Why homebirth?
A reader asked why we have our babies at home. The short, easy answer is because my parents had most of their children at home. It was the most comfortable place for me to give birth.
Of course, that’s not the entire basis for our decision! We did some research and learned that even according to the CDC (where one might expect to find negatively slanted statistics), for low risk pregnancies, home births attended by a trained midwife have a statistically better outcome for both mother and child than do comparable low risk hospital births.
So having established that birthing at home was a safe and reasonable choice, we moved on to weighing the reasons to do so:
- I’ve never enjoyed hospitals. Quite frankly, they give me the heebie jeebies. There’s just too many needles there.
- Labor is uncomfortable. I had no desire to hop in the car for a long bumpy ride during labor.
- I wanted to avoid unnecessary interventions and procedures that would likely slow my recovery, such as an episiotomy. Especially since an espisiotomy would require the application of needles to certain areas of which I am highly protective.
- Hospitals are generally for sick people. I don’t want to think about all the germs floating around there, and I don’t want to bring a healthy baby into an environment full of sick people and pathogens.
We really only saw one reason for us to consider a hospital birth, and it simply wasn’t enough to outweigh all of the reasons above: for most of our children, our health insurance did not cover the midwife’s charges at all, or only provided minimal coverage. Nearly every birth at home cost us more than a hospital birth would have cost. Until we became members of Samaritan Ministries, that is. Now we don’t pay a dime. 
And so…we birth our children at home. Each labor has been uncomplicated, but our midwives over the years have had a strong medical background, up-to-date training, and the equipment and knowledge to handle most emergencies. They also have a very low rate of transport to hospitals, a very low rate of c-section outcomes, and they know their stuff. And we don’t forget this part: God is in control. Man proposes, but God disposes. We do our best to make a wise decision, and rest in the sovereignty of our Lord.
A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
Proverbs 16:9
“There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.”
Proverbs 19:21
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It’s always so nice to meet another homebirther! I had my first at a hospital, because I did not know better, and I NEVER will again unless there is a valid medical reason to. I had #2 at home and it was one of the best experiences of my life (believe it or not, painful and all). I just can’t imagine wanting to do it another way. My birth story is here: http://proudtobeasahm.blogspot.com/2007/07/announcing-arrival-of.html
Kim, I appreciate your blog so much! You have such a neat way of being hilarious, and yet very tasteful in how you put things. I enjoy it. Thank-you
I guess I’ll probably be the odd man out here - I LOVE my hospital births. I won’t go into the whithertos or the whyfors, but the only time I’ve spent time in the hospital was to birth 6 babies, so for me, my hospital experiences were joyous!
God bless you with your upcoming L & D!
In case you get negative comments about homebirths… having a planned homebirth saved my daughter’s life. Had we not planned it this way, she would have been born on the road, in the cold, in the middle of nowhere, with no one qualified to help her out, since she was huge and got stucked on the way out.
I would definitely choose to have a homebirth again, but I will probably end up induced because I have such fast labours and big babies
Midwives and homebirths are the best thing ever!
hey there!! we did the Bradley method of natual birth at the hospital for our first but then we switched to a midwife and have had 2 GREAT homebirths!! Praise the Lord! i LOVE having my babies at home. people thought we were crazy, but i told them they were crazy for going to the hospital haha…….have you seen the documentary “the business of being born” ? http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=8597620254789409121 warning, there is some bad words and comment on evolution. but the overall point is really good. by the way im a homeschool mommy too and have had 4 misscarrages and now 3 beatiful healthy children
on the link above that i posted, when the painting of adam and eve pop up, go to the bottom left and hit play
My first two children were born at the hospital, and my thirdborn was born at home, last July. The homebirth was such a peaceful and a blessed birth. I really loved being free to walk around during labor, being encouraged to eat and drink during labor, and to be surrounded by others who appreciated natural birth. (who let my body do what it needed to do) Birthing at home really made it feel like a special celebration for me, rather than a big medical procedure, as I felt at my two hospital births. Praying for a blessed birth of your littlest blessing!
I am a home birther too. My last (our 9th) was born while the children were playing outside under the watch of our 16 yr old.. When it was all done my husband stepped out on the back porch and yelled “Who wants to meet your baby brother?!” and they all came running like they were called to dinner.
I was really hoping to do a homebirth this time and saw homebirth midwives for the first few months of my pregnancy (I’m due around the same time as you!) but we’ve moved since then, and my pregnancies are too high risk, so I’m more comfortable with stricter monitoring.
