Preparing for a Home Birth

Preparing for our home birth was the most laid back and relaxing 9 months ever.  I was able to sit back, relax, and wait for our baby to arrive.

Prenatal visits

For my prenatal exams, I never had to get dressed, leave the house, pay to park, sit in a waiting room, sit in the exam room or line up a sitter.  Why Because the midwives drove to me!!  Pretty awesome right?!  Another great thing about our visits is that they were not filled with unnecessary tests or guilt of declining them.  Some doctors want to test every pregnant mom for everything under the sun to make them feel better about your pregnancy and delivery.  Not with midwives. 

Testing

At every visit, the midwives will check your vitals, ‘note’ your weight, listen and feel for the baby, and test your urine for a few important things.  They may also do a simple blood draw to test for a few things.  Another important test preformed is checking your Strep B level.  For those unfamiliar, Group Strep B is a type of bacterial infection normally found in a womans vagina or rectum.  A mother can pass it on to her baby during delivery so this is an important test.  Your midwife will also swab you for this and take it to the lab for you.  If you do test positive, do not stress because your midwife will have plenty of natural remedies for you.

Cost:  Hospital vs. Home

Our midwives only charged $2500 and we got TWO for that price!  If I would have given birth in the hospital, we would still be paying the bill.  Currently we have a $100 co-pay AFTER our $4000 deductible.  So basically its high deductibles like $4000+ vs. $2500.   That was a no brainer for us.

Usually each midwife has a list of supplies or a birthing kit for you to purchase.  Some may include this in the initial quote but if not, this should not run you more than $200. 

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Au Naturel: Why a homebirth was the natural choice for me.

My research and personal experience with doctors has taught me that many doctors take a “one size fits all” approach to medicine. Especially when it comes to giving birth. I’ve also witnessed pregnancy and birth treated as a medical condition, a disease, instead of a natural occurrence that the female body was designed for. These are some of the reasons I chose to birth at home with midwives instead of seeking out the assistance of our modern medical system.

This choice wasn’t immediate, however. When I was early in my first pregnancy, I went to my regular gynecologist with some questions.  After discussing a few things with her, I found out that she induces EVERYONE at 38 weeks, not matter what!  I was floored and left her office immediately, never to return (not even for my yearly).  38 weeks?!  First of all, your estimated due date is exactly that…ESTIMATED!  What happens if they accidentally get your date wrong and end up inducing you even earlier before critical fetal development stages?  Full term is now considered anywhere from 38-42 weeks, but only your body can tell you when it is time.  Even if a home birth is not for you, I would recommend finding a doctor that is going to let you listen to your body. 

This post is not meant to vilify doctors, it’s merely an explanation of my birthing choice crafted with the intention of encouraging women to learn more and to stand their ground when it comes to their rights and choices.  Doctors are critical in many emergency situations and have saved many mothers’ and babies’ lives.  

Planning for a home birth is a safe and positive option for many healthy women who are experiencing a straightforward pregnancy. Some women choose this path because they understand that having a baby is a normal part of a woman's life that works best without interference.  Others just want to birth in their “own space”.  Both of these happened to be true for me.  I found that with the proper tools and guidance having a home birth can be one of the most relaxing and liberating experiences you will ever have.

Considering a home birth after a previous cesarean?  HBAC with a straight-forward pregnancy is  completely possible.  To learn more a great place to browse is the International Cesarean Awareness Network.

Where you birth is definitely a personal choice and every mama has to make the choice that is right for her and her family.  Birthing at home just so happened to be mine.  Did you birth at home or in the hospital?  How was your experience?  Feel free to share in the comments!

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