Home-birth: Is it right for you?
Everyone has strong feelings about this one. Either you say, “Hummm, interesting, I’ll read up on it,” or you say, “Oh my holy god never in a million years.” I think I can safely say I have been on both sides of this issue.
When I first got pregnant I happened to read A Midwife’s Story, by Penny Armstrong and from it I took a few key concepts including that birth is natural, usually safe and accomplished best when left alone. I loved the book so much, it really is a great story, that one of my mantras for labor was going to be to remind myself that the amish women delivered babies everyday without drugs and assistance and if they could do it, so could I.
When my own birth went awry and my water broke with meconium in the fluid, I went straight to the hospital and was thankful for every intervention, machine and test they had on hand. I had every intention of delivering in a hospital and will never do anything but, however, the notion of a homebirth appealed to me so much that I would have considered it for future children had Noah’s birth not gone the way it did. Therefore, I feel as though I truly understand both sides of this issue.
Below are some websites supporting home-birth and discussing important issues. I will summarize them here.
1. If you are really interested in true medical studies on the issue, this website has links and abstracts of studies about the safety of home-birth.
2. Supplies. Mama Goddess sells supplies and full kits of everything you need for a home-birth including those hospital grade mesh panties and a placenta basin.
3. Stories. Real Moms. Real births. Click here to read some real first hand home-birth stories.
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