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I'm very excited today as a friend gave birth last night in the comfort of her own home through the Sunshine Homebirth program :leap:
Another success! (of course ;)) The more the better as this is only a pilot program. I desperately want to see homebirth as an option for all women and all successful births via sunshine is another step towards this.
She did a great job and I am very proud of her, and very happy for her and her DH.
Fantastic news!!! Its an awesome program. Woman of the west are very lucky!
That's great news!! BTW, have you posted your own birth story, hun. I'd love to read it, given I'm opting for a HBAC in 2011. ;)
Yippee....great to hear the program is chugging along successfully. Now they need to have one in the east!
Congratulations to your friend :)
Woo hoo! Any more information you could give? I'm hoping to go through Sunshine myself, so if you (or your friend!) could tell me everything I'll need to do to secure myself into the program that would be great ;)
And the North too!:
Yes, we do need more!!
I feel a tad frustrated about the whole thing as I know I would never be deemed suitable for the program as a VBAC candidate even though I have proven that that is hogwash! Still, that is just my issue and I am supremely happy that there is a program that caters to the needs of some women, even if only a select few. I see it as a stepping stone to getting more choice for all women. I am more than happy for my tax paying dollars to go to support that and I still maintain that the $4000 I had to spend to secure a home birth for my little one was the best money I could have spent ;).
TeniBear, I have no other information at the moment, I'm hoping to visit her very soon to get the details if only my 2yo would agree to get dressed and put shoes and socks on :rolleyes: I know she is a first time mum and has a good healthy family history as well as good history of complication free births in her family. She is also very knowledgeable and read/researched heaps about birth and birth options, but not sure whether or not that counts. I think that getting into the program was part being in the right place (catchment area) part good stats and part luck. I'll let you know if there is anything else to know.
I know of some people having some worries about the program as there are a few rules associated with it that can be counter to a natural labour. I am under the impression that even though the mother is birthing at home, they are still 'on the clock' by hospital rules and if things have not progressed satisfactorily according to that great pre-determined rule for the 'average' woman there may be a push for intervention :(. I have also heard that there is a rule of absolutely no natural 3rd stage in any case. It must be managed. If this is true it is such a pity. Of course, this is all heard 3rd hand and I don't know the full story so anyone wanting to go with Sunshine homebirth options should ask their own questions. I'll be asking when I visit my friend! I think they are being extra cautious at the moment as it is only a pilot and want to get the best results possible. I just wish that hospital protocols would finally consider what the research has to say about best outcomes rather than have fear based policy such as time limits and 3rd stage management. ...still, better than nothing!!
Jennifer13, I am in the process of writing my birth story, it is getting away from me though and is getting to novel proportions!! So far I am up to 6 pages and that is just birth 1!! I think it needs to visit the editing suite before I dump it on an unsuspecting public!
nahhhh! we need it all lol!!!! i love a good homebirth story! and it's been awhile since we had one i think?! *hope to add mine in the coming months* :):
Update, I had a lovely visit yesterday. Love a delicious newborn!
Seems that I was wrong, my friend was able to deliver her placenta naturally so my information about the refusal of natural third stage was wrong. Very happy to find that out!! My friend's midwife sounded absolutely amazing. Very calm, supportive and knowldegable. She seemed to be fantastic at reading where my friend was up to without having to rely on examinations and let her do all the work on her own with only the necessary checks of heartbeat with the hand held doppler and a few well timed "you are doing well and looking so beautiful".
The couple are just enjoying the ease of the whole thing and shaking their head in disbelief that anyone could consider a homebirth abnormal! Pretty cool considering my friend's DH needed convincing in the beginning. Now he realises how lucky he is to be able to welcome his son in such a warm, loving and safe way.
The Sunshine program seems to be doing really well with a 100% success rate thusfar! :leap:
In terms of how to get into the program TeniBear, I am afraid I have no more information.... I guess just ask at the hospital... All the best though, everyone deserves to be a part if they want it.
Great news! So happy for your friend :D
That sounds wonderful! It does sound like a completely natural and normal way to welcome your child into the world. *sigh* I might have to go and read a few more of these happy homebirth stories again now, they've become my very favourite reading material! Let's hope all that visualisation works in 2011. ;)
woohoo that is great news!