July 9, 2019 marked 10 years since my water bursts all over my husband and our first son(sun) shot out onto our guest room bed. We had done it! We had a home birth! On that day I experienced an intense euphoria. It was a life altering moment that I will never forget. A photo of our first born, my husband and I taking in everything that had just occurred pops into my head. As an advocate of home births and in honor of my 10 year home birthaversary I will share 10 reasons that I encourage healthy, low-risk mamas to have a home birth. (in no particular order)
1. You know the space . Familiarity is comforting for most of us. How many times have you walked in absolute darkness to your bathroom in the middle of the night, avoiding a would be blinding light and then gotten back in your own bed and fallen back to sleep? That is called ‘knowing your space” and that makes bringing forth new life exceptionally easier. Hopefully your home--even if it isn’t actually yours (some people choose to give birth at a parent or close family members home) bring you a sense of peace. That peace can help get your through to the end goal of a beautiful baby.
2. When it’s GO TIME, you don’t have to GO anywhere. Nobody has time for driving around a parking garage looking for a spot to park when it’s showtime and your new little one is about to make their debut. A quick waddle to your chosen birth spot in your home is much faster than walking to the car, driving to the hospital, getting out of the car.etc etc etc.
3. You are in control. There are a laundry list of restrictions that can--and often are placed on moms in a hospital setting. The freedom to move about your home freely, laboring in the positions that innately feel good to your body is a major positive that can ultimately lead to a birth with no intervention. For example, being able to stand or squat as your baby descends (KEYWORD) is a major help for many women in labor. Gravity can help bring your baby down and out. You call the shots!
4.You get to decide who is a part of your birth tribe. Nurse shift changes, or unexpected family members that pop up ( even with good intentions) can throw you off course when you really want to get into full blown birthing beast mode. Personal fact: For all of our births I only wanted my husband present with midwives there to assist if needed.Birth hormones are meant to work with your body, getting you through each wave. Anxiety because your third cousin on your Dad’s side showed up to witness the birth of the new family member is a lot less likely to happen if you birth at home. Ya’ll know we don’t answer the door if you didn’t call and say you were coming first!
5. Prenatal visits in your living room are underrated! Lean all the way back in your favorite recliner and relax as your midwife uses her fetoscope to listen for your baby’s heartbeat. Prenatal visits have lasted hours at a time for me. Questions lead to conversations of shared experiences and pertinent information exchanges like how much water you’ve been drinking and any changes that you have noticed since your last visit. As soon as it’s over you can walk into your own kitchen and eat that perfectly ripe mango you've been waiting for. (Just me??)
6. Less germs. Where do sick people go? Exactly! If you are as disgusted as me by uncovered mouths that sneeze millions of germ particles everywhere, then the thought of going to a hospital to have your baby is a last resort-- absolute emergency situation.
7. Sleep comes easier. You won’t be disturbed by doctors or nurses through the night or get woken up by the sounds of an emergency in the room next door. Getting cleaned up and being able to sleep on your own pillow under your own blankets is super comforting after journeying through childbirth.
Post home birth sleep hits different. Mama, baby, and Baba napping.
8. You can eat and drink whenever you want! Imagine if moms weren’t dehydrated and depleted because they’ve been denied nourishment that would give them the energy and strength to get through their birth. The goal for me and many women I know is for there to be as few interventions as possible. If a symptom called ketosis sets in where your body doesn’t have enough glucose for energy, it will instead burn fat stores which can lead to dizziness and vomitting. Interventions like unplanned ceseareans are often imminent if this happens in a hospital setting.
9. Home birth allows for immediate bonding, breastfeeding, and immunity boosting. Being able to begin nursing right after birth can actually help prevent mom from hemorrhaging (bleeding). Our bodies are amazing, right!? When you breastfeed, oxytocin makes its way to your bloodstream and helps the uterus contract back to its pre-pregnancy size and shape. You and your baby have now already begun your symbiotic relationship outside of the womb. You give him or her the antibodies in your milk needed to help their brand new immune system adjust to life outside of your belly, and he or she helps your uterus to get back where it’s supposed to be. WIN-WIN!
Also, home birth midwives know the benefits of not washing off the protective, antibacterial vernix covering the baby’s skin which happens very soon after birth in a hospital setting. Then there is of course also delayed cord clamping which allows the baby to receive their full blood volume. The iron in that blood plays a large role in brain development including cognitive functions.
10. You set the vibe! If you want low light, candles and Sade playing in the background you can have it. Prefer dancing your baby out to Boyz II Men’s Motownphilly? Bustamove, sis! You can sway your hips around your living room while your husband drums out a beat that sounds like a conversation with the ancestors. It's all up to you!
Unfortunately, many moms that I have talked to or watched videos of feel like birth is treated as this routine process for the nurses and doctors where she is sometimes bullied into accepting interventions that she didn’t want. Home births are built on actual relationships between all of the parties involved (parents, midwife, birth assistants, older children, and whomever else is present).While home birth is not for everyone, it is simply my mission to let mamas know that it is an option that they can explore as an alternative to going to the hospital.
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