long story short, he let me labor forever. I'm not sure if it was professional courtesy or not, but we tried every old school trick in the book to have this baby vaginally. In the end, I'm the one who threw in the towel for a cesarean. He would have let me continue to labor as long as the baby looked good. For this reason, despite having a kabillion interventions, I had a fantastic birth experience. I would recommend my OB to anyone. (And it turned out that my tiny little baby couldn't make it through my pelvis...and not for lack of trying on his part!) Cherrybee on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896344 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 10:34:40 +0000 Cherrybee 896344@https://boards.hellobee.com/ As soon as I got my BFP, I started researching childbirth options. I really wanted a med free home birth in the water but my DH put his foot down and insisted we go to the hospital. Over here in the UK, you don't pick a provider (unless you go private of course) you just get given whoever the midwife in your area is - and he/she doesn't deliver your baby, you get whoever is on shift at the hospital (or on the home birth on-call rota) - you dont meet them beforehand. As far as equipment goes, you are at mercy of whatever is in the hospital - my hospital has two pools but if they are already in use you clearly can't use them! You can, however, choose what drugs you take etc and you can take private hypnobirthing classes or hire a doula if you are so inclined. At this stage, its looking like any dreams I had for a particular type of birth have been scuppered. My GD means that they will induce me if i dont go into labour by 39 weeks, I'll be attached to monitors so no water birth or moving around - everything I didn't want. Now I'm just focussing on getting my baby here safely, however she comes. . So, yeah, its too early for me to vote but i suspect i will fall into the "researched immediately, made no difference" category!!! MamaMoose on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896328 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 10:18:36 +0000 MamaMoose 896328@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I knew long before we were TTC that I wanted a hospital birth with an epi. I love me some Western Medicine! mrsjazz on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896280 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 09:29:24 +0000 mrsjazz 896280@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @runsyellowlites: Very true! Even though my OB/GYN was the best I had been to, his level of care didn't compare to the level of care I received from my midwives. We plan on having our next in the next 2 years, and I already have my birth plan laid out! VBAC all the way. loveisstrange on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896278 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 09:28:49 +0000 loveisstrange 896278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I knew I wanted a natural birth from fairly early on. In the end, it was out of my hands and didn't make much of a difference. runsyellowlites on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896271 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 09:21:27 +0000 runsyellowlites 896271@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @mrsjazz: First, I'm glad you switched instead of feeling stuck! Even if the outcome was the same I'm sure you felt more fulfilled with the care you received than if you had stayed feeling like you & him didn't quite match up. I know for me, even if I had had a repeat, my quality of care was SOO much different & I felt so much more empowered about my birth! And YES to knowing what interventions there are, how they work (risk/benefit) AND how you'd be willing to use them. Going "I don't want pit" really isn't enough... what if it's needed? do you have other augmenting options that you've researched, or how are you willing to permit use? etc. So many things to think about! @evansjamie: Glad you feel empowered by your care & hope your birth goes how you'd like!! ;) @allison: I know thinking about it so long before P definitely made a difference! Glad yours went like you hoped!! :) allison on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896263 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 09:12:44 +0000 allison 896263@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I researched natural birth a LOT before even TTC. I knew, without a doubt, that was the route for me. It was hard because most of the moms I knew were all like "you'll change your mind once you're in labor!". It made me feel like I didn't have a right to advocate for (and strongly desire for myself) natural birth without medications. But I did it! Well, mostly. No pit or epi. I firmly believe that my success was largely because I had been thinking about and planning for a natural birth for years before it happened. avivoca on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896256 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 09:08:25 +0000 avivoca 896256@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I'm currently pregnant with my first, but I started thinking about it prior to TTC. We moved to our town right around the time of my annual exam, so I went with an OB-GYN who was recommended by my insurance company. It was a bad fit, so the next year I searched for a provider with a more natural view of birth. I'm currently with a midwife practice and will deliver at a hospital that is known for being low-intervention, mother/baby friendly, and breastfeeding friendly. I feel like a partner in my medical care instead of a patient who needs treating, and I like it a lot. mrsjazz on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896245 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 09:04:10 +0000 mrsjazz 896245@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I voted that I ended up switching providers for a better match, because it's true, but I had planned on going med-free before TTC. I got pregnant faster than I expected to and needed to see someone fast so I went to the previous OB/GYN. I eventually switched to a birth center because that was the type of birth that I wanted. But had I known that I was going to end up with a C-section, I would have stayed with my Dr. as he's a great guy. I actually think that part of the reason I was so traumatized by my birth experience was because was so gung-ho about going med-free and never factored in C-section as an option. I wish I had been more prepared/educated for every single option. But now I am. runsyellowlites on "When did you start thinking about your birth?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-start-thinking-about-your-birth#post-896215 Sun, 30 Jun 2013 08:42:12 +0000 runsyellowlites 896215@https://boards.hellobee.com/ And do you think that it had any merit on how your birth experience went (not necessarily delivery outcome)? With G, I didn't really start thinking about it until I was well into pregnancy & talked about my thoughts/desires around 30ish weeks (I think a little later actually but that was a long time ago so who really remembers). Looking back, it was pretty clear that the obgyn I had wasn't very supportive of the image I had for my birth & in the end I never met or knew any of the other providers in the office until I was in labor & had everything I *didn't* want.... Pit upon arrival at 2 cm, IV drugs to get a nurse off my back, epi "just in case", and ultimately an "emergency" cesarean. I was a classic "cascade of intervention" and I can say that when I've looked back at the whole experience I had alot of "red flags" from my provider but it was so late in the game I didn't even know anything about switching then. (I actually have a friend that was in the same position with her OB & she switch VERY late in her pregnancy to a birthing center midwife & has gone on to have 2 success unmedicated vaginal births). Fast forward to P. I actually FOUND my MW b/c of the kind of birth I wanted. (totally opposite of my first time). And had a very different experience. I still almost ended up with a cesarean (not b/c my MW thought I *needed* one but b/c she felt I needed to transfer & our hospitals don't allow vbac) but how I was treated & made to feel was totally night & day. This time, again, I found my MW based on my desires & hope that the experience can be even better than the last!... So how about you? Did your provider dictate the things you wanted in your birth or did you seek out your provider with your birth plan in mind? (I have multiple voting options open)