Homebirth then what?
Hello, I am 27 weeks pregnant with my second child and am hoping to have a home VBAC. I was diagnosed with Gestational last pregnancy and have it with this one as well. My question is what happens after the delivery and everyone goes home. Do you take your newborn to the pediatrician to make sure that everything checks out okay and there aren't any hidden issues. I know that this may sound paranoid but I keep having this nagging thought that something will go wrong with the baby. I am confident with my body and have contracted a Doula and know that between my husband, my Doula and I we can have a healthy birth, however my fears lie in the health of the baby. I have read many birth stories and am so inspired by everyone's courage but am wondering if anyone else has had these worries and how they got through them.
Thank you!
Amie
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Amie Smoke on -
I should add that there will be a midwife at home as well and I know that they are capable of child CPR and that sort.
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Permalink Reply by Alison Brubaker Doyle on -
Have you hired a midwife or are you attempting this unassisted? My midwife recommended we see a pediatrician within the first 6 days after birth in which we did. This was also because our state (MS) requires the PKU test for all newborns. We chose to use a general practicioner that looked at his practice from more of a holistic approach. He was also willing to work with us about vaccines. He was actually a DO rather than an MD. I definitely recommend talking to several pediatricians to find one that fits and make a tentative appointment a few days past your due date.
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Permalink Reply by Amie Smoke on
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I have not hired one as of now but my Doula does have a midwife that she works with. We also have a great pediatrician that my daughter loves and will also be my son's doctor. My thoughts have always been that we would just make an appointment when he was born so that she can do the necessary tests. Thank you for your response.
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Permalink Reply by Cherylyn on -
My home birth midwife recommends taking the newborn to a pediatrician for a checkup, even if it's just for peace of mind. I also live in a state where PKU is required by law, and my other kids had all been checked in the hospital by a pediatrician I was comfortable with. After my home birth I just called the pediatrician's office and scheduled a checkup and PKU.
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Permalink Reply by Elena LaVictoire on -
We called prior to birth to let our pediatrician's office know about when our due date was and that we would be calling for an appointment then. That way they weren't surprised when we needed the appointment. In my experience within a week or so is fine unless you are worried about something. I really believe in mother's intuition so go where that is leading you! Best wishes on your upcoming birth.
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Permalink Reply by Rachel Logan on -
Let me share a condensed version of my story. I was planning a homebirth with my second. It was going to be my second homebirth and I was fearless. However, I felt during the entire pregnancy that I would be having the baby in the hospital, and I didn't know why. I even told my midwife that I wanted to plan for a homebirth, but was feeling something different about this child and knew I would probably end up in the hospital. He ended up coming 6 weeks early, I delivered him in the hospital, and he was immediately take to the NICU for 3 weeks. Now, that is NOT to say you should go to the hospital. I only share that story to encourage you in trusting your instincts and seeking out the best path for you and your baby. As you research and ask around, I believe you will know what feels like the best route for you and baby and you will have peace in the decisions you make, as well as health for the both of you. Trust yourself and open yourself up to that motherly instinct and intuition, with no preconceived notions of what you "think" is what you want, only what you FEEL peaceful about. Those are my two cents. Best wishes! :)
Rachel -
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Permalink Reply by Marci For Birth Choice on -
Are you in the USA or in Canada? I don't know how the American system works, but in Canada, midwives provide all the postpartum care up till 6 weeks after delivery. They stay with you for 3-6 hours after the actual birth of your child to make sure you and baby are okay. They also visit you at home the next day to make sure you're doing okay and breastfeeding is going well, and also visit you again at the 72 hour point to check the same things. So you end up with at least 3-4 visits at home with your midwife after birth, and then the remainder of the visits over the 6 week period happen either at your home or at their clinic, depending on the arrangement you've made. So in Canada, you don't need to go to a pediatrician unless the midwife encounters a concern that she feels would make you a good candidate for a second opinion.
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Permalink Reply by Amie Smoke on
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Thank you for all of your wonderful information. I know that I need to trust my instincts and follow what I see as the right path. I'm sure that within the next couple of weeks my decision will get easier to make. Thank you again for all the encouragment.
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Permalink Reply by Martha Coleman on -
My midwife encouraged me to interview pediatricians and make a tentative appointment for my baby's first visit. We had actually planned on taking her in the day after she was born but it snowed and we weren't able to get her until day 6. We had a PKU done and a billiruben (sp?) done. Turns out her billi was very high and we ended up in the NICU but I won't have done it any other way. I was worried too about after but my midwife was with us every step of the way and she kept us calm during the whole NICU run.
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