I was reading an article that said home births are on the rise because they cost a third of hospital births. With the recession, many people are finding that even with their insurance coverage, they would not be able to pay high deductibles associated with their policies.

Would you consider a home birth? Why or why not?

Men: would you be concerned for the safety of your partner/child?

I would prefer a hospital, but I'm open to consider it. Depends on how well my pregnancy is going.

Well, if I was to answer this before I had a baby then I might have said 'yes'.

But because of an agonizing labor I'd have to say no.

So many women died in childbirth before hospitals became the place to deliver them. On the other hand, I understand the concern with costs.

Too expensive to be born, too expensive to die.

Everybody probably recalls me saying a few days ago that my grandmother fell and broke her arm. She had to stay for the night in the hospital, and the doctors wanted to keep her for another day but my sister went and brought her home because she had to stay the night and listen to the patients with flu and pneumonia cough and hack all night and was NOT about to let Grandma get exposed to that too since that poses a greater threat than just a hairline fracture.

That said, people can say hospitals are sanitary and sterilized all they want, they're still full of people who are sick, as well as those who are highly contagious, and why would you deliberately choose to expose your newborn to all those germs? That is one large reason why I would opt for an at home birth. Then there's cost. And then there's also the risk of having a doctor who is COMPLETELY incompetent like my mother's misfortune when she had me.

I would be too afraid of something going wrong and not having necessary equipment.

wants2laugh wrote:

I was reading an article that said home births are on the rise because they cost a third of hospital births. With the recession, many people are finding that even with their insurance coverage, they would not be able to pay high deductibles associated with their policies.

Would you consider a home birth? Why or why not?

Men: would you be concerned for the safety of your partner/child?

You're goddamn right! My wife needed an emergency C-section.

Alan Smithee wrote:

You're goddamn right! My wife needed an emergency C-section.

And this is exactly why it should be in a hospital. Things can go wrong in a hurry & downhill even faster. I know it's trendy but the baby is not going to remember the birth or be any healthier in a home setting. Safety should be the priority.

CeCe wrote:

And this is exactly why it should be in a hospital. Things can go wrong in a hurry & downhill even faster. I know it's trendy but the baby is not going to remember the birth or be any healthier in a home setting. Safety should be the priority.

I wouldn't be sure about that. How many people are in the house during a birth? How many people in a hospital? How many sick people in a hospital? And how many germs that come in contact with the doctors and nurses who in turn come in contact with all the other patients as well?

Supernova wrote:

I wouldn't be sure about that. How many people are in the house during a birth? How many people in a hospital? How many sick people in a hospital? And how many germs that come in contact with the doctors and nurses who in turn come in contact with all the other patients as well?

And what is someone going to do at home when the baby is not getting sufficient oxygen because the cord is compressed in some way? When the mother begins to bleed out or when her blood pressure skyrockets? When it's discovered late in the game that the baby cannot be delivered vaginally? Time is of the essence in those situations. Having a baby isn't as simple as breathe & push. Things can start out fine & then turn faster than a lot of people understand.

Supernova wrote:

I wouldn't be sure about that. How many people are in the house during a birth? How many people in a hospital? How many sick people in a hospital? And how many germs that come in contact with the doctors and nurses who in turn come in contact with all the other patients as well?

Every time I hug my daughter I'm glad we risked it.

CeCe wrote:

And what is someone going to do at home when the baby is not getting sufficient oxygen because the cord is compressed in some way? When the mother begins to bleed out or when her blood pressure skyrockets? When it's discovered late in the game that the baby cannot be delivered vaginally? Time is of the essence in those situations. Having a baby isn't as simple as breathe & push. Things can start out fine & then turn faster than a lot of people understand.

Yeah and yet somehow most women who have them at home are still alive.

Supernova wrote:

Yeah and yet somehow most women who have them at home are still alive.

Don't know about "most". Haven't seen any actual legitimate research numbers on women & infant survival rates. I'd be interested to know how many of the babies who survived were born with unnecessary deficits as well.

I have seen things go wrong in a hospital setting where the potential risk of the baby AND mother's death was very real. Hemorrhage, oxygen deprivation & blood pressure issues have to be addressed immediately.

I got an infection in a hospital but it's not keeping me away from one when I need to be there.

I guess it depends how far away you are from a good hospital. After staying with my grandma in our town's hospital, my sister said she would sooner risk dying trying to drive to one several miles from here instead. And my mother DID go to another town when she had me and that doctor just about killed her he was so stupid. Me she COULD have had at home and she wouldn't have had any problems because everything that threatened her health for 6 months following my birth was all on the doctors' part.

wants2laugh wrote:

Men: would you be concerned for the safety of your partner/child?

Totally and that's why I'd never agree to a home birth. Hospital is mandatory.

I would prefer hospital birth for safety reasons. Years ago I know a lot of women had their kids at home.