“COOLNESS!!! Twinklie lights! And a machine that goes ‘ping’!”

What on earth are twinkle-lights? And he’s going to “let” her have them?

But hey, at least the doctor understood why she’d want a home birth and didn’t say, “If you have continuity of care, freedom of movement, ability to eat/drink, low interventions, and a relaxed atmosphere, then the Martians might land and your baby could die.”

So… Wait, I’m a tad confused. Was the OB saying that… at home, she can’t have all those things? Or that s/he understood why she’d want to birth at home since all she’d get in the hospital was twinkle lights? (I assume by this, they mean those twinkling Christmas lights as part of a relaxed atmosphere.)

Finally! A doctor admits (in a round-about way) that his hospital birth isn’t as good as a homebirth!

Oh, but I bet you lie…I bet when I tell the nurse you said I can have twinkle lights she’ll laugh and say, “that’s not how we do things here.”

Yeah, cause having twinkle lights was the real reason I was planning a homebirth.

I can’t even remember what the lighting sitution was at my home birth. I think it was pretty dark in the room at the time. Not even any candles or incence. No seances either.

Where did the mother say she wanted twinkle lights?
And, how come they never gave me twinkle lights in the hospital? Or was I supposed to ask for them?
It didn’t say anything about twinkle lights in my copy of “What to be scared about while you’re expecting”.

What is a pregnant mom? A 5 year old that can be wowed by twinkle lights?

I couldn’t find care in my area to have a homebirth but I’m laughing at this post because we insisted they turn off the Awful florescent lights in my room at the hospital and swiped a dim light from the lobby. Twinkle lights might have been nice…

Maybe the twinkle lights were to entrance the newborn into submission once it emerged? Ya know, like a deer and headlights? We all know how wild and unpredictable those newborns are and it is best to subdue and quarantine them right away.

Twinkle lights? Whaaaa?

Maybe he was referring to the light they have to shine on the vaginal opening while the mom is laying in lithotomy position? Implying that she could turn the rest of the lights in the room down, because i have this huge light to shine on your perenium while you lay on your back, and I take all the credit for delivering your baby?(and good thing too, cause baby was in distress and if I hadn’t cut that epi, he would have DIED! even the pit combined with the epidural and lithotomy position didn’t help, you almost needed a c-section!) /rolleyes

lol. well atleast he was honest.

I actually had a couple who brought in their own “twinkle lights” aka those white lights you can string up outside of your home all year long. It made for a pretty awesome birth environment actually.

Then again, I’m not very traditional when it comes to hospital births.

– the very flexible, open L&D Nurse

Well, twinkle lights aside, I think it’s amazing that he said she couldn’t have ANY of the other things, including low interventions and a relaxed atmosphere. In advance. For a (presumably) low-risk birth.

I think it’s great that the OB was understanding and upfront! I don’t know where the twinkle lights come in, but it sounds like this was a supportive OB who was happy to be back-up if necessary, and otherwise understanding of the mother’s choices.

LOL! I totally thought the OB said “Twinkie Lights”. Yes I am pregnant currently. OMG…gotta hit the store to get some Twinkies.

Twinkle, twinkle, little light. Buzz off, doc, or I might bite.

This was me! The OB was honest, at least, so I appreciate that. She was NOT interested in providing me with anything close to a homebirth. But, yeah, it was almost humorous that she thought that twinkle lights might be a good enough substitution for all the rest of the things I was looking for. Not. Hired.

I think this might be my favorite submission here so far, just because of the hilarious comments!

I’ve never even thought about using Christmas lights during birth. That certainly seems like a fun idea. I’ll have to remember that for next time…ya know, if my homebirth midwife LETS me have them.

Because, you know, every woman’s desires for a healthy birthing time include (and are highest on her priorities) ‘twinkle lights’.

Barf!

“And can I tie your hands, doc, if you start doing sh*t that I don’t want you to do?”

Cuz really…that’d be awesome.

My first homebirth was by the light of my Christmas tree….that was a pretty cool way to hbac

I know in the hospital we weren’t allowed to have an “open flame” – no actual candles of any type. Friends have used those LED “candles” that flicker. I suppose twinkle lights were a substitute for candles? Nice lighting? Which, I imagine, would be immediately superceded by flipping all the lights on when the OB dictated – they like to “change-up” the whole atmosphere as soon as they “roll in on a stool.” (DH’s words)

I am ROTFLOL at not only the OP but all the hilarious comments. You guys are hysterical. Love it! <3

I know this is resurrecting an old post, but I just HAD TO share this.

Last night, I went on a hospital tour with the midwifery practice I am seeing. They gave a great informational session on midwifery and evidence-based care, including glowing support from the MD who provides backup care when he’s needed.

We got to the LDR room, where they had a birthing pool all set up, minus the water. The midwife explained various “typically, we do this, and then that happens, and we don’t require constant monitoring, or an IV port. We encourage you to bring light snacks and fruit for the mother so she can eat and drink to keep up her energy. Have I caught babies in the shower before? I’ve caught babies… pretty much everywhere!”

And then she said it:
“These bright lights don’t have to be on. We have different lights, or sometimes, you know, we’ll hang up a little string of twinkle lights, if you want.”

It was all I could do not to bust a gut laughing right then and there. But at the same time I just LOVED her even more.

You can birth in the tub, in the shower, any position that works for you. No being strapped down and hooked up to machines. Please make sure you eat and drink during labor. We’ll stay with you for your whole labor. And sure, twinkle lights are available too.

I wonder if she’s secretly a unicorn in disguise?