Home birth: When the older siblings are there to cut the cord
Photo: Shea Long, Coastal Lifestyles Photography.
My first baby, over 10 years ago, was born at home, and it was a wonderful birth experience. Originally, I?d wanted to have the baby in the hospital. I didn?t