Why would I choose homebirth? Isn’t it “safer” to give birth in a hospital?Why would I bother trying to homebirth, since I could just be transferred to the hospital, anyway? To these “most common questions I hear” from prospective parents, in regards to their choice of birthing environment, I emphasize, ESPECIALLY, the following first sentence:
EVERY MOMENT SPENT WORKING YOUR BABY TO THE FINISH LINE OUTSIDE A HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENT, DECREASES YOUR CHANCES OF INVASIVE INTERVENTIONS LIKE C-SECTION, PITOCIN, ARTIFICIAL RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES, AND MEDICATIONS, LIKE ANTIBIOTICS that interfere with the NORMAL, life-long protection of a STRONG MICROBIOME. ……. It is for THIS reason that I am an advocate for homebirth when a Mother and baby are healthy, and wishing for a natural, unmedicated welcome, earthside. Many first-time parents worry about the “what IFs” so much that they do not even begin to allow consideration of a home-birth option. Yes, I DO see a few homebirths a year, that are transferred due to medical complications. It is rare, however, that these transfers are of the emergency/ life-threatening sort. Homebirth Midwives are well trained in identifying “possible emergencies” before they start, which is, generally, when they transfer their clients for a “different level of medical care”. They are also highly skilled in the management of “sudden emergency”. After all, their livelihoods and licensure depend upon these very important skills! The good news is, nearly all of these home-birth-turned-hospital-transfers, go on to become the natural, vaginal birth that these families were wishing to accomplish. Further, I know, from my 29+ years of birth support experience, that most of these transfers would likely have been C-sections, or with much intervention, had they begun their labors in the medical environment. The higher level of education and empowerment that is my favorite feature of homebirth/Midwifery care, tends to make worlds of difference. For those who wish to treat their birth like the natural, normal, biological, function of the human female anatomy, and NOT like a medical emergency, HOMEBIRTH is the best option to envision. Besides, who wouldn’t want their birthing experience to include moments that look and feel like this picture…..???
