Re: homebirth conversation
From: R. Daniel Braun (rd.braun@gmail.com)
Sun Nov 27 06:14:42 2005
As I believe Einstein said: "The only thing greater than the stupidity of
man is infinity, but now that I think about it, I'm not so sure." The idiots
you described here are not members of this list, "I hope"
Dan
On 11/26/05, igold@cox.net <igold@cox.net> wrote:
>
> I have mostly read and not contributed to this discussion. Many of you
> know that I am a CNM practicing in the hospital only, but I did do
> homebirths from 1978-1998. >1200 of them. So, I have more than the 20 or so
> mentioned by some as a
> requirement................................................
> As a practitioner, today I would not attend homebirths. The reasons are
> many, but include the current legal climate in the US and lack of liability
> insurance and backup. I have (honestly) not seen many of the horrors that
> can occur at home that have been mentioned on this list. In my practice I
> only worked with women who were low risk, otherwise they had to go to the
> hospital. So, I have never done a breech at home, VBAC,twins, <37 weeks,>42
> weeks, Hgb <10, failure to progress, including a second stage >2 hours, etc.
> Honestly, I have seen many complications in the hospital which could
> have been prevented if at home (or with true midwifery care, harder and
> harder to provide today. In part because women don't want it!). These range
> from cord prolapse (2 weeks ago I assisted on a c/sec for an iatrogenic
> prolapse, the OB said he was pushing up the head to put the IUPC in to
> dilute the meconium!) to bradycardia secondary to low BP after epidural, to
> hypertonic contractions from pitocin, etc. I even practiced in a hospital
> where the OB pulled off the baby's scalp with a vacuum.
> We are fortunate to live in an era where we have the knowledge and tools
> to help women give birth more safetly than ever. This knowledge can be used
> safetly at home or in the hospital.
> For those of you who grew up in the hospital environment, I believe it
> is impossible for you to understand homebirth. I had a patient once, who was
> an OB/GYN, and so was her husband. Their patients and collegues asked them
> why they were having a homebirth, when they could have anything they wanted
> in the hospital. They replied "we don't want to have to ask". I know that
> "you guys" can't understand it.
> While I would no longer attend homebirths, if I were to have any more
> children, they would be born at home, as my 1st three were.
>
> Ingrid Gold, CNM, Phoenix
>
--
R. Daniel Braun
Kinky for Governor
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