where we lived in ct the birthing center was across the street from the er. It worked well for a lot of people.

The wheres whens and hows of giving birth is as personal decision as the wheres whens and hows of making the baby in the first place.

Also, both are sometimes taped for later viewing!

I really wanted to try a natural water birth, but my myomectomy last December has ensured that I'm looking at a c-section. Ah well.

I got icky results from my first trimester screening and am now bummed out. I've heard many many people have that happen and baby is just fine, but it is still waking me at night worrying about whether I'll actually get to a baby come December. Amnio is scheduled for 7/15.

My sister tried to have her first baby at home but had to go into the hospital, midwife's orders, and the emergency birth experience was pretty much the opposite of what she wanted, so second birth was planned to happen in a more medical setting than home, though I think she still ended up with not quite what she planned, somehow. And then she decided that if they want more kids they'll adopt, no more birthing for her.

But both kids got born just fine and are growing up to be lovely people.

{{Glamcookie}}

{{{{Glam}}}} Sleep~ma between now and the 15th.

The mom at my birth did both. She spent a couple of hours in the hot tub after her water broke...contrary to the midwife's suggestion. (I wish I could adequately describe the expression on her face when the midwife first said no to that. Suffice it to say we all backed away quickly and quietly. The hair on my arms stands up 4 years later, every time I recollect it. Eeck.)

At the point just before hard labor, we walked her, or rather, half-carried her upstairs to the bedroom.

She sat on the toilet for a few minutes and almost immediately went into the fear place. We lifted her the 7 or so feet to the bed, she fell over on her left side and SWOOSH, the baby came gliding out. The midwife deftly loosened the cord, which was wrapped twice around the baby's neck, with two fingers and we had a new life in the house.

The couple did not know about the cord until much later when they looked at the photos.

From beginning to end, it was an amazing experience.

{{{{{GC}}}} All sorts of calm~ma headed your way, and ~ma for good results on the 15th.

{{{GC}}}

All good thoughts and ~ma for the best outcome on the 15th.

I got icky results from my first trimester screening and am now bummed out. I've heard many many people have that happen and baby is just fine, but it is still waking me at night worrying about whether I'll actually get to a baby come December. Amnio is scheduled for 7/15.

Is this from the homophobic OB/GYN? Are you going to get a second opinion?