Why I Chose Home Birth

Disclaimer #1: There is an extremist group of home birth enthusiasts who declare the terrible conditions of hospital birth and - as I heard one woman put it - her husband said he would be there with a shotgun to make sure everything went the way they wanted if they had to undergo such an ordeal. (She was probably exaggerating, but it got her point across). I am not in that camp. There are terrible hospital birth conditions and stories, but there are terrible home birth stories as well.

Disclaimer #2: There is another group that likes to write about the details of their birth stories and put them in blog posts. I am not in that camp either, so don't worry. :)

Myths and Objection

Myth - "Hospital Birth is Evil"
This isn't so much as a myth about home birth, but I wanted to take time to address this further. While I prefer home birth, and think it would be great if more people were open to that option, it is not for everyone. My sister has had all of her children in a hospital and had a positive experience. When Melinda was born, I had a home birth but I ended up recovering in the hospital because of a hemorrhaging problem. Although it was an unfortunate situation I felt I had excellent care and a positive experience as well.

 In my opinion, the quality of care and the atmosphere of your birth experience in a hospital would certainly vary depending on the facility and your caregivers. I haven't really researched it, but from what I have heard many hospitals are becoming much friendlier to people who desire a natural birth experience. For instance, I just met a woman who had wanted to have a home birth, but ended up having twins in the hospital with a C-section. Her next birth was also a hospital birth, but she searched around until she found a doctor who was willing to work with her so that she could have a natural birth instead of another C-section. (Things that I had read before left me with the impression that once you have a C-section it is impossible to have a natural birth in the hospital.) Many hospitals are installing midwives as an option to use right in their facility. Birthing rooms are more flexible and comfortable than they were even 20 years ago. Hopefully this is a trend that continues as the years go on.

Myth - the Medieval Midwife
I think that often times today when we say the word "midwife", people get a mental picture like one of those scenes from a movie . . . an old woman carrying scissors and string in her basket and boiling water on a woodstove. The fact is that most midwives are thoroughly trained - many of them have nursing degrees or certification - and highly experienced (to me 20 years of experience is as good as a degree any day). These women are professionals with up-to-date equipment, skilled and equipped to assist a normal, healthy birth, and prepared in case of emergency. They are trained to recognize high risk pregnancies and know when to seek medical help if necessary. (If you have a midwife and feel uncomfortable with her, or aren't confident that she does know what she is doing, think about looking for another one that does!) I have had two different midwives - each of them had a different style and approach to midwifery - but I liked them both and would recommend either of them to others. 

Myth - "You're So Brave"
This is the reaction that I got the most when people found out I was choosing home birth. I understand the feeling behind it, but I didn't feel particularly "brave". With the research I had done, a skilled and professional midwife available to answer every question I had, and my aversion to hospital procedures, home birth made sense to me. Bravery would have been going to the hospital because that frightened me more. To any woman, childbirth can be an uncertain and frightening thing. Are we brave to go through it? Maybe. But I feel more like once you get there, there's no going back and you find out that you just can do what you have to do. So bravery is an element no matter how you choose to deliver your baby. I thought about saying, "Oh, you're so brave!" every time I heard of someone having a hospital birth but figured it would probably be a comment easily misconstrued.

Objection- "What If Something Goes Wrong?"
I already mentioned the professionalism, skill, and training of a midwife (a good one, that is) and I can't emphasize it enough. Throughout the pregnancy they monitor your health, ask questions and watch for warning signs. During the birth they have everything they need within arm's reach, and they are prepared for emergencies. What if something goes wrong? can be a fear no matter where you have your baby. Well guess what? I had a home birth and something did go wrong. I had a long hard labor for my first baby and afterwards experienced heavy hemorrhaging, nearly blacking out. The midwife reacted immediately to the situation. She gave me a shot that stopped the bleeding, a herbal tincture to help me stabilize, and oxygen to keep me from passing out again. Although the danger had passed they immediately called an ambulance and took me to the nearby hospital to make sure that everything was okay and would heal properly. In some ways it was a bad experience, but in other ways it makes me more confident in home birth. The "something" did happen, I had the excellent care I needed right there at my bedside, and I trust that God is in control of every situation -- whether home or hospital.

Why I Chose Home Birth
No one in my close circle of friends or immediate family had ever done home birth before, so I was a little hesitant at first. I read a couple books on natural childbirth, met with our midwife, and talked to others who had experienced home birth before we made our decision with my first baby. Here are some of the factors that affected my choice.

1. Natural Childbirth
I didn't want to use any medications or have unnatural procedures done on myself. At home we would have more control over those choices than in a hospital setting. Although many hospitals are flexible in allowing parents to choose exactly what they want done, there is also the possibility of being pressured depending on what doctor or nurse might be attending. Whether for yourself or your newborn, home birth eliminates the need to constantly be reminding hospital staff of your preferences.

2. Natural Newborn Care
If I am uncomfortable with medical procedure on myself, I am even more uncomfortable with it for my babies -- provided they are healthy, normal newborns. I didn't want my newborn to be subjected to the numerous tests, shots and vaccines that are run routinely at the hospital. Birth is stressful enough for a baby, and I think a home environment is good for them too. There are no harsh lights or cold tables, and a minimum of poking and prodding. Since you are already home (and especially if they are born midwinter as my second was) you don't have to take them out into the cold world until you are ready. . . about  a week, for us.

3. Relaxed Environment
Because I wanted natural childbirth with no medications, I knew from my reading that it was important to be as relaxed as possible, minimizing stress or fear. Packy and I are both uncomfortable in a hospital setting. The environment I am most relaxed and comfortable in is my own home. I was able to eat my own food, drink my own tea, walk in my own yard, sit on my own couch, or lay in my own bed.

4. Simplicity and Cost
Not going to lie -- the cost did factor into my original decision, although if hospital and home birth both cost exactly the same we would still choose home birth.

All the Comforts of Home
If you want a natural birth, I would encourage you to look into home birth. You might find - as I did - that the appeal for it grows the more you know about it. If you are considering home birth but unable to make up your mind, I would recommend meeting with a potential midwife. They will be best able to help answer your questions and set your mind at ease. Often their initial consultation is free so that you can get a feel for how they work, and take time to decide before you choose

Because of the complications with my first birth and the ensuing trip to the hospital, I felt like I was robbed out of really experiencing some of the best benefits of home birth (namely home) so when Lyndon was born I relished that first night of recovery even more. After she weighed, measured, and made sure that everything was going smoothly, the midwife left and the three of us were alone. There was the glow of lamplight, snuggling into clean sheets on our bed, and nibbling on a toasted English muffin with homemade jam before going to sleep for the night (a sleep uninterrupted except for the sweet little cry of a newborn).

So I don't know what is best for you. But for me? That's the way it's meant to be. And I wouldn't have it any other way.