Homebirths are on the rise -- and the mainstream couldn't be more terrified.
New numbers show homebirths shot up by 20 percent between 2004 and 2008 -- with 27 states showing increases and only four with declines.
Add it all up, and homebirths are enjoying a genuine renaissance -- reaching a peak not seen in 20 years.
And by every indication, they're going to continue to rise, which has obstetricians and gynecologists absolutely livid. After all, this homebirth trend represents B I G risk. No, not to moms or their babies -- it's a risk to doctors' bank accounts!
These guys only get paid when they deliver a baby -- and most of them will only deliver a baby in a hospital. So when a woman gives birth at home, it's usually done with a midwife -- not a doctor.
And that's the REAL reason these docs are so dead-set against home births.
In reality, having a baby at home is a lot more comfortable than giving birth in a hospital. And despite what you've heard, it might even be safer.
Drug-resistant superbugs such as MRSA have been turning hospitals into their own private playgrounds -- and they represent a real threat to anyone who sets foot in one, especially moms and infants.
I haven't seen any recent studies on how frequently newborns are infected in maternity wards and neonatal units, but I've seen enough news reports to know the problem is very real -- and it's about time researchers looked into this.
I won't say that makes homebirth right for everyone -- there are definite advantages to having the technology of a hospital and a team of doctors at your disposal.
But if you're in a low-risk pregnancy and you want to give birth in the comfort and cleanliness of your own home, don't let anyone bully you.
It's your baby -- and your right.
Special delivery,
William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.
No comments:
Post a Comment