Homebirth

I have a good friend who is getting very close to her first homebirth. I'm so excited for her I can hardly stand it. :) She's been on my mind a lot.

I came across this post this morning. This is so true! We homebirthers are certainly not stupid. We know we'd have access to more emergency help if we were to need it, birthing in the hospital. It's just that because of the high stress (and other things brilliantly explained in this post) of hospitals and doctors, we feel that it's better for us (and therefore for the baby!) to be at home. We believe that the best way for a baby to be born is without drugs or unnecessary interventions, and without stress. Our best (sometimes I think our only) chance for that is at home.

Natural childbirth is incredible. There's nothing like it. When I hear women say things about how much they love their epidural, I don't feel judgment toward them, but sympathy! They don't understand what they missed!! Natural birth changes a little girl into a woman. I may even go so far as to say it changes a woman into a warrior - she has conquered the world and knows she could do it again. Having experienced both a c-section and a wonderful homebirth, I can confidently say I would do 10 homebirths before choosing a single c-section.

I often say I would do something totally different if I had more than one lifetime to live - midwifery is one of those things. Along with being a Naturopathic Doctor, an English teacher, a biologist... Although I can't picture a single one of those lifetimes being complete without being a mother as well...

(Fascinating midwife blogs: Navelgazing Midwife (She's not shy with the pictures, or really anything at all - just warning you), and Belly Tales.)