Yes, home birth is still a thing.

If you are not interested in childbirth or ever having children, you might want to skip this post. I do want to mention, however, that this is a part of that "living" thing I mentioned earlier. I'm sure the single life is really great (truly the fantasy has crossed my mind). For a lot of people, those hormones and internal instincts to mate and multiply are just too strong. This can make living consciously more difficult. So if your subconscious is winning, then you just have to be more conscious.

To start with:  pregnancy and childbirth.

Disclaimer:  

Any way that you manage to survive pregnancy and/or childbirth is your business and either way, the result usually has the same moving parts and abilities. I admire all moms, and I believe childbirth should be how you want it to be. I in no way judge any mother (although I do not approve of those on drugs, or who are purposely abusive or negligent). If you had a baby, that's awesome. It he/she was planned, even better! Congratulations!

Hopefully you read the disclaimer above, so I can now let you know that this information is fact and opinion. I am not a doctor or a midwife, just a mom who read books and did research. If you disagree with anything I say, then I applaud you for having your own mind. Do your research and follow your path.

Natural Process or Medical Procedure

I see the world of health as things that happen, and things that people do to "help" things happen. For example, we all had baby teeth. We hopefully have lost all of those baby teeth. Did yours just fall out? Well, hardly any of mine did. My first three were extracted by a nun at my school. The next several were removed with much pain and suffering at the hand of my awesome mother who tried everything. My teeth just wouldn't leave. Finally, by the age of 14, I was able to remove my own, last baby tooth. This is supposed to be a natural process, and it was except for the fact that I never wanted to go through any pain, and would leave the tooth in too long. Now that I have worked for a dentist, I know that you simply push for 15 seconds, then pull the other direction for 15 seconds. Do this for a few days and out comes the tooth. (The quick wiggles are painful and useless.) Conclusion:  our body is prepared for this process, it is natural, but sometimes you need to intervene to make it easier/better/less painful/etc.

On the flip side, there are wisdom teeth. The fact that many people have none or less than 4 shows that in our genetic past, there was a selection occurring to favor people with no wisdom teeth. Our skulls were using a lot more space for brain capacity and no longer needed the massive, extra teeth to help masticate tough, uncooked fibers. So, removal of these teeth is not so natural. It usually involves sedation/anesthetic and a professional surgeon. Very, very few people can avoid this medical procedure. Conclusion:  you need to intervene to survive this one.

Lets slide this analogy over to childbirth. (Sounds crazy, but bear with me.) For many, many years, just like losing baby teeth, mothers have given birth through a natural process, but usually with some intervention/assistance (here is that mom who tries everything). Our bodies were made for childbirth, just look at our awesome pelvis. Now here is the but:  sometimes things don't go "natural" and you need a medical professional to intervene. Even in our far away past, some mothers were faced with complications that often took their lives. Sometimes the natural process is interrupted and natural childbirth is not an option. But sometimes is not as often as you would think.

There are preventative measures that help (like pushing on a loose tooth for 15 seconds). Read, read, read! I read several books on childbirth and will mention them at the bottom of this post. One book actually theorized that the number one cause of Cesareans is the couch. Our bodies can run a marathon, but would you run one tomorrow without any preparation? Childbirth is your marathon and you have many months to prepare (whether you're going to the hospital or staying home.) You will use muscles you have never used before, and didn't even know you had. Start those Kegels now, even if you're not pregnant and don't plan to be. Can anyone predict if your childbirth will be like pulling baby teeth, or pulling wisdom teeth? Perhaps not always, but you can do a lot to make things more natural.

Childbirth "Preppers"

Too often people think childbirth is this really awful thing that you have to go through and the doctor, or at least the nurse, is in control. This view removes the mom from the equation completely. Moms have a job to do too. And personally, I wouldn't want someone else to control the process. The most important person during childbirth is the mom. So you can earn that position of control by taking it early on. Keep a journal, record everything, and learn as much as you can. Once your mind is prepared, prepare your body.

Getting your body in shape will greatly reduce some issues that might lead to extended labor and/or a Cesarean (I'm not a doctor, this is based on research from all of my reading). I did prenatal yoga at least 10-15 minutes each night, sometimes up to 30 minutes. It doesn't sound like a lot, but you try strapping a 30 lb beach ball to your stomach and doing yoga. Certain exercises will improve your strength, loosen that pelvis, and even put the fetus in an ideal position for birthing. Women who have a home birth on purpose know about these things and prepare for their birth. State law will not allow midwives to plan a home birth on anyone considered "high risk." They are also required to recommend transport if any issues arise during labor. So if your body is not doing the "natural" thing, you seek medication/sedation and that professional surgeon (think wisdom teeth).

Another preventative measure is diet. Diet is huge. Your body can do this naturally if it has the right ingredients. I took approx. 2,000 mg of vitamin C each day*, more if I felt like I was going to get sick. This does four things. It boosts immune system functions and increases iron absorption. It strengthens your water sack, so hopefully no early water breakers. It also has an added perk, it is a digestive mobilizer! Nothing is worse than constipation while pregnant, there already isn't enough room in there. Also, general prenatal vitamins are awesome, but don't get one with more than about 30% daily iron. Iron in vitamins causes constipation. Instead get your iron from natural sources that balance the iron with fiber like molasses, dark leafy greens, etc. Eat as many fruits and vegetables as you can. There is so much that we can get from good food. Buying sustainable is always best and at all costs avoid pesticides. Drink water until you think you have had too much, then drink some more. Buy a water filter, you'll need it later anyways if you do formula. Try to stick to a minimum of 80 oz. I did this by taking a 20 oz bottle of water to work, plus two 16-20 oz bottles of tea that I made each morning. Mother to be Tea is awesome. I also drank mixtures of other herbal teas like lemon balm, dandelion, nettle, and chamomile. I drank a glass of water with breakfast and several when I got home. Your body adjusts to water if you keep it up. I drank a lot before pregnancy so my body was already ready. You may pee a lot at first, but then it balances (until the end, when it doesn't matter what you do you will pee every hour). Be that weird person who smiles at clear pee in the toilet with pride.

