Well, the baby is too young yet to hear the heartbeat. We'll hear it next time for sure.
It was very exciting having our first midwife appointment, and I love that the midwife comes to our home for the visits. It is very comfortable to sit on my own couch while discussing such a personal matter. It is much better suited to me than a doctor's office - I feel so uncomfortable, and quite frankly, irritated when in the doctor's office. Uncomfortable with the 15 minutes of time alloted, the fact that the doctor never remembers me from appointment to appointment, that they are always late and I am kept waiting (as if my time is less valuable), and the lack of quality, personal care. This is not to say I don't appreciate doctors or their training. If I needed to seek medical attention at anytime in the pregnancy or birth process I would - in a heartbeat.
We have always clung tightly to the belief that how you choose to have your babies is a deeply personal choice - one where another person might be equally as uncomfortable having their child birthed at home as I am with the thought of birthing in a hospital. I absolutely respect that. I would never push my opinion on anyone else.
But I do love having my children at home. Stress is removed when I labor at home -it's the place I am most comfortable. The list of why I love home birth is endless but here are a few reasons: I love how I can step out of the birthing tub with my new baby and lay on our couch, eat the food my Mom prepared for me out of my kitchen, take a shower in my own clean shower, but mostly how I never have to let go of my baby until I am good and ready to.
We certainly set up the important and critical steps for safety - our midwife has the medical equipment she needs, our birth plan is in place should we need to be transported to the hospital, and the ambulance will be notified when labor starts with our address etc. should they need to come in a hurry.
Having my babies at home brings many surprised looks from people who have uncovered that fact about us, but I have never been ridiculed or thought less of. It is an amazing time and I feel blessed to have been able to experience it on two occasions. I look forward to it again, just not the whole "feel like I want to die" pain part......
It was very exciting having our first midwife appointment, and I love that the midwife comes to our home for the visits. It is very comfortable to sit on my own couch while discussing such a personal matter. It is much better suited to me than a doctor's office - I feel so uncomfortable, and quite frankly, irritated when in the doctor's office. Uncomfortable with the 15 minutes of time alloted, the fact that the doctor never remembers me from appointment to appointment, that they are always late and I am kept waiting (as if my time is less valuable), and the lack of quality, personal care. This is not to say I don't appreciate doctors or their training. If I needed to seek medical attention at anytime in the pregnancy or birth process I would - in a heartbeat.
We have always clung tightly to the belief that how you choose to have your babies is a deeply personal choice - one where another person might be equally as uncomfortable having their child birthed at home as I am with the thought of birthing in a hospital. I absolutely respect that. I would never push my opinion on anyone else.
But I do love having my children at home. Stress is removed when I labor at home -it's the place I am most comfortable. The list of why I love home birth is endless but here are a few reasons: I love how I can step out of the birthing tub with my new baby and lay on our couch, eat the food my Mom prepared for me out of my kitchen, take a shower in my own clean shower, but mostly how I never have to let go of my baby until I am good and ready to.
We certainly set up the important and critical steps for safety - our midwife has the medical equipment she needs, our birth plan is in place should we need to be transported to the hospital, and the ambulance will be notified when labor starts with our address etc. should they need to come in a hurry.
Having my babies at home brings many surprised looks from people who have uncovered that fact about us, but I have never been ridiculed or thought less of. It is an amazing time and I feel blessed to have been able to experience it on two occasions. I look forward to it again, just not the whole "feel like I want to die" pain part......
7 Comments:
You and Daniel are such an amazing couple. To be a part of Judah's birth was such an honor and the it was the most peaceful, and comfortable environment to be in. I would want your moms cooking from my living room also :). You are such a strong person and I cant wait to see this next babys little face.
I think having a home delivery is awesome! I would concur about the daunting task of going to the doctors office. I wish I would have had more information on giving birth at home when I was pregnant but then again - I would have been on my own as my husband was in the Army at the time so I wouldn't have had him there to help. Thus I'm thankful for the hospital...
Father has a way of blessing us as we make these decisions.
Thanks for sharing your story and offering for some another option to consider!
Blessings on you and your family!
Melissa
I'd love to have home births, but my beloved is incredibly uncomfortable with it. So I just wait till the absolute last minute to leave for the hospital and freak him out with "speedy" deliveries. Maybe he'll come around. ;-b
We wanted a home water birth with our first, but we lived on base and they wouldn't allow it. Silly, I know. It was overseas so they have strange (and very strict) rules there. Then I had such complications with the first that I was too afraid to try it with our second. I'm a skeerdycat. :)
I can only imagine what a special experience that must be. I can't wait to live through you and see what it's like.
That's so cool that your midwife came to your house. I was thinking that you were going to an office, so I knew it would probably be stressful. All of your points were right on.
I'm glad you are making the decisions that work for your family. I admire you for that. :)
That picture is priceless!
we planned a homebirth with mairi, and rochester is just SO not homebirth friendly, ugh. keith fired our midwife on my due date, and we ended up transferring to highland b/c i wasn't comfortable with an unassisted homebirth. then after my heart problems, it just wasn't an option with catti, which turned out for the best anyway, all things considered. i love to live vicariously thru those that get to have one though!!!
I am so inspired by your post on homebirth. I am in awe really, and so proud of you! Unfortunately, for me, I've had all c-sections. I firmly believe that my first one was due to being in a military hospital, resident doctors, my stress (panic actually), and so on. With my 2nd, I opted for a different miliary hospital, and tried for a VBAC but panicked again when all the doctors stressed me out. Needless to say, my 3rd was born as a planned c-section because of the prior two. Atleast, in her hospital, it was a much better experience :) (It was a civilian one). BUT, I am most of all thankful that we have our babies here ~ no matter how they arrived :) Anyway, sorry to be so long-winded. I just love the idea of a home-birth and still daydream about it in my own mind. Everything you shared on your post sounds so peaceful and wonderful.
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