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I am including this because Home births are, unfortunately, uncommon... In this day and age of technology, I get the feeling that we are all out to out do mother nature... I am saddened when I hear of yet another woman going in for a C-Section, or, "Birth by Appointment"...
Initially, I decided to have my oldest, Christen, at home because we were uninsured and the cost of a hospital birth was prohibitive. I began to read up on home births... I began with a book called "Immaculate Deception." This book really served to open my eyes on the medical community and its views on childbirth. The more I read, the more I was convinced that I was doing the right thing.
While I was pregnant, I knew of at least 5 other women who were also pregnant and due about the same time as me. We all kept track of each other's progress. I was horrified to find out that, out of all of us , I was the ONLY one to deliver "naturally." ALL of the others had C-Sections... The worst part was that there was not one VALID reason for any ONE of those women to go through surgery to have a baby!!!
In my (not so) humble opinion, doctors are entirely too quick to sharpen their scalpels in an effort to make things happen according to THEIR "busy schedules" as opposed to allowing nature to take its own course. Mind you, I am NOT opposed to medical intervention when it is NECESSARY, however, I do have a problem with all the unnecessary intervention seen in this day and age.
My first experience with home birth was NOT the best. I had chosen a doctor who did nothing but home births. She was a bit gruff and did not exactly have the best bed-side manner. She was rough and rather cold, not allowing for the fact that it was our first child and , even though we had attended the classes and understood the theory, we still were not prepared for the reality. Thank goodness my sister in law and mother in law were there to referee for us and protect us while we were in such a vulnerable position.
The lesson here: If you plan on having a home birth, make sure you talk to your doctor or midwife and make sure that your personalities do not clash. If you tend to be sensitive, you need to understand that, when in the throes of labor, your level of sensitivity will increase 100 fold. If you feel the least bit skeptical, find another doctor or midwife who makes you feel more comfortable.
Jessica was delivered by Judith, a midwife. She came to the house quietly, sat with me, talking and rubbing my back in *just the right spot* during the moments of discomfort. She encouraged me the whole time, made suggestions on how I could make myself more comfortable and was, in general, a blessing! She stayed on for a while, after Jessi was born, helping us with her first bath and feeding. It was wonderful, SHE was wonderful.
Needless to say, Patricia was delivered by the same midwife... I used to joke with her that we enjoyed Jessi's birth SO much, that we just HAD to do it "one more time!"
Trish's birth was not quite as "perfect" as Jessi's. I had been under a lot of stress during that pregnancy and, when all was said and done, it showed. The placenta was a mess and Trish had had the cord around her neck, as well as having aspirated meconium during the birth. Judith was very concerned; she was also very professional as far as being careful to not alarm us. She kept a watchful eye on Trish for several hours after her birth. Then, when she felt certain that Trish was OK, she drove an hour back to her home to pick up her husband (who also happens to be the doctor she works for) and brought him back to check Trish out. We were lucky. Trish was fine.
We lived within a couple of minutes from the hospital; I can't say I would have chosen a home birth if we had lived more than 10 minutes from the hospital... Also, with each birth, we notified the ambulance squad of what was happening and we were assured of a prompt response in the event of an emergency.
Home birth is certainly not for everyone. Personally, I'd never do it any other way... There is nothing that could compare with being in your own home, surrounded by your loved ones, with the lights dimmed and music playing softly... to hold your baby in your arms, with your husband and other children by your side, where they belong... knowing that you ARE home. It's nothing that could ever be adequately described with words.
For more information on home births, or to find a midwife in your area, visit The Midwife page.
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