Support for Home Births

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I don't think that the choice of where or where not to give birth is up to the AMA. This should be totally up to the mother. It is so ridiculous to say that home birth is unsafe...how do you think we all got here in the first place...all of our ancestors gave birth at home, and, obviously the human race is still thriving. Lets not become a socialist country...let people keep their rights!

Andrea S. of OR 11:56AM August 18, 2009

After having two babies in hospitals in different states during my 20's, I decided to have my next two babies, that came in my 30's, at home with lay midwives. I am positive that my home births were the safest for me and my babies.
I worked for more than 15 years in hospitals and I can tell you the main reason the AMA is trying to stop homebirths -MONEY. Maternity care has become the "bread and butter" of hospitals. With the irrefutable statistics showing the USA's horribly high infant mortality rate, I think it is inexcusable for doctors to try to limit a woman's choice about where she wants to give birth and who she wants attending her!

Sandra Morris of GA 2:00PM March 05, 2009

We have more natal deaths in the USA than other industrial countries. Why is this? Birth is treated like one giant emergency where we need to micro manage every little thing. We cut, prodd and intervene when we don't have to thus really creating an emergency. People choose homebirth because they want to give birth in a stress free and supportive environment. For the AMA, birthing is more about money making. How many patients can we deliver a day instead of how can we help a mother, not a patient,enjoy the birth of her child.

Navine Acevedo of CT 1:21PM February 17, 2009

When you look at the amount of inductions, a majority done without a medical reason other than a doctor's convienience to schedule his/her birth schedule therefore increasing the ability to increase patient load. A national cesarean section rate up to 33% , often do to the high risk repeated c-sect., because of the elimination of a womans right to choose v-bac deliveries, ( where studies show most of the ruptures of uterus caused from pitocin and or cervidil or cytotec).
The majority of medically managed births are done for convienience of our doctors and are not based on medical research data.
Not all doctors follow this pattern, some still have ethical conviction, it seems to be the older ones that have practiced for years 25-30.
Is there any wonder some women are retreating to their homes where they will not be assaulted with the medically managed model of birth. Where they will have a birth that is honored and nurtured, that they will be encouraged and listened to. The gall of AMA to take this away from women.
Some births do need to be done at hospitals, thank God for the lives that have been saved in the hospital, but do not take away our right to where we want to have our babies.

Tricia Williams of CA 1:50PM August 19, 2008

A careful reading of reputable studies might suggest, actually, that for healthy women with low-risk pregnancies, planned homebirth with a qualified midwife (direct entry or CNM) is actually a bit safer than hospital birth. What this means is that hospitals have yet to attain the level of safety of homebirth! ACOG and the AMA are not disinterested parties, and, as Marsden Wagner, author of the excellent book _Born in the USA_ has noted, ACOG is *not* made up of scientists and researchers, but doctors. Not all of them are really good at understanding statistics and studies. Their recommendations about homebirth aren't based on good science any more than are the practices of the many OBs and hospitals in this country with 40% and higher cesarean rates. Birthing women need and deserve accurate information, a full range of choices, and evidence-based care provided by caregivers who remember to place the mother's and baby's welfare before their own financial interests!

Heidi Horner of VA 3:36PM August 18, 2008

I have had 3 very wonderful homebirths, all of which would not have been considered in the range of "normal" measured by our lovely hospital system here in America. As a Doula, my experience tells me that under an OB's care, I very well may have ended up with C-sections. I know that if it wasn't for the patience and wisdom of my Certified Professional Midwives, I would not have had the risk free, healthy, natural births I wanted to give my children (which I have always believed is in their best interest). If that choice for homebirth was not there for me, my births would not have been as empowering in the hospital as at home. I shutter at the thought of a homebirth-free America and do not wish this upon my children's generation.

Rebecca Wilson of OH 9:32PM August 16, 2008

THE AMA AND ACOG ARE AFRAID OF LOSING MONEY. BOTTOM LINE, IF THEY WERE SO CONCERNED ABOUT WOMENS SAFETY THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE SPEND MORE MONEY PER BIRTH IN THE US THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY AND LOSE MORE MOMS AND BABIES THAN ANY WHERE ELSE (i THINK WE ARE TIED FOR SECOND BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIVES HERE, LETS NOT SPLIT HAIRS). SINCE 90 + PERCENT OF BIRTHS ARE IN HOSPITALS IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE HOME BIRTH IS THE PROBLEM HERE. PHYSICIANS HEAL THINE OWN PROBLEMS AND THEN WORRY ABOUT HOMEBIRTH, WHICH YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
GENA KIRBY

GENA KIRBY of CA 7:20PM August 16, 2008

If a woman can choose to terminate the life of her child at any time during her pregnancy and that is called a woman's right to choose.
How could her right to choose the location of her child's birth be of any concern to anyone but her?
YOU cannot terminate one right without the other.
So listen up AMA and ACOG, you have to choose - do you lose more money from homebirths OR would you lose more money by not having abortions.
This is not about SAFETY - This is about BUSINESS!

Sharon Mayo, C.D.(DONA) of CA 5:58PM August 15, 2008

If you look at the other developed nations, our system of labor and deliver is very offbase. What happened to the woman's right to 'choose'? If there is concern for safety, then put effort into OB docs and other professionals working together for the good of mom and baby rather than banning entire options.
Banning seems such a backward notion in this country.
Sabina Milbrath
CD(DONA)
Post Falls, ID

Sabina Milbrath of ID 2:13PM August 15, 2008