Birth Center Prenatal Visit

Today was the day I’ve been looking forward to for some months now.  My first prenatal appointment at the Topeka Birth Center.  When I first found out that this birth center existed, I squealed with joy!  Then when we found out we were moving to Manhattan, I was so, so happy and relieved to know that I could have the baby at the birth center -barring any major medical problems, of course.

The reason I want to give birth there is because they offer a peaceful, homebirth-like setting to labor and deliver in.  There is no constant pressure to “progress,” no one sets a timer or expects your labor to follow the clock, there’s no pressure to use pitocin for speeding things up, no episiotomies, no constant unwanted offers of pain meds, no IV’s, no fetal moniters that restrict movement, you can labor and deliver in whatever position is most comfortable -meaning you are not confined to a bed, on your back-, eat and drink when you want, the list goes on and on.  Everything they do and don’t do is just what I want and makes me feel comfortable.  Everything is peaceful, family-oriented, not rushed, not invasive, and yet still very safe for healthy pregnancies.  If there is an emergency, a hospital is available across the street, and that is comforting too.

I just love it.  It makes me so happy to think of giving birth there.  I know in a hospital setting I would feel much more afraid and out of control.  I have very little experience with hospitals, and I don’t exactly feel comfortable in them.  I’m not afraid of them or anything -just not comfortable.  I know that the routine interventions they do during labor often do not help labor progress and thus lead to c-sections which could have been avoided (one of my worst fears).  If I have a medical emergency during labor and have to be transferred to the hospital, I will be very greatful to the staff there for having the equipment and interventions necessary to save me and my baby.  But if everything goes normally, I would much rather stay out of the hospital.  To me, hospitals are for sick people.  I’m not sick; I’m pregnant!

So my first appointment was today.  I got to see the two labor/delivery rooms.  They look like bedrooms, with a big double bed in each one.  One has a big jacuuzi.  They have birth balls, birthing stools, cd players, a small amount of medical equipment.  They’re nice and cozy.  There is also a kitchen where we can keep and prepare food for ourselves during labor.

Get this, women who have been pregnant before:  for my gestational diabetes test next time I go, I don’t have to drink that nasty glucose syrup that makes some women puke.  I have to eat a breakfast taken exactly from a menu they gave me today, one hour before I go in to be tested.  Something like juice, eggs, and toast, or toast, cereal, and milk.  Awesome, huh??  I love this place.

They don’t do routine ultrasounds there, so I will not be having an ultrasound unless there is a medical concern.  This means, the baby’s sex will be a surprise!  How exciting!  Please send us neutral baby gifts.    However, the midwife says that the heartrate indicates it is a boy, and she claims that method is about 70% accurate.  My grandma also said I “look” like I’m having a boy.  So!  We’ll see!

The midwife also said the baby is positioned head-down.  Good baby.  Make sure you stay that way, please.  (However, breech positioning is not a reason for them to send women to the hospital for a c-section, unless the baby is breech during labor and things are not progressing.  None of this nonsense about scheduling c-sections when the baby happens to be breech in the weeks before the due date).  She said I am measuring about 28 weeks, which is 4 weeks ahead of what I’m supposed to be, so that is kind of strange but not alarming.  We’ll see where I’m at next time.

I’m so happy!