I don’t know why, but my body always tries to go into labor around 30-32 weeks, so they have to stop my labor then, and my last 2 babies have been born at 35, and then 34 weeks. The same thing is happening this time, my cervical measurement from the ultrasound I had done at 30 weeks is dangerously short, so I’m on bedrest and being monitored weekly. I wonder why my body keeps doing this, I feel I’m failing my baby. Anyway, I’m a little emotional about it right now so sorry about all of that!!!! Either way, we only have a few weeks left, and I know God is in control. I can’t wait to hold my little guy, and I can’t wait to hear about your birth story! 
Also wanted to add, like a PP mentioned, I really would miss certain aspects of being in the hospital, namely the care I get afterwards!! They TOTALLY have spoiled me each time and I’ve had to stay for 3-5 days after each birth so I love the pampering and rest I get (mostly alone) with the baby for those few days. That’s been my one hang up when we decided to birth at home. As wonderful as my husband is at taking care of me, it’s just not the same and I know it would be “business as usual” very quickly after the birth. I would so miss the total pampering I get in the hospital (is that bad??)
I also love my hospital’s food, they have a gourmet salad bar and the best carrot cake I’ve ever had, LOL!
For Kristi- The same thing happened with my first, he tried to come visit us at 30 weeks. My heart goes to you! I hope this little one will be more patient for you!
(I blame it all on the baby too eager to meet daddy, of course! lol)
Take Care!
Another homebirther here! I’ve had both of mine “at home” my first in our living room and our second at a home 40 minutes away at a “Birth Inn” our midwife uses because I went into labor at 35 weeks. Laboring in the car (I went through transition!) was the pits.
My first labor was 7.5 hours and with my second, I woke up at 10pm with contractions and had him at 11:40pm!!! If I wasn’t concerned because I was only 35w I would have had dh pull over and had him in the car - I hated trying to get somewhere.
I don’t trust hospitals, I guess. It’s really hard for me to let someone I know and love hold and love on my babies, let alone a stranger! When my son was in the NICU 12 days I had to ask to change his diaper, I had to ask to hold him, and I was so thankful that I was able to wear my own clothes and walk around and my visits to my son were not practically “timed” by the nurses as other moms often were. We are young and it felt like the whole staff distrusted us and our abilities.
We only took him in because he was small in case his lungs were imature and they held him captive. It was a nightmare - we wanted to decline Hep B testing for me and they threatened to turn us into CPS. We ended up scared to death and feeling helpless.
I have heard other stories - one mom that goes to our church said her newborn daughter was lying on her chest and a nurse walked in - the dd had stopped breathing (she ended up having apenia) and turned purple and the nurse grabbed the baby and ran from the room. The mom ended up accused of trying to kill her baby! That resulted in CPS visits for months, too.
I’m so glad that some people have good experiences. We simply having and hate feeling so helpless when God gave *us* the baby, not the doctor! LOL I pray that God lets us homebirth in the future and our dealings with the hospital are over.
That’s great! We wanted to have a homebirth with this one, but couldn’t find a midwife close enough! The closest one was over an hour and a half away, and I have pretty fast labors. So, I wasn’t comfortable waiting on someone that long. Otherwise, we’d be having Baby #4 at home. We’re praying that by the time the next one comes along, there will be a midwife closer!
I love hearing everyones views and comments. Several of my friends have opted for home births, and absolutely love them! I have four boys ages 8 and under and have had to have c-sections with each of them. I have an extremely narrow pelvic bone and I have went into labor with each of my children and have never effaced and with one of them dilated to a one after about 70plus hours of labor. I have always wanted all natural child births so was devasted after my first was an emergency c-section. Each time I have gone into labor…but to no avail. Well, we are of the “quiverfull” mindset and I am in my early 30’s so we will probably have more kids:-) So we decided to start praying after my last was born (he is now 23 months) that my pelvic bone would spread and that I would find a Dr. who would do a v-back and that I could actually birth our babies!! Still not pregnant yet, but I truly believe that my pelvic bone has spread and that next time I will be able to have a baby “au natural”! I might not be able to have a baby at home ever… but I love hearing about others. Blessings to all you ladies.
I had my fourth and youngest at home and would never do anything else. It was like have a really good friend with you the whole time. And after bleeding big clots with my third in the hospital the nurses not know what was going on and with my fourth started doing it again and almost passing out my midwives knew what it was . I have big babies and still had some of the sac inside she cleaned me out twice and i was fine. But in the hospital out of four nurses none of them knew anything.
As a former OB nurse (who just had a homebirth in August), I’ve gotta agree that a low risk pregnancy ending with a birth at home is great! There are times for the hospital, don’t get me wrong… but if you’re in the hands of competent midwives, they will know when they need to get someone else’s opinion. (I really wish more doctors knew how to do this!)
