I am a 25 year old married woman, of Irish ancestry, living what most would see as a very conventional life – we own our home, both work in corporate jobs, drive European cars. So, of course, people fall of their chairs in disbelief that someone as ‘normal’ as me would want a ‘hippie’ birth.
Well, my answer is – to me, home birth IS normal!
We have been trying for our first baby for nearly 6 months, and I am becoming increasingly distressed as, if we do not conceive before September, we will not legally be able to choose a home birth, attended by an experienced midwife. If we choose to subvert the laws, we have two possibilities: ask a midwife to risk a $30,000 fine by attending our birth, or try to birth alone, which is not what I personally would choose for my first baby. I have always really looked forward to the calm and experienced support of an amazing independent midwife.
I want to have our precious baby at home because I honestly believe that this is the Safest option for our baby, and for myself. I am an educated woman, and have done months of extensive research, reading a range of primary and secondary material from both ‘sides of the fence’, and have concluded that home birth is the best, safest and most natural way of birthing my future baby.
We are fortunate that we can afford the $5000+ for a private midwife, doula, birthing pool and some in-home after care from a doula of our choice. I hate to think what an awful and crippling expense this would be for many families.
Since I was a child, I have had positive experiences with birth. My friends, 4 siblings, were all born at home, with all the other children (and friends, and family) running around the home as though it was a wonderful celebration (it was!) Instead of ‘mummies and daddies’ games, we used to play ‘home birth’, taking turns of ‘birthing’ our baby dolls on the bunk beds, surrounded by our little friends. After childhood memories like that, rushing off to hospital is the furthest thing from my wishes!!
I was born in a midwife-run family birthing centre, in 1984, and my sister was born in the same birthing centre, when I was 17 years old. Mum had an amazing private midwife, and I found being at the birth an incredible experience – I was amazed at the fact that mum was falling asleep in between her contractions (in the birthing pool). Interestingly, the private midwife had to ‘kick out’ all the centre’s midwives at the time of birth, as the centre had a policy that babies could not be born under water. Thankfully, mum’s midwife (Jan Ireland) was nice and bossy!
My mum’s sister, my aunt, had two horrendous hospital labours –both over 35 hours, both ending in C-sections. When she fell pregnant again at 42, she shunned the system entirely, choosing to have no ultrasounds, and to give birth at home, 30 minutes from the nearest hospital. Everyone said she was crazy, and going to kill herself and the baby, yet the labour was a beautiful, 6 hour event, ending in a massive, healthy baby, and a joyously happy family!
So. With all that I have written, I imagine that it is abundantly clear why I will choose a home birth. I just hope that I am able to do this legally, with an experienced midwife of my choosing there to support me through the beautiful event.
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