Aubrey Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Do you count homebirth & birth center birth as the same thing? If someone asks if you homebirth (like a verb, but that's another s/o), would you specify birth center or just nod? I mean, assuming you have your babies outside of a hospital. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Do you count homebirth & birth center birth as the same thing? If someone asks if you homebirth (like a verb, but that's another s/o), would you specify birth center or just nod? I mean, assuming you have your babies outside of a hospital. :D No. If you have to leave your own home, it isn't a *home*birth, regardless of how homey the birth center is. It isn't a judgment or anything; I just think we should call things what they are, KWIM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatCyndiGirl Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 I've never heard of anyone considering a birth center birth to be "homebirth". Are we talking about the kind of birth center with nurses and doctors and medical equipment? Then no. I've not heard of any other kind of birth center, unless you mean the Farm. (My last was born at home in water on our patio, delivered by dh.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 I don't consider them the same thing. Home birth means giving birth at home. A birth center is not home. If asked I would make the distinction, "No, we aren't home birthing. We are using a birth center." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 I don't consider them the same thing. Home birth means giving birth at home. A birth center is not home. If asked I would make the distinction, "No, we aren't home birthing. We are using a birth center." Yes, that. I would not count a birth center as a homebirth (though mine was a lot like having a homebirth in someone else's house, in that we still left *our* house for the birth, but the atmosphere was more home-like than hospital-like), but since our birth center was not attached to a hospital in any way, I do count it as an out-of-hospital birth. And I think a birth center (meaning one that is separate from the hospital) is a really great compromise for families who aren't wild about a hospital birth but who aren't sure they're up for a homebirth either. Ours was so lovely! Everything that is standard with a homebirth (no separation from the baby, being able to walk around during labor, support for drug-free, etc.) was standard, and we were able to go home a few hours after the baby was born. And yet, it was right across from the hospital, with an ambulance on speed dial, just in case. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 No, but they are both "out-of-hospital births." :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 No, a birth center isn't home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 No. Homebirth happens at home. (Just as sending your kid to a nice small "homey" school does not make it homeschooling) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 No, a home birth is by definition at home. I had two hospital deliveries. One home birth, one attempted home birth that ended in a transfer and two in birth centers - one that was attached to a hospital and one that was actually in a house. The last one, at the house, also resulted in a transfer after the birth. I would say the last four were non-traditional. My dd had her baby in a regular hospital with a midwife. It was a typical hospital birth in almost every respect except for the fact that the midwife delivered a healthy baby in a situation in which almost all OB/GYN would have done a C-section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aelwydd Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 No, but they are both "out-of-hospital births." :) Which was the most important consideration in my opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 No. If you have to leave your own home, it isn't a *home*birth, regardless of how homey the birth center is. It isn't a judgment or anything; I just think we should call things what they are, KWIM? This is how I answer, but I always wonder if I'm being too literal. I mean--are they asking if I literally have my babies at home, or are they asking if it's outside the hospital w/out medication? I always feel kind-of silly answering w/ a paragraph instead of a single word, so I just wondered. At this point, though, I've done both, but I don't feel quite like I'm a "home-birther." :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 (edited) I've never heard of anyone considering a birth center birth to be "homebirth". Are we talking about the kind of birth center with nurses and doctors and medical equipment? Then no. I've not heard of any other kind of birth center, unless you mean the Farm. (My last was born at home in water on our patio, delivered by dh.) Oh. No. My mw operates her own birth center. The first place she was in was an old remodeled house. There were two bedrooms that were birthing rooms, one was an exam room, & the living room was the waiting room. I took mil to one of my appts w/ #1 because she was kind-of freaked out by the idea of a mw. I thought it would help her feel better. It freaked her out worse because it was so non-medical. :lol: ETA: Mw's birth center had no association w/ a hospital, wasn't particularly close to one, etc. I've never seen one of those, although I've heard of them, & I think they're a great idea. Having done both at this point...well, I guess that's why I feel silly specifiying. For me, there was virtually no difference between the home birth & the bc births. Well, except that we had no a/c for the August home birth in TX. Hehehe. Edited August 7, 2011 by Aubrey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 I usually differentiate. I had one child born with a CNM in a hospital, one born with a CNM in a freestanding birth center, and one homebirth with a CNM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 I consider it out of hospital birth, but not homebirth. Although, they are the same exact level of care, the same level of safety, etc, so there is no real difference, other than it not being at home. I mean, you have to leave to go there, and then come back, but otherwise, same difference. I am always suprised by people that say birth centers are less "risky" or "scary" or a "compromise", when a homebirth midwife brings exactly the same equipment to your house as they have at a free standing birth center. Now, a hospital based birth center is still a hospital birth, as far as I'm concerned. Totally different animal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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