Home Birth

Aside from my initial announcement that baby #5 is due in June, I haven’t posted much about my pregnancy.  In part, because… perhaps sad, but true… It’s #5!

Please don’t misunderstand me.  First of all, my hubby and I have always talked about a big family, so no, this was not an “oops.”  And we will love this one as intensely and uniquely as each of our first four.  But, truth be told, there is not much time to be super excited just yet about someone who isn’t right here asking for something nearly all the time, like his/her brothers and sisters are.  Any mama of more than 1 or 2 can understand, I think.  😉

In the first trimester, I at least had the constant reminders of extreme fatigue and a slight “off” feeling (yeah, sorry everyone who has had severe morning sickness – that’s about it…  I think God just knows what a wimp I am!).  But now that I’m into the second trimester and feeling basically normal, it’s especially easy to semi-forget most of the day until I lie in bed at night and feel that tiniest bit of belly starting.  Then I do get a bit excited.  🙂

I also haven’t posted much because we didn’t even make an appointment with a provider until week 13…  We were undecided about whether to take the home birth journey this time around.

I am not “anti-medicine” or “anti-hospitals” – I’m grateful these things are here when needed.  But, the longer I’m on this natural health and sustainable living journey, the more I realize how dreadfully over used these resources are.  No wonder “healthcare” (really, sickness care) is so maxed out and bankrupting this country (among numerous other things).

I love my two OBs who delivered our first four babies, and had positive experiences with all four in the hospital.  So my leaning toward a home birth had nothing to do with dissatisfaction with them or prior experiences.  More so, just shifting priorities and perspectives on the big picture systems as a whole.

The real kickers for me were this:

1) I kept thinking, “If I can and am willing to do a home birth and support a more sustainable long-term system, knowing that the emergency resources are nearby if needed – unlike most places in the world unfortunately – then why go through the hospital which would cost ‘the system’ probably at least twice as much, even if it’d only cost me a $25 copay?”  I’m not one to always look for the cheapest possible deal for myself, but rather, to consider real value – both to myself and society at large.

2) I, along with much of US society, have little to no concept of the ancient wisdom surrounding this incredible experience of childbirth.  I want my kids to know that they can trust God through these amazing natural experiences and not have to be so reliant on “the system” the way I have been to date in this regard.  I want them to know that this is a powerful option that they have for their own futures if they become parents – especially if there will come a time when any of my descendants might be denied access to “the system,” or if “the system” itself completely crumbles one day and is not available at all.

Sooooo, we decided to do it…  We’re taking the home birth journey this time around!

Pretty exciting… when I slow down long enough to think about it.  🙂

Anyone else out there have a home birth after a hospital birth?  What was your experience like?