reputable homebirth info/stats needed

I would love to have a homebirth but my husband is not at all keen. I am
wondering if anyone out there knows of a reputable website or a good book
that my husband could read to put his mind at ease. I am going to ask my
midwife this week as well but thought I would try here too.

TIA
Nadene

On Mon, 01 Nov 2004 04:01:21 GMT, "Plissken"
wrote:

I would love to have a homebirth but my husband is not at all keen. I am
wondering if anyone out there knows of a reputable website or a good book
that my husband could read to put his mind at ease. I am going to ask my
midwife this week as well but thought I would try here too.

These are all UK based, but might be useful for you.

www.aims.org.uk is a good one for pro-homebirth research references.
Its an advocacy service for maternity services in general, but unlike
the NHS and DoH references below provides studies that back up the
assertions.

This is the official NHS (National Health Service) advice:
http://tinyurl.com/3twfr
Note the reference to the fact you are more likely to have a c-section
in a hospital and further down that homebirth is equally safe (there
is some evidence to show its safer, but they're not the most likely
place to be pushing the boat out on that one).

This leaflet (http://tinyurl.com/6b7d5) was produced in conjunction
with the Department of Health and might be useful for your husband.
Its looking a little out of date though (I know there has been some
further research regarding home vs hospital since it was published.

At the bottom of the NHS page there are links to some other sites. I
particularly recommend the Homebirth one.

HTH

Megan
--
Seoras David Montgomery, 7th May 2003, 17 hours. http://seoras.farr-montgomery.com
EDD 11th March 2005 (another boy!)

Plissken wrote:

I would love to have a homebirth but my husband is not at all keen. I am
wondering if anyone out there knows of a reputable website or a good book
that my husband could read to put his mind at ease. I am going to ask my
midwife this week as well but thought I would try here too.

In addition to the other resources you've already been
directed to, my advice is to have your husband come along to
interview a midwife or three. Many husbands seem to have the
notion that homebirth midwives are a bunch of earthy-crunchy
grannies who wouldn't know a research study from a hole in
the ground. When they actually *talk* to the midwives and
realize that they are highly competent professionals who can
explain in detail what they will do in any particular situation
and why that's appropriate, the husbands often have a change
of heart.

Best wishes,
Ericka

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...
Plissken wrote:

I would love to have a homebirth but my husband is not at all keen. I am
wondering if anyone out there knows of a reputable website or a good
book
that my husband could read to put his mind at ease. I am going to ask my
midwife this week as well but thought I would try here too.

In addition to the other resources you've already been
directed to, my advice is to have your husband come along to
interview a midwife or three. Many husbands seem to have the
notion that homebirth midwives are a bunch of earthy-crunchy
grannies who wouldn't know a research study from a hole in
the ground. When they actually *talk* to the midwives and
realize that they are highly competent professionals who can
explain in detail what they will do in any particular situation
and why that's appropriate, the husbands often have a change
of heart.


I already have a midwife although he did not come and help pick one out. He
has been to an appointment though and has admitted that it is much nicer and
more personable than going to the doctor. I picked a midwife that I
'clicked' with and fortunately she is also a registered nurse (not necessary
to be one here in Canada) as well has having her masters in nurse/midwifery.
So that has made him feel better that she has a masters degree. I know it
really doesn't make a difference but if it makes him feel better, then
great!

My midwife has said that he should do some reading on homebirths and once we
get a little closer to the EDD she will talk to him about homebirths and try
to get someone who has had a homebirth to meet with us and discuss any
concerns he may have. He is a stubborn one though, but I'm hoping he agrees
in the end.

N

Ericka Kammerer wrote in message ...

In addition to the other resources you've already been
directed to, my advice is to have your husband come along to
interview a midwife or three. Many husbands seem to have the
notion that homebirth midwives are a bunch of earthy-crunchy
grannies who wouldn't know a research study from a hole in
the ground. When they actually *talk* to the midwives and
realize that they are highly competent professionals who can
explain in detail what they will do in any particular situation
and why that's appropriate, the husbands often have a change
of heart.

That's what happened to my husband. I mentioned to him several years
prior to trying to conceive, that I was interested in a homebirth. He
was adamant that it not be with our first baby, that he was too scared
to lose either of us. Then when we were shopping for an OB that would
do a waterbirth, and having no luck (water labor yes, water birth, no)
we decided to interview midwives who would do hospital births (seemed
like an ideal situation - a doctor would be around to step in in case
something serious happened) and water births. It was still in the back
of my mind to homebirth. I mentioned that everything I had read
suggested that home births were just as safe, and this time, he said
he'd consider it - but he wanted to hear what the midwife had to say.

He asked some questions, she had some good aswers (the "decision to
incision" stats came up), he was satisfied, and on the way home he
said "OK, let's do it." He was still worried though, but the closer
we got to the birth, the more at ease he was - he had LOTS of time to
get used to the idea (we interviewed our midwives before I got
pregnant - we were trying to conceive at the time).

Now? He tells EVERYONE that they should have a homebirth -he's more
of a zealot than I am. :-)

His first child was born in the hospital, and though it wasn't a bad
birth by any means - he says there's no comparison at how much better
it was at home - the birth was gentler, Kivi was treated better, so
much more peaceful, etc.

I know this doesn't help the OP, but I thought I'd share.

Cathy Weeks
Mommy to Kivi Alexis 12/01

I actually haven't read through these links (I'm planning on doing it when
i finish everything else...) but here's a website put together by a
Silicon Valley midwife; it's very comprehensive!

http://www.gentlebirth.org/ronnie/homesafe.html

If you go to gentlebirth.org, you'll find even more helpful links.

Em
baby boy, due Nov. 18

Plissken wrote:

I would love to have a homebirth but my husband is not at all keen. I am
wondering if anyone out there knows of a reputable website or a good book
that my husband could read to put his mind at ease. I am going to ask my
midwife this week as well but thought I would try here too.

TIA
Nadene




My favourite site is Angela Horns Homebirth site
http://www.homebirth.org.uk/

Click on the research botton at the side and she has a gazillion studies
from all over the world for you to mull over.

Andrea

Plissken wrote:

I would love to have a homebirth but my husband is not at all keen. I am
wondering if anyone out there knows of a reputable website or a good book
that my husband could read to put his mind at ease. I am going to ask my
midwife this week as well but thought I would try here too.

TIA
Nadene



Another thing you can do is find a homebirth support group/coffee group
and take him along to meet and talk to other fathers for some
reassurance. It was the other way around for us, my husband is dutch and
just expected we'd have our babies at home but I was a little
apprehensive first time around and planned a birthing centre birth. I
decided I'd like a homebirth for my second but was talked out of it by
my GP, finally managed it for my third and never looked back. The only
hospital births I had since were my twins and Lydia who was a
c/section...and if they could do those at home I'd of probably taken
that option too lol



Andrea

These are Canadian studies, published in very reputable journals.

http://www.asac.ab.ca/resResearch.html

Mary G.
(Toronto, Ontario)

"Mary Gordon" wrote in message
om...
These are Canadian studies, published in very reputable journals.

http://www.asac.ab.ca/resResearch.html

Mary G.
(Toronto, Ontario)

This is a GREAT link! I especially like the studies linked to the Canadian
Medical Association Journal. Just what my husband needs to read. Thanks!