Home Birth and Water Birth? What happens after baby is born?
ByAfter reading the pros and cons of home birth vs hospital birth, I’m curious about what happens after home birth (water birth)? If the baby is completely healthy (after examined by some sort of practitioner), do I have to take the baby to the hospital for any legal reason? I live in South Carolina and midwifery is legal.
If anyone has done home birth and/or water birth, I’d really like some insight in to the whole experience.
Please no comments about why I should give birth in a hospital. It’s not your decision and your opinion does not matter to me!
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2 Comments
May 17th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
What happens is this:
1: put baby to your breast, be the happiest woman alive.
2: get out of the water
3: midwife checks you and baby (and presumably all is well.)
4: take a well-deserved nap/rest with the baby while the midwife cleans up and fills out paperwork.
5: enjoy your babymoon! The midwife will come by for your 1 day, 3-5 day, and 1 week appointments.
You can choose to take the baby to a pediatrician, but unless the midwife or you notice a problem, it’s fine to wait a few weeks. The midwife will take care of the birth certificate stuff.
Congrats on the future home/waterbirthed baby!
ps. Look up articles about homebirth, and use the forums on http://www.mothering.com for more info and support!
May 17th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Most states as far as I know require a PKU test. That doesn’t have to happen immediately though. Check into your state requirements. I’m planning an unassisted home water birth, and will probably be taking my baby to the dr sometime that first week for that test.
Besides getting a birth certificate done though, no you don’t have to take the baby to be looked at for anything like vaccines, since they are not mandatory.
Good luck girl!