Hi everyone,

Well, I guess I'll go ahead and get in on this one too.  My first was
born at a free-standing birthing center in California.  The doctor
offered Lamaze.  It was a wonderful birth experience.  Because of my
first birth experience and the fact that we were moving back to Hawai'i,
I decided on homebirths for my second and third.  Why?  I believe that
birth does not belong in a hospital.  Yes, it does have its place for the
high risk pregnancy, but that is not the majority of pregnancies.  Just
MHO.  I read through the Bradley book for my second.  I find that for
myself, I just go with my labor on my own terms.  I can't say that Lamaze
or Bradley were useful, but I do suggest Bradley to the mom's who ask.
The couples who do Bradley normally have better birth experiences.  When
I go to the Lamaze classes to speak about breastfeeding, these moms tend
to already want the drugs, which is discussed in Lamaze classes as one of
your options.  I thought the purpose was to have an unmedicated birth.

Why the mistrust of hospitals and staff?  Now, I know the following
example does not represent all hospitals.  A few months ago my co-leader
gave birth in the local military hospital.  Another co-leader attended
the birth.  This co-leader went out to the nurses station, and this was
the conversation she heard.  Nurses and the anesthesiologist were making
fun of all the women---those who were going "natural", those who were
screaming for drugs, who was going to last, etc.  The staff knew my
co-leader was there btw.  This is enough for me.

Couple this with the stories I hear of first time birth experiences.  I
did not realize that my first birth, which was wonderful, and attended by
a doctor was not the "norm".  This doctor was like a midwife---to me that
is a complement.

Please, I am not venting against all health professionals, only trying to
give some insight as to why some of us mistrust and avoid hospitals for
birthing.

Aloha,
Gloria Thai  LLLLeader Hawai'i