Comments on: 35 Reasons Why We Choose Homebirth

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 11 May 2012 21:39:26 +0000

I definitely agree with the other 35 reasons but since there is some humor to this article i will add my husbands favorite…

“celebrating the birth of our first born son with a beer!”

(he was absolutely WONDERFUL during labor and delivery i might add)

By: Jennifer Watson

Jennifer Watson — Tue, 08 May 2012 01:50:19 +0000

I had a Homebirth with my first. At the beginning of my pregnancy I had insurance so I went to my OB for my initial blood work and exam. I could tell then that OB visits and hospital birth was not going to happen.

- My husband HATES hospitals, they make him physically ill.
- I didn’t want unnecessary tests done during prenatal care.
- I didn’t want a IV in place during hospital stay.
- I would have fought anyone who took my child from me.
- I didn’t want to fight with staff about newborn procedures.
- I didn’t want to be on anyone’s timetable. My labor was 29.5 hours. Can’t imagine what the docs would have tried to force me to do. (BTW baby’s heartrate was normal throughout.)
- I never know what I want until I am actually in the situation.

On a side note, my cat Maggie stayed in my room during pushing and delivery. LOL

I think those who are so against homebirths have an emotional issue with their own experience – guilt maybe. Why else would they be so vehemently against it? I had friends that said Homebirth wasn’t for them – they wanted DRUGS for pain – but said I was brave.

By: kama

kama — Mon, 30 May 2011 19:21:35 +0000

I am planning a home birth for this, our third, birth. The other 2 have been in hospitals. I’m actually really looking forward to it…at the end of Oct. I’ve tried to even convince some other relatives who are pregnant, but they look at me like I’m nuts!

By: Missy Waguespack

Missy Waguespack — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 19:21:46 +0000

At home, your child can be born into your /partner’s arms.

At home, you can sing/scream as loud as you want without disapproving eyes

At home, there’s no possibility of your baby being accidentally swapped with another.

At home, there’s full support of your wishes.

I was lucky enough to have 2 homebirths, each very unique and special. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

By: 35 Reasons Why We Choose Homebirth | Let It Be Midwifery

35 Reasons Why We Choose Homebirth | Let It Be Midwifery — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:04:25 +0000

[...] 35 Reasons Why We Choose Homebirth. [...]

By: Heather

Heather — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 03:32:34 +0000

I would LOVE to add my #1 reason for homebirthing:

NO NEWBORN PROCEDURES! My husband and I didn’t have to fight to wait for the umbilical cord to be cut (we had a lotus birth), no goop in my baby’s eyes, no vitamin k shot, etc. I was the first one to touch my baby, the first one to hold my baby, and the first one to bathe my baby. My midwives never took my baby away from me! At home, you don’t have to fight to get the kind of birth you want

By: Maude

Maude — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 19:12:04 +0000

My first baby was a “surprise” to say the least- I found out about my impending birth via an MRI at 4.5 months. The MRI was to determine the severity of several disc problems in my back, and it was determined that I should have immediate surgery in order to carry the baby to term. Needless to say, there were several risk factors, and we decided to have a hospital birth. Which of course, ended in a C-section. I have no problems or regrets about the birth of my son- I believe that everything happened the way it did for a reason, and I ended up with an extremely healthy, beautiful boy- and I stayed healthy and alive, too.
Now I’m expecting a second child, and have opted for a home birth. Why? Because as a VBAC candidate, I got tired of hearing the word “NO”. Because I don’t want lawyers and administrators making my decisions for me. Because I don’t want to be treated as a statistic or parameter; I want MY circumstances and MY specific metrics to be factored into all decisions. And most of all, because there are NO guarantees, one way or the other- the numbers on safety and well being with home births are better than those in the hospital. The policies on C-sections are improving, but still have a long way to go. It takes a lot of time to change the medical machine. Women, mothers, and babies don’t need to wait for that.
It’s a personal and emotional choice, and knowing the reasons and advantages of both can help you make the decision that’s right for you. And a midwife/doula is (in my opinion) more qualified to help YOU make the decisions about YOUR health and the health of YOUR baby, as they are more invested in PERSONAL care vs. PUBLIC HEATH.

By: Amy Ayres

Amy Ayres — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 15:58:28 +0000

Great post. Yay for homebirth, birthing centers, and hospitals, we’re lucky to have options. I loved my homebirth and wouldn’t do it any other way!

By: Pear

Pear — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 10:50:06 +0000

Some more reasons:

No one will stop you from eating or try to limit you to ice chips at home!

You can move around and labour in as many positions as you want without someone asking you to get back on your back or get back on the monitor.

You can be the first person to touch your baby instead of someone in rubber gloves.

If you want people to be quiet, no one will keep talking through your contractions.

You don’t have to hear other women screaming in nearby rooms.

Your family and friends can come when you want and not during visitor hours.

You don’t have to go through “shift changes” on personnel.

There is no limit or restriction on who you can have in the room with you.

You’re allowed to take video or pictures of anything you want.

No one is secretly recording you.

No one will try to put you on a schedule for vaginal exams.

No random students or interns or residents will come in and repeat procedures you’ve already had done.

Your baby will be given to you immediately instead of being whisked away to a warming table to be prodded by strangers.

No routine pitocin after birth!

No one will separate you from your partner or family.

By: Angie L., Doula

Angie L., Doula — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 07:27:43 +0000

I love this! I just might write each and every one of these on little hearts and place them all over the walls and mirrors of the house. ;D

Here are my add-ons:

-> You don’t have to worry about the what happened on these floors/in this bed the day before
-> If you feel something needs cleaning/cooking/folding/watching… you can do it.
-> You don’t have to ask permission to roll over or go pee.
-> You don’t have to wait for the nurse to come “disconnect” you from the machines to get up. Because you’re not connected to any machines in the first place.
-> Husband doesn’t have to miss the football game.
-> You don’t have to hire a sitter.
-> You can order food to be delivered… and your husband doesn’t have to pay extra to eat too.
-> You don’t have to pack. Anything.