Comments on: Charlotte Church Amazed By Newborn Son Dexter

By: momma

momma — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:42:39 +0000

I think the ‘control’ that Charlotte had over the births of her children was paramount to the successful home births. She doesn’t mince words about the pain, but she can feel very proud that she worked through it. I had two medication-free births and they were wonderful (ok, so I had 6 1/2 pounders and lots of braxton-hicks to prepare my body) but I also felt in control and wasn’t afraid of the pain. Unless you have medical reasons for planning a c-setion, get some good pre-birth training and understand the process completely. Your body is designed to do this! In a small place in your mind, be prepared to do whatever is medically necessary to have a safe delivery, but question whether this really is necessary or if you just want relief.

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 08:50:11 +0000

My sister-in-law had my niece at home, and it was magical. It was what I wanted, and it’s what I planned for–until I developed serious high blood pressure and had to lie on my left side with my feet on pillows for four weeks with my first son and six weeks with my second. I had c-sections when I flunked my non-stress tests (the baby kicks but his heart rate doessn’t go up, which signals fetal distress and indicates that the baby needs to be born as quickly as possible–otherwise the placenta will separate from the uterus, with dire consequences for the baby). So my homebirth plans were scrapped, and as my physician told me, my “preemies” were huge (9.8 lbs for son #1 and 9 lbs. for son #2), and had I gone to term, they would each have weighed 12-13 lbs and would have died (as would I) without the c-section. So it is just a very indiviual thing. Huge babies run in my dad’s family (his grandmother died giving birth to my grandfather because he was immense), so I’m grateful for modern medicine that my children and I are no worse for the wear. I had dreamed of my living room and and got an operating room, but medically all was well. I envy the home-birthers, but it just wasn’t to be for me.

By: Sanja

Sanja — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:44:48 +0000

CelebBabyLover -oh, I know that:-) and I understand that some people feel it’s to private to share.

But, generally, British/European celebrities seem more open about sharing the details and I like to hear about it:-)
It helps to know that not everyone has a ”perfect” experience and that even famous people have the same problems like the rest of us and aren’t ashamed to admit it (same about breastfeeding, sleepless nights, child rearing in general, etc.).

By: Ruthella

Ruthella — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:42:33 +0000

As Gem pointed out, there isn’t much difference here in the UK between a home and hospital birth, assuming there are no major problems. In three pregnancies and births, I have never seen any kind of Dr, and you can’t even have an epidural at my local hospital. I almost decided to have a homebirth the last time for this reason, but didn’t in the end because of the potential mess! Instead I went in, did what I had to do and came home two hours later And I only saw one member of medical staff, a midwife, during the labour! Totally normal in the UK

By: Suzy

Suzy — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:24:39 +0000

Congrats Charlotte!!! She is going to have such a wonderful time with her little ones, baking and gardening and oh, how she’ll sing to them! As for the birth, I’m super jealous of lucky moms who got natural births. I wound up with 32hr labor/c section, 24 hrs/c section, and planned c section. All I ever wanted was a few packs of granola and a hot tub, but it didn’t work out that way. At the time i felt like a total failure, and I did feel a lot of jealous pain when my friends could do it right, but 7 yrs later and it’s water under the bridge. So now I just focus on the baking and gardening and singing, the dandelions, the long walks of ambling along and noticing every little bug and flower. So precious.

By: Morning

Morning — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:50:40 +0000

The difference is home birth mothers in many countries feel attacked while their choices are limited by law. Where I live home birth midwives are outlawed.

Mrs. R. came off as way too defensive when no one had even said anything bad about hospital birth. Mrs. R brought the whole subject of comparison up even though no one had previously made any comparison. And Mrs. R. started with the heavy-handed and forebodingly judgmental statement “Homebirths are not to be taken into consideration lightly.” Then Mrs. R. tried to play the victim card when no one had said anything bad about hospitals. Really scroll back up to her original post.

Also, I am shocked narcotics are avail at home in the U.K. Here in the U.S. narcotics are not allowed in home births with midwives b/c they are so risky that if you do resort to pain relief, you need to be in the hospital in case complications arise from the meds.

The fact is that American childbirth is statistically more risky in the hospital b/c of the complications that happen because of routine medical interventions. Women who choose to give birth an American hospital are lucky that medical staffs are so good at cleaning up the messes they make with their 50% induction rate and 90-95 epdirual rates and antibiotic-resistant infections like MRSA that are practically running rampant in the hospital. Want to see the truth behind the states? Check out Consumer Reports Health Report on childbirth in America. (yes, that Consumer Reports) they are a dot org website.

By: CelebBabyLover

CelebBabyLover — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:26:22 +0000

Sanja- I see your point, but I also don’t think there’s anything wrong with celebs not sharing their birthing experience. I mean, let’s face it, childbirth is one of the most personal things there is! Not only that, but some women feel that their childbirth experience and the details of it should be between just them and their husbands.

By: Happy4Charlotte&Gavin

Happy4Charlotte&Gavin — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:55:46 +0000

Congratulations Charlotte & Gavin (& Ruby, of course )

There is no way I will be able to give birth without meds (this is my 2nd time, so I know I’m getting the meds), but more power to Charlotte for being able to do it

Congratulations!!!

By: chloe

chloe — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:43:12 +0000

smilesnhugs,

i was just pointing out that i didn’t think it was necessary to correct someone who had called gavin her “husband” (the frowny face attached to that statement was a little judgmental, no?) i wasn’t personally offended by it. i don’t think i’m better than anyone, married or not. i was simply saying i am not married and don’t need to be legally married to be committed and i’m sure charlotte and gavin feel similar. you read way too far into what i said. it was about the correction and the emoticon really.

p.s. i am well versed in the difference between tolerance and acceptance, i’m a social worker. anyways, i was in no way making a judgment towards married people or charlotte or anyone really, i was saying it didn’t need to be corrected. relax.

By: Jaimi

Jaimi — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:25:10 +0000

I am amazed at how much Charlotte and I have in common (sort of)! I just had my second baby on Jan. 27th and I had the same hip pain. I also had many many bouts of false labor and held off when I felt the real contractions, so much that I almost gave birth in the car! My labor was 5 hours long from start to finish and Charlotte’s was 7. But my son (I have an older daughter too) came out without any problems, however just like Charlotte it was unmedicated. Cool! I love this family, and there children are adorable.