THANKS for this post. We are planning our first home birth. We aren’t really telling too many people because of all the negativity we usually get, so it’s great to get this encouragement, without you even knowing you were encouraging me!
I think you’re smart!
If I had known about such things back when I was having babies. I would have definately opted for this!
I have a young adult daughter, and her and i are now discussing it for her future if God makes her a Mommy someday!
We’re planning our fourth homebirth for this fall. We did use the hospital for our first two babies, but now, well, only a true medical need would take us back to a hospital. The Lord blesses us with uneventful labors but big babies…our biggest (& first homebirth) was 11 lbs. And we are also blessed that our medical insurane covers the cost.
I don’t comment often, but read your blog everyday, KimC…thanks for the encouragement!!!
Good for you!
Homebirth is my dream.
Thus far it hasn’t worked out for us–no hb midwives in our area, and most would have probably “risked me out” anyway since I have gone past 42 weeks with the last two. I thought a freestanding birthing center would be the ideal compromise but they didn’t want me once I got to 41 weeks and the baby was “too big”. 
So, I’ve had three hospital births so far.
We have had all of our children at home (5 so far)- we thank God for this! It has been amazing!
We are planning our third homebirth. I’ve never had a baby in the hospital, and to be honest, the hospital frightens me :(! We had a midwife we paid for privately the first two times, but this time we have a Doctor who is charging the provincial gov’t (as they would with a hospital birth) and delivering our baby at my Mom’s house (we live too far out in the boonies for them to come here - and NO RUNNING WATER!) ;).
If I could changes things I would of had a home birth. I had as close as I could get. I had a midwife at the hospital and she was great about working with me but I think I would have been more comfortable at home. I applaud anyone who can do a home birth. i feel do what you are comfortable with.
I love the idea of home births but how do you prepare for and clean up the “mess” that comes with birthing? Thanks.
Cyndi, I’ve had two babies and a dear friend of mine had her daughter as well at my house.
My midwife puts a plastic shower curtain down and she cleans up before she leaves with her assistant. It’s so fast and smooth, really - I hardly noticed the clean up at any of the births. Some midwives, such as mine, use many of the same supplies (like ‘chucks’) that are super absorbant just like a hospital would use.
Cyndi,
I did a post about homebirth tips a while back, and many readers contributed their own tips in the comments.
What we do is make our bed with the good sheets on the bottom, then a big piece of plastic or a rubber sheet (available for less than $10 at WalMart, and durable enough for many births). Then we put an old sheet on top.
I don’t do this ahead of time because my labors are long and slow - this sort of puttering keeps me occupied during the early hours.
After the birth, the soiled sheets, etc. go straight into the washer, and we have a clean fresh bed waiting for us.
Honestly, birthing just doesn’t create as much mess as you might expect, esp. with a couple of large, strategically placed disposable pads. Most midwives provide these.
This is a great post. I have had my last three babies at home and I am due with number 7 in September. I am little nervous this time just because it was a different delivery last time. You helped me remeber why we do this and remember that God is in control I know in my heart everything will work out I just am a little nervous about the pain.
By the way the picture of you on an earlier post looks great. I can’t believe you are having number 8 you are so little.
Good luck and God Bless,
Susan
Susan,
Of course it doesn’t always happen this way, but I was fearful after my fifth delivery and God gave us our easiest ever on the next go ’round.
No matter how it happens, you already know that He is in control and everything will work together for your good.
Isn’t it nice to be able to depend upon a God who never changes?
BTW, I have found that liquid calcium helps a lot with both pain and the nervous tension that goes with it. I keep a bottle on hand and just take a little drink (a tsp or two) about every hour during labor. I haven’t found a brand that doesn’t taste awful and chalky but it sure makes labor more bearable.
I had four home births and really dislike doctors and hospitals so it is perfect for me.
I would have to be forced to go unless it was an emergency! I have the best thing going for me, I feel as I can have my mom and my sisters there and they are qualified as I have a midwife for a mother and nurse for a sister. I am doula, myself for both hospital and homebirths. There are real reasons for hospital births and it is really a decision that is up to the mother and where she is the most comfortable giving birth as if she was not comfortable at home, it can be bad for her too.
For me I would freak out at a hospital so it would not be good for me!
As far as the mess, you can some where they are more messy and others, where the room looks great. Usually a midwife and her helpers take care of that right off and you do not have to worry about it at all!
Great explanation, Kim. We have also had all of our children at home and even experience 1 scary situation that my midwife handled with ease and minimal intervention. I think that it would have been different in a hospital setting.
Karen