Home Birth

On to the home birth. Just like women with obstetricians, we go to regular appointments where we are surveyed about our diets and any symptoms we are having. Our blood is sent off for analysis. We do a home blood sugar test with apple juice. Our blood pressure is checked, our bellies measured, and the heartbeat is monitored. Months are spent building a relationship with a midwife and meeting with other mothers to learn about and discuss our pregnancies. It is comforting to have women around you who know what you are going through, and who have often been through it all already. The relationships are priceless! (These classes are available for anyone who is pregnant, even planned hospital births. Get a doula for the hospital birth, and the relationship and support will be there with you.) Prep kits are ordered and delivered and usually, everything is ready before the big day. I say usually because my experience wasn't quite the norm.

During my appointments, my belly consistently measured a centimeter or two past my number of weeks. I really had no idea when my due date was. It was tricky to calculate with my erratic periods after leaving the pill. But that measuring tape was actually doing its job, because what we thought
was 35 weeks and 2 days was actually closer to 38 weeks when he was born. As my midwife always said, denial is a powerful medication, and boy did it work. I just knew it wasn't time yet and I managed through the morning with contractions, but didn't know what they were. I was uncomfortable. Every now and then I would stiffen and my back felt like it was trying to remove itself from my body. But I would just lay on my side or squat against the door jam. Finally, I called and told my midwife what was going on. She rushed over and checked me to find I was already 6 cm! All of a sudden this shit got real. Now I was in pain. I couldn't stand, squat, or lie across a yoga ball. I thought I was going to break in half. Within two hours, I welcomed my son into the world. His first world was my bedroom. I was on a birthing chair; my mom on a yoga ball in front of me sustaining the massive bruises I gave her as I gripped her legs. My husband was behind me on a chest pushing as hard as he could on my lower back, and the midwife was in front to the side. She quickly caught him, as he didn't pause for his shoulders. He wanted free. I held him skin to skin while the others just looked on in awe of his perfect self. Once the cord stopped pulsing it was cut. The midwife helped me finish up and then we laid him down for inspection. He was swaddled, and went to Dada. I am not going to lie, all my preventative measures and I still had six stitches. So, no, it is never perfect.

Again, this is not the norm. But, if you do some reading, you will find that many extended labors could be avoided by controlling the setting, lighting, mood, and companions. It is called the sphincter law. Ever try to poop in a public restroom? Isn't it more difficult when someone walks in? That's because everything tightens. Well, so does your cervix every time someone walks in the room, or lifts your skirt to check on progress. Moms need to stay relaxed and open, even in a hospital. And remember, denial is the best medicine, just download a contraction timer app on your phone and get real when the timing is right.

In hind sight:  I was extremely uncomfortable the day before. I couldn't sit down or lie down comfortably. Walking seemed to help, but I was bordering miserable. I went in the garden and picked blackberries and made a cobbler. Then, at approx. 4 am, I woke up starving and ate a bowl of cereal. At 7 am I was getting out of bed and my water broke, but everyone just told me I had wet myself because it wasn't time. Put all this together, and I had plenty of clues. It was building for days, but active labor was approximately 6-7 hours. That night I ate fresh blackberry cobbler and ice cream while soaking in my herbal bath.


My favorite parts of my home birth:  no bumpy car ride, no strangers, no bright lights, no hospital bed, no beeping monitors, no IV, no one telling me I can't eat or drink, no snatching of my baby before I can hold him, no car seat ride with big bulky buckles and straps, no awkward hospital visits where there is not enough seating for visitors.

Would I do it again? Yes, but someone else needs to handle the newborn, because that's where I suffered most. I'll talk about postpartum depression at a later date.

My favorite books (most available on Kindle):

The Natural Pregnancy Book: Herbs, Nutrition, and Other Holistic Choices
Aviva Jill Romm

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth: Updated With New Material
Ina May Gaskin

Yoga Mama, Yoga Baby: Ayurveda and Yoga for a Healthy Pregnancy and Birth
Bachman, Margo Shapiro, Lad, Dr. Vasant

The Birth Partner - Revised 4th Edition: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions
Simkin, Penny, Harvard Common Press

Herbal Healing for Women
Gladstar, Rosemary

-I also watched tons of Call the Midwife. It is an awesome show. I know it is fiction, but they deal with real issues that you can research on your own.

*While I was pregnant, I was told that up to 10,000 mg of vitamin C was safe. If you get too much you just pee it out. I am now finding articles stating that only up to 2,000 mg is safe and only 85 mg is recommended for pregnant mothers. These articles list several side effects of vitamin overdose (most occurring with calcium or iron). I never experienced these, and do not feel that any ill was caused by my dosage, however, please consult your doctor or midwife before adding any supplements.