California: San Marino woman gives birth at home for third time
Now THAT’S a headline you don’t see every day! I look forward to more PLANNED home births making the news!
From the Pasadena Star News:
SAN MARINO - In fewer than 15 minutes after her first contraction, Marci Wendling delivered her fourth child.
It happened as Wendling squatted over the toilet, with her husband Timothy, an attorney, helping to deliver their new daughter.
It’s not the first time Wendling has delivered at home. In fact, Wendling believes in natural birth and has used midwives to help deliver one of her four children, only one of whom was delivered at a hospital.
Two of the couple’s babies, their second child, Harrison, 5, and most recently their new daughter Lucy, were delivered at home without the help of midwives.
Both times, Timothy Wendling stood in for the midwives.
“I was reluctant to do home birth, but she decided to not give me a choice by delivering so fast,” Timothy said. “Marci prepares her body for the labor. With natural childbirth, her body does really well.”
Having given birth three times without the assistance of drugs, Marci said she embraces the process. She allows her body to go through the contractions instead of fighting them, she said.
“I’m not anti-epidural. It’s just more of a sports challenge for me,” she said.
“I once heard a saying that (an epidural) is like having someone pick you up in the middle of a marathon and dropping you off at the end - I’d just rather go through it.”
During her last birth experience, Wendling had four contractions, then Lucy was born at about 5 a.m. June 13.The couple successfully delivered Aubrey, now 2, at home with the help of midwives.
Regardless of the fact that the midwives were not there for the birth, Timothy said he won’t be asking for a refund.
“We’re lucky to have very experienced midwives who are experts in the birthing process,” he said.
They met once a week for an hour and a half to prepare for the birth and practiced with the pregnant couple in the event of a complication. A back-up doctor was also on-call in case something went wrong.
Fortunately, it was an easy birth, Marci said.
When told that the quick Wendling births are raising the bar on child delivery, Timothy gave his wife the credit and joked, “I go to the bar after child birth - she raises the bar.”
MISSOURI: Missouri Supreme Court reinstates midwife law
From the Kansas City Star:
JEFFERSON CITY | Missouri midwives are back in business.
The state Supreme Court today reversed an earlier court ruling that had struck down a 2007 law allowing midwifery in the state.
The law, which allows certified midwives to provide prenatal, delivery and post partum services, now goes into effect.
Several state physicians’ groups filed the lawsuit out of concern that doctors could be held liable for cooperating with unlicensed nurse midwives.
A Cole County court ruled in their favor last August, throwing out the midwifery language on technical grounds. The state constitution limits bills passed by the legislature to a single subject that is clearly expressed in their titles.
The midwifery law was inserted into a bill regarding health insurance.
The Supreme Court opinion handed down today reverses the lower court, ruling that the physicians’ groups lack the legal standing to sue. Without proper standing, the court ruled it could not consider the facts of the case.
Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh authored the main opinion in the 5-2 ruling. Judge William Ray Price Jr. filed a dissenting opinion, which was joined by Judge Patricia Breckenridge.
Wondering…
I will start this entry by stating I have always experienced excellent service when it has been necessary to transfer the care of my home birth client into the care of the hospital staff. As I read the blogs and message boards about the less than friendly service others receive when transferring from home to hospital I wonder about it. I’m curious about what your thoughts are:
- A woman plans to give birth at a hospital labors alone for unknown amount of time without her vital signs monitored or her baby’s heart rate monitored. She eventually goes to the hospital for an epidural and birth and it’s no big deal. Healthy baby born, congratulations!
- A woman plans to give birth at her home labors with her midwife for a known amount of time with her vital signs monitored, her baby’s heart rate monitored. She eventually goes to the hospital for an epidural and birth, but is treated as if she were risking her child’s life before making the wise choice to transfer. Healthy baby born, wasn’t she lucky?
I have heard of planned repeat cesarean babies being born on the front lawn Easter morning. I have heard of VBAC babies being born in the car en route to the hospital. Even surprise babies being born on the bathroom floor when mom was least expecting it. And I have heard of home birth babies being born in the hospital. Every hospital birth begins at home, so why isn’t it considered a superior transition to have a midwife accompanying the woman? Why is there such unpleasantness involved with a hospital transfer?
Targeting Ricki Lake Makes Mommies Mad, AMA Learns a Quick Lesson
PushNews from The Big Push for Midwives Campaign
CONTACT: Steff Hedenkamp, (816) 506-4630, RedQuill@kc.rr.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 20, 2008
Amidst Uproar, Physician Group Votes Not to Target Ricki Lake
Questions Remain About How Home Birth Bans Will Be Enforced
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 20, 2008)—At its annual meeting this week, the American Medical Association (AMA) voted to delete references to Ricki Lake in its anti-home birth resolution after the organization was widely criticized by women’s health advocates, reproductive rights organizations and dozens of blogs devoted to everything from celebrity gossip to national politics. The organization also voted to proceed with its plans to promote legislation outlawing home deliveries, as questions lingered about what type of enforcement provisions the group will seek.
Read more
Huffington Post: Docs to Women: Pay No Attention to Ricki Lake’s Home Birth
Ladies, the physicians of America have issued their decree: they don’t want you having your babies at home with midwives.
Read the whole story at the Huffington Post.
Podcasts
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Podcast 1: Midwives
Podcast 2: Birth Places
Podcast 3: Thinking About Home Birth
Podcast 4: The Birth Kit
Podcast 5: Interview with Ricki Lake