In Ontario (and most of Canada) we have 3 options for giving birth. You can have a home birth with a midwife, a hospital birth with a midwife or a hospital birth with a doctor. Ontario Midwives are trying to add a fourth option to the list and have birth centers be available in Ontario.
After many hours of research and discussion with our midwife we planned for a home birth. We were very comfortable with this option to largely in part to our awesome midwife team and our proximity to the hospital. When we were telling people that this was our plan we did get a lot of questions and many people were concerned. We answered all questions and provided as much information as we could to show that we had not made this decisions uninformed. But I know that for some a home birth would just not be something they would be comfortable with and at the same time they don't want the traditional hospital birth. Enter birthing centers! It is a great compromise between a home birth and a hospital birth.
In our situation we didn't end up getting the home birth we had planned. I went the full 42 weeks and needed to be induced and this can not happen at home. So off to the hospital we went for pretty much the opposite of what we had planned. Now if there were birth centers in Ontario I am pretty sure that we would have been able to be induced there and not in the hospital. Perhaps then I would not have had to follow hospital protocol and be hooked up to every machine known to man and have to endure labour on my back. Perhaps I would have progressed better and it would not have led to an emergency c-section.
If you support birth centers please send your MPP a postcard. Let's send the message that Ontario (and the rest of Canada) need to give families another option when it comes to having healthy births supported by a midwife.
Would you use a birth center? If you have this option did you use it?
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I live in the US, so birth center availability is a supply and demand type of thing, not a government thing.
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, I birthed through a midwife and they did have a birth center. I did all of my appointments at the birth center and thought I would give birth there when I first got pregnant. After I considered all of the pros and cons, I opted for a homebirth instead. I'm so glad I did - I loved my homebirth (as much as you can enjoy 24 hours of labor and 4 hours of pushing!!!).
Thanks for sharing your experience Becky! Do midwives have access to deliver in the hospitals where you live?
ReplyDeleteA hospital south of me has midwives. The hospital closest to me does not.
ReplyDeleteThe midwives I delivered with are completely on their own - they would be able to act as doulas inside the hospital, but you would need a doctor as well.
It sounds like US and Canadian healthcare is very different :)
The US and Canadian healthcare is very different! Our midwives are completely covered by our provincial healthcare so there is no out of pocket expense for using them.
ReplyDeleteA doula will cost you but I have heard that some people have been successful at claiming it against their employers insurance.
I gave birth at a Birth Center. It was independent from any hospitals, but the midwives held privileges at the hospital across the street, in case a transfer was needed. I absolutely loved my experience there, I was really lucky to have a great birth, and the birth center was such a relaxing place to labor and deliver.
ReplyDeleteGreat story! and helping others to know there are other options other that hospitals! btw, I started a new link up for sharing healthy ideas, suggestions, going "green" tips, etc. and I hope you and anyone else interested will join me this Wednesday! (Healthy 2day Wednesdays) Have you're having a great weekend!
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