Have a home birth

I nearly had an out of hospital birth with my baby, but due to some complications ended up having her at the hospital. It was alright, but it’s such a controlling and sometimes pushy (no pun intended) environment. I wished so much that I could have had my 2-day labor in the comfort of my own home. If all goes according to plan, the next baby I have will be born out of hospital!

...as long as you can get pre-approval and find an in-network provider to do it for you.

That’s good news.

With my first pregnancy I had no idea that people even did home births intentionally! I was 7 months pregnant before I thought it was a good idea. There was little time and the military wouldn’t pay for a midwife, so I settled for an OB in a birthing center with my doula. They wouldn’t let me do a water birth, but the natural birth to my now 11 month-old son was still wonderful and beautiful. Now I am pregnant again, but living in Japan with the military and it looks like it is not an option for me now, either. I do not speak the language well enough, and there are not Japanese midwives available within an hour’s drive, and the military again will not pay nor let me birth in base housing. We return to the US in 2012 and that sounds like a good time to have #3. We will be planning to live off base, save for a midwife, do the research, and have a water birth at home. It may be a little ways down the road, but I’m sure we’ll get to experience this some day!

I’ve planned on having a home birth for years because my mom became a midwife when I was 13. She will be assisting the delivery of my first child which is due January 17, 2009. She has already assisted with the delivery of my sister’s two boys (I got to be there for the last one, he was born July 26, 2008). From what I saw, birth is a very natural, sometimes extremely painful process. I expect it to hurt quite a bit actually (even after reading “painfree childbirth”.... or whatever that book is called…) But I still want to do it naturally, without drugs. So far, I haven’t taken any pain medication since I became pregnant. I don’t want to risk anything affecting my baby. Too many children have autism these days!

have a home birth

WORTH IT!

I gave birth to my daughter on my back porch. I just had to push, so I gave birth standing up.

My husband tied of the umbilical cord with his shoe lace.

I did go to the hosptial aftewards as she did “hit the deck” LOL but it was weird that everyone thought that giving birth at home without any medical help was weird, I mean reallly.. I’M A WOMAN!!

I want to do this at home. It will be my last, so I want the experience to be a good one. I stayed home for 90% of my son’s labor. I basically went to the hospital just to push him out. I was already 8 cm dilated when I got there.

My precious baby girl was born last Saturday… completely naturally at home! It was such an intense and amazing experience, and I’m so glad it’s what my husband and I decided we wanted.

Our first daughter was induced & I’m glad we were at the hospital as there were some complications.

Our second daughter was born in the “family room” at the hospital which felt very homely.

We planned to have our 2 sons born at home which went well, although (with my youngest son – who is now 11)the midwife didn’t show up until his head was coming out! I’m on the birth record as one of the midwives which is neat.

My husband and I are expecting our first baby this June, and are planning a home birth with an experienced CPM (certified professional midwife). I’m so excited, but still nervous that something will go wrong and we will have to go to the hospital anyway. I don’t want to deal with the doctors!