The truth

Yeah, yeah, so it is not actually true that I am super brave or tough because I am going natural and having a home birth. In truth, I have really short, and comparatively easy labors and deliveries. After Lady's birth; how short it was, and how much 'easier/better' before, during, and after, than Cowboy's birth was, my hubby and I knew I wanted to go natural with the next birth.
Hubby is into documentaries and with the recent use of Netflix, he spotted one called "The Business of Being Born". Yes, it was hubby's idea to watch this together - great guy! Well, seriously, this was an eye-opening, possibly life-changing movie for me. I strongly encourage any pregnant (or ever planning to be pregnant) woman to see it (though I better put in a warning that you are going to see more naked, pregnant women than you ever wanted to, and hear the F-word screamed by laboring women more times than you want to). After that movie and letting it sink in for a few days, realizing that the 'Pictocin - Epidural - C-Section' pattern referred to that happens all too often in the hospitals is exactly what happened with Cowboy, minus the C-section part -phew! amongst many other staggering statistics (stay tuned: many posts from here on out will be facts, statistics, info, etc.), I seriously started considering alternatives to the hospital, such as a birthing center. (And if we are going to be perfectly honest here, it just so happens that with the birth of my second child and me no longer teaching, I no longer had health insurance).
Discovering that the closest birthing center was an hour away, and let's remember here that Lady's entire labor was about an hour, I naturally started looking into home birth. I have to mention how much of an influence and support my husband is in all of this. I can say, simply, that if he were not completely supportive and just as passionate about the whole thing and wanting to be so involved in the delivery, I don't think I would do a home birth. Fortunately I have a fabulous husband.
Another part of not wanting to deliver in a hospital: I am kind of a pushover. This seems contradictory? Let me explain. I would rather be home, with my husband and midwife who want exactly what I want: to have the baby exactly how I want to have it, and more importantly, exactly how the baby wants it to go - than to be at the hospital where everyone seems to have an opinion and a preference as to how this baby is going to get out. No, it is not that I always like things my way. Kind of the opposite, really. I know myself well enough to know that I struggle saying no or disagreeing with 'authority' under pressure. Right now, under calm circumstances, after much praying, studying, pondering, etc., I know what is best for this baby. And I know that the way that is most likely to happen for me is at home.
I believe the hospital has a very important role in births. The doctors, nurses, and technology have saved countless babies and mothers in high-risk situations, prevented many diseases, dysfunctions, and handicaps, etc. There are times when the best place for a baby to be delivered is at the hospital. But pregnancy and birth are natural and normal, not a medical condition to be treated. So for me, with a normal, healthy pregnancy thus far, home birth is the way to go.

Remember to watch "The Business of Being Born" - a documentary, hosted by Ricki Lake. (On-demand on Netflix, or go buy, rent it or whatever). Here is a link:

http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/testimonials.php