gid

August 28, 2006

Oh yeah, we are having a homebirth

Homeschooling, a stay-at-home wife, recycling batteries, co-sleeping, attachment parenting, organic milk, and now a homebirth. Dang! How did I become such a radical crunchy con? I guess I really need to blame that on Leslie because she is the mastermind behind 90% of our radical ways.
I started having a feeling that Leslie was going to opt for a homebirth shortly after Elliot was born. The straw that broke the camel's back was the last night nurse we had at Erlanger East. Just for the record, night nurses are the worst. Being that they are fresh out of school, coupled with the fact that they are bored at 3 a.m., can make for a really bad situation.
What would cause someone to prod and poke a healthy newborn every hour and a half is beyond me. I guess the difference is that of philosophy. Some view birth as a medical procedure in which babies are teetering on the edge of life and death, and others don't. We see birth as a natural process, and we believe the love of life is so ingrained in humanity that even the most fragile amongst us will fight for it.
Right, so our last night nurse, on top of poking and prodding in excess, would not let Leslie and Elliot sleep in the same bed. She started freaking out thinking Leslie was going to suffocate her newborn. If you know Leslie you know that she has very strong feelings about the need of a newborn to feel the warmth and touch of its mother, so with these principles in place, Leslie stood her ground. It basically boiled down to Leslie telling the night nurse that Elliot would be sleeping with her, and what did she have to do to get the nurse to leave the room. The night nurse ended up coming back with a handwritten release that stated that she had warned Leslie and that Leslie refused to listen and that neither she nor the hospital would be responsible for the harm done. Being that Leslie was tired from 12 hours of natural labor and that she just wanted to get some sleep, she decided to just sign the form.
We have been visiting our new midwife for several months now. Her name is Debi Church. She lives in Athens, Tennessee, and is supposed to be one of the best homebirth midwives in the area. I think she has attended something like 700 plus homebirths. Leslie has two friends who have used her, and they both loved their experiences.
Baby-on-Belly.jpg
Our Ultrasound Picture
I have been meaning to post this picture since last Tuesday. We went to the midwife's house\office last week and as the midwife was finishing up with the fetoscope, Leslie made some remark about not using ultrasounds. Debi whipped around and grabbed a marker and before we knew it, Leslie had her ultrasound picture. I decided to take a picture for the grandparents, friends, family, and lurkers who stop by the blog. Enjoy.
Posted by gid at August 28, 2006 09:30 PM
Comments

My little sis was born at home. Homebirth, like breastfeeding, seemed "normal." Our first two were born with skilled midwives in hospitals (pragmatic decisions.) Our next two were born at home.

I'd want to be preggers just to go through birth again, and join in with Eve saying, ""With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man."

Praying for you, Leslie, and your coming little one. . .

Posted by: TulipGirl at August 28, 2006 09:48 PM

Btw, want to see a great crunchy con post?

http://www.postmodernclog.com/archives/002866.html

Posted by: TulipGirl at August 28, 2006 09:50 PM

What is wrong with "Barry Manilow" on the turn-table? :-)

Posted by: gid at August 29, 2006 10:06 AM

Your first homebirth! Aaalright!! cheer cheer clap clap jump up and down
God Bless!
Allison Costa
6 children
6 natural births
5 homebirths
(1st baby w/CNM @ birthing center)

Posted by: Allison at August 29, 2006 09:39 PM

from TulipGirl-
"I'd want to be preggers just to go through birth again, and join in with Eve saying, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.""

Thanks for the inspiration! In my two childbirth experiences so far, I have definitely felt as though I was cooperating with God to do the most important work I can do, and thinking of Eve in those last moments of labor ought to uplift me as well. Childbirth really can be such a spiritual encounter.

Posted by: leslie at August 30, 2006 11:24 AM

Childbirth really can be such a spiritual encounter.

Leslie, thank you! I've been saying that exact thing for almost seven years now and you wouldn't believe the reactions I get. Even though my three were born in the hospital, God was (and still is!) gracious and I could almost tangibly feel His presence with me through labor and delivery. My childbirth experiences were as much a "spiritual encounter" as any other mountain-top experience I can recall. It's good to know I'm not the only one He has met in that place! :o)

I'll be praying that your whole family will sense His peace and His presence with you as you deliver at home this time.

Posted by: jenn at August 31, 2006 12:29 AM

Thanks for that Jenn!

Posted by: leslie at August 31, 2006 11:06 AM

Hello
Congratulations on the homebirthing. My wife and I have 4 all born at home that we homeschool. Cons and somewhat crunchy. I just moved to Chattanooga (Flintstone actually) and would like to know of a friendly holistic type pediatrician in the area who won't freak because our children are not vaccinated. We would appreciate any suggestions. Thank you.

Posted by: John at September 6, 2006 10:11 AM

Dang John sorry it has taken me so long to get back with you on this. We have never found a pediatrician that we really love. We are using someone now who is somewhat vaccination friendly. We have steered clear of most vaccination. We take each vaccination one by one and do the research. If we believe the benefits outweigh the possible side effects then we go for it.

I?m not sure the pediatrician we are using would want us to publicize that he is open to allowing us to not get most of the vaccines. Just let me know if you want he name and I will email it to you.

By the way, if you find a good pediatrician we would love to know about him\her.

Posted by: gid at September 8, 2006 09:33 AM

I am looking for a Chattanooga area pediatrician who will work with us regarding vaccinations. Just wondering if you have found one. I would really appreciate any help that you could offer. :)
Thanks! Anita

Posted by: Anita at July 20, 2007 11:48 PM
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