QuestionWe are planning a natural childbirth, I am currently in my 7th month. We are going through a birthing center here in Austin in hopes of having a water birth. I am against induction of labor for a variety of reasons.
Before we went to the birthing center, I was going through an OB/GYN at the hospital clinic. When we switched, I took copies of my medical records so that the Birthing Center would have that info. When we looked at it together, there were due dates that ranged from July 6th to August 10th. I am a first time mom and know that statistics show I will most likely go past 40 weeks anyway. The due date the Birthing Center is going off of is July 13th. They also informed us that if I get to 42 weeks, they will loose me and I will not be able to go through the birthing center because at that point I am considered "high risk". I don't want to be induced because the chances of them just miscalculating my due date is extrememly high. Also, my cycles are very irregular and usually lengthy. I don't want to be put into labor before my body or my baby is ready.
What do I tell the Birthing Center to ensure we have him there?
What do I tell the hospitcal if we can't use the birthing center but still don't want to be induced?
AnswerFirst you need to determine what your most accurate due date is. It would be nice to just pick the latest from the range available, but your argument will be stronger if you have good science to back it up. You don't say how all these due dates were determined. If any of them were based on either your own charting records of ovulation, or on an ultrasound performed prior to 10 weeks, then these would give the most accurate due date possible. Hopefully, this will be one of the later ones, but even if it isn't, at least you will know you have minimized the chances that you will go beyond 42 weeks.
If you still end up going past 42 weeks and risking out to a hospital birth, all you have to do is refuse induction. That's it. They can't force you to do anything. If go can't go to the birth center...don't go anywhere if you don't want to. You always have the option of monitoring yourself, and just heading to the hospital when you go into labor. Once you are there, refuse anything you don't want. If you show up at the hospital in active labor, the federal EMTALA act requires that they provide you treatment, no matter how much you refuse to go along with their protocols. They may try to scare you, so you need to be prepared. It sounds like you have done your research. Make sure your husband is on board and is ready to defend you from unnecessary interventions. But it is certainly possible to have a good birth in the hospital...even if you can't get a water birth.
On a personal note, since you say you are in Austin, if you do end up risking out, I would highly recommend you stay away from the Seton network of hospitals.
