Is a Home Birth Right for You?

With the rise of medical interventions, medical nightmares and horror stories & c-sections, many families are looking into the possibility of having a home birth. The problem is there aren't very many sources to obtain information about a practice that historically used to be very common. Has anyone wondered what the birth experience for Mary must have been like when she birthed Jesus? I may not know exactly what the experience was like, but I know better than most woman because I had my baby at home without pain killers. In that case, what gives me the authority to talk about the difference between a home birth and a hospital birth? Because, I also experienced a hospital birth. I labored naturally at the hospital for 7 hours and then my baby was taken by c-section. After having one c-section, I decided I didn't want to repeat that again, so I had a home birth.

Therefore, I can give you some tips on how to decide whether a home birth or hospital birth is right for your family. Here are some points to consider when choosing the best method for your child to enter the world.

Safety

Many people consider home birth less safe than hospital birth. But the reverse is actually true. Many studies have been done which prove that home birth is by far (in most normal cases) the safest method. Staph infection is on the rise at the hospital and it poses potential harm to both mother and baby. Also the many interventions that the hospital uses to deliver the babies, end up putting both mother and baby at risk. I spoke to a certified nurse-midwife this week who specializes in helping women deliver at home and she claims that most OB-GYNs and hospital midwives have never experienced a normal birth. According to her, it is rare (and perhaps never) that a doctor or hospital midwife see a birth without medical intervention. These medical interventions create problems, encouraging fear amongst doctors and create additional medical intervention. Another factor about safety, is that a c-section is actually not a safe medical practice. The current c-section rate is 1 in 3 nationwide. This means that at least one in three women (potentially more) are being cut open and major abdominal surgery is being done in order to remove their baby. What makes us different than the wives of our forefathers who all bore their babies at home? Did anyone have to cut them open? This major surgery is a dangerous procedure in itself. It also creates additional dangers for future labors & deliveries. The more c-sections that is done to a woman's body, the more danger there is for future pregnancies for both mother & baby.

There are many documented facts to support this in the following books, "Pushed" By Jennifer Block and "Silent Knife: Cesarean Prevention and Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC)" By Nancy Wainer, Lois J Estner. Every family considering a hospital birth should read, "Silent Knife". It is important to know and understand the risks of this major surgery.

Determining the Likelihood of a C-Section

It is important that mothers take into the consideration there own likelihood for a c-section. With my first child, I expected a normal delivery and I planned several different methods to help ensure that I would not be another c-section statistic. I hired a doula (not a hospital doula, but my own) which is supposed to dramatically lower the chance of a c-section. I also took my prenatal vitamins & ate healthy. I exercised during my pregnancy (gentle walking). I hired a hospital midwife. The hospital informed me that by having a midwife deliver me it would increase my likelihood of having a natural birth and decrease my chance of delivering by c-section. I opted for no drugs and to have a completely natural birth without medical intervention and I informed my providers of this multiple times. I also wrote up a birth plan. If anyone had worked to do everything right, I think I gave it my best shot. My likelihood was low, but I still ended up having a c-section.

With my second pregnancy I did other things to help prevent a c-section. I started going regularly to a chiropractor & I believe this helped. Later, I switched chiropractors when I learned of a chiropractor who specialized in pregnancy adjustments and the Webster technique. Although my first daughter was not breech, I believed that her cocked position may have been part of the reason behind my c-section. This technique would help ensure that my back was properly aligned and help future babies progress.

While all mothers have an equal chance that they will be a c-section statistic, some groups of moms have an increased chance. If you have ever had a c-section previously, your chance of having another c-section is 60% (more than one out of every two women!). If you are having twins or multiples, your chance increases. (Many home birth midwives will deliver babies after a c-section. Many home birth midwives also deliver twins. You may even be able to find a home birth midwife to deliver a larger number of multiples. In the case of 3 or 4 babies or more, you will definitely have to research the risk. In the cases of large number of multiples, they were created by modern science. Which in that case, modern science may also be the only way to get them out.). However, twin births at homes are fairly common and research has shown that cases of birth after c-section is safe as well. From my own experience, I can say that I felt much safer at home than I did at the hospital. What should have been a normal, safe and natural delivery for my first child ended up becoming a nightmare that required major surgery. It was not that my body was incapable of delivering naturally or that I was unwilling to endure the pain. Instead, it was due to modern medical science that attempts to "open up the cocoon before the butterfly is developed."

Pain Relief

Many women believe that giving birth at the hospital will be less painful. I would disagree because the hospital often works against the natural birthing process. Almost any woman who attempted a natural delivery in the hospital will tell you that the hospital protocol works against their natural birthing instinct and what their body is telling them to do. How long will it take for women to speak up and determine that they will listen to their own body?

Everyone knows that birthing at the hospital offers pain relief, however there are some pain relief methods that birthing at home can provide such as: counter-pressure (many midwives can use counter-pressure or teach it to a spouse or friend (this was awesome pain relief in my case), food and drink (this will help provide pain relief and endurance for the mother), your own bed and blankets and environment provide huge amount of comfort and lower stress levels (contrast: a cold, germ ridden hospital, with white walls, people you don't know well, needles, and lots of machines they try to hook you up too.), music or sounds you determine, the ability to be in control of the situation (to some extent, you become queen for the day at home...too bad it isn't easy to enjoy while you are in pain), tens unit (some women use this for pain relief), birthing ball, various birthing positions, the ability to walk around as you choose, the ability to use gravity to help you progress more quickly (i.e. the time period of pain decreases), your husband is allowed to touch you and massage you as he pleases, the ability to wear your own pajama (or nothing if you choose), the ability to provide your own whirlpool tub, have a water birth (water is an excellent pain relief and some studies say it is comparable to many of the drugs offered in the hospital, the ability to make any kind & types of sounds that might relieve pain and the ability to hibernate into yourself without being required to talk to anybody or sign papers.

These are just a few of the factors that one must consider when determining whether or not they would like to deliver their baby at home. What is right for you? You choose, because ultimately you are responsible for the health and safety of your body and your baby (or if you are the husband...your spouse & your baby). I am not a medical professional nor can I give medical advice. Everything written above is based upon my opinion and sharing my personal experiences. For legal purposes, I write, always consult your medical professional for medical advice.