My Choice: Homebirth

Undoubtedly this is going to be a more controversial post, and forgive me if anything I type strikes you as unsavory. My only intention is to explain my choice, and my reasons for making the one I have. I don't expect anyone to suddenly jump on the homebirth bandwagon, to persuade anyone one way or another, or even to support my decision, but I do have enough confidence in my friends and family (yes, you!) who are reading this that they will respect that this is my (and my husbands) choice to make. I do love to debate, and I am not offended by anyone who doesn't support homebirths. I don't mind having a respectful conversation about it, so if by the time your done reading this, and you want to talk about it, please feel free to contact me!

I would like to start out by stating that this decision has not been hastily made. There are many who think that this is a haste decision, or that it was made in efforts to be more 'earthy' (as some have lovingly labeled me). Let me be clear, neither of those thoughts are true. I have done hours of research, spoken with different proffesionals, and I have made my choice based on what I have learned.

I have chosen homebirth with a CNM (Certified Nurse Midwife) as my care provider, with the support of my husband.  Yes, I do plan on laboring in a waterbirth pool, and if I feel so inclined, birth in the pool. Yes, I am aware of the risks associated with homebirth and water birth, and I also beleive that the benefits far outweigh the risks. Yes, I am aware that this is just a plan, and that 'even the best laid plans...often go awry'. Yes, I do have a back-up plan in case of a hospital transfer, and I am  prepared for that outcome as well.

Homebirth has always appealed to me, I admit, because I hate hospitals. I hate the monitors, the needles, the seemingly cold staff, and horrendous color schemes, and just the general feeling of impending doom. So when I found out I was pregnant, I began to do a lot of research to find out if homebirth really was a safe choice. The facts might actually surprise you:

• Home births have a lower risk profile than hospital births.

• The percentage of home births that were preterm was 6%, compared with 12% for hospital births
• The percentage of home births that were low birthweight was 4%, compared with 8% for hospital births.

These three facts were taken directly from the CDC. Granted, statistics are going to be a little skewed, because the 95% of homebirths are planned homebirths with a low risk. Intervention is also higher in hospitals than homebirths. Another fun one is that 32.8% of all births in the US (2010) were delivered via ceserean section I think that number is apalling. I wish there was a statistic to how many of those C-sections were actually medically needed in order for the baby or mother to survive. According the CDC the target number for C-sections is 15 per 100 births. We are more than double that. Taking out the number of women who elect to have it for (what I beleive to be ridiculous) reasons, such as picking the birth day, fear of the pain, control, or to prevent the effects of vaginal delivery, there is still a gap between the targeted number, and the actual number. The target is based on those whose C-sections are medically necessary. That leads to another question, why is there a gap, and when is the physician manipulating laboring mothers into an unneeded C-section?

Ok, now to go on before I go off into an (not medically necessary) anti-csection tangent.

Birth is a natural process. Women were made to to have babies. When was the last time you went to the hospital because you released your bowels? Yes things can go wrong, and that is when the hospital becomes necessary, not before. Oh but wait, I can almost hear people asking "why not birth at the hospital, just incase something does go wrong?" Well, let me ask: How often does a laboring mother get admitted into the hospital, and then taken to a room to deliver naturally, without ANY intervention? An IV is basic rule for being admitted. Don't forget the hospital gown (unless you brought one of your own and they let you wear it). I know this may seem silly, but we don't actually need an IV to give birth. Most laboring mothers are fitted with a fetal monitor. Generally harmless, but many women find in encumbersom. Again, this is unneeded, generally unwanted intervention. In the hospital, you are told to not eat or drink in case of emergency surgery, oh, but you are allowed ice chips. yum. how satisfying. Let's not forget the option of pain medication (I won't get too into this, but for me, I am hoping to go pain med free). OH and let's not forget that if you arn't progressing as fast as they like, they can shoot you up with pitocin to get the process started. Of course you can reject these suggestions, and they may send you home...with a nice bill...only to have to come back again when they want you.

Have I made a point?

If you are able to find a hospital that will allow you to go without all of these things (and with a staff that won't judge you for it) then more power to you, why the heck wouldn't you? Unfortunatly, this happens next to never.

Personally, during labor, my body is going to be going through the biggest process it was ever made to do, I want to be comfortable so that I can focus on what I need my body to do. I want to wear my own robe, not have a needle sticking out my arm, not have a pole with a bag I have to drag around when I want to walk. I want to be able to keep my body fueled with food and drink (I mean really, no wonder women get tired in the hospital, their bodies are doing so much work, and they arn't allowed to eat to replenish energy?). I just want to throw out there, that women have been giving birth, well, forever. They gave birth in caves, homes, beds, and for goodness sakes, women are still giving birth in fields and outdoors in remote areas. If they can do that, I can certainly do a homebirth with a CNM, and proper medical preperation.

Another thing, I have chosen to labor in a birthing pool, and I want my privacy with that. The birthing pool is a whole other subject, but to put it basically, the benefits are softening of the perineum (less tearing), the water helps support the muscles, and the heat is comforting and another form of natural pain management. The only people there will be my husband, and my CNM who has gotten to know me over many months. No hospital staff coming in and out. I mean I'm not the most shy person out there, but if I could choose, I choose to have my lady bits and most my uncovered body to not be seen by anyone I don't want to be there.

I chose a CNM because I love the personalization. I love that she is a midwife and has training with labor and birth in a natural way, but more, I love that she is also a trained nurse. The CNM I have chosen specifically has her masters in nursing. She is amazing. Very sweet, funny, and I love that I can email, call or text her anytime I have a question or concern. Literally, none of the 'please hold'/office isn't open past five/ office isn't open on weekends crap. I love that she is someone that has gotten to know me and my husband, our plans for our birth, and that she fits everything around us. It's a level of personalization you just don't get with an OB. I feel much more confident that even in a worst case scenario/hospital transfer, there is someone there who knows exactly what I want, and has the power to step up and enforce it (in this case, I'm assuming my husband will be more focused on me and the labor and don't want him to have to make quick decisions while flustered).

I beleive that with the proper preperation of my mind and body, that homebirth is the best option for me. I beleive that birth is natural, and I want the experience that God has intended for me. My husband, who is RN-BSN, also agrees with, and supports my decision. I know that this is just a plan, and that all of this may become null and void if for some reason (God Forbid) an emergency were to take place. In that case, the life of my baby is going to take precedence over anything else, and I will be willing to make any decision that will save my child.

If your still alive after the extraordinary amount of time you had to use to read this grossly long blog, I thank you. I hope I have cleared up any questions that some have asked, and that I have clarified for others that this is a choice made after serious thought and research. If you still have questions, I invite you to get ahold of me and ask, and I'll do my best to answer them. If you have read this, and still find my decision to be negligent, then I hope you keep your opinions to yourself. I don't ask that you agree, but that you respect it. Thank you, and God Bless!