Little update

I had to stay home from work Wednesday because the baby said so.
The museum was open for Martin Luther King Day, and so I had to work. Hundreds of people were in the building, so I was on my feet for a lot of the day. By Wednesday I could not muster the energy to make it out the door, especially since Tuesday I ran for the train and missed it. I didn't fall, don't worry. No, i don't plan to run for the train anymore.

It's a good thing I stayed home because I finally spoke with someone at the Valley Birthplace, a birthing center about 10 miles from home. The receptionist described the center as middle of the road between a home birth and hospital. They can take another patient for April, they attend water births in the center, they have admitting privileges with a local hospital in case of emergency, and they take my insurance. There is no pain medication, however, so if I want an epidural I cannot deliver at the center. We'll take a tour of the birth center and have a consultation with its head midwife on Monday.

I've been hesitant about switching doctors mid-pregnancy, but I've been pretty uncomfortable with giving birth at Einstein since the tour. My husband felt the same way. It is commendable that Einstein will continue to serve women while it expands the maternity ward. 14 hospitals have stopped delivering babies in the past decade because they were losing too much money, leaving Phila with 28 maternity wards. But while it's commendable, I have insurance, a low-risk pregnancy, and a choice as to where and how I want to give birth. I owe it to myself and this baby to do what I think is best for us.

I guess the next post I'll give you links to some studies I've read about the pros and cons of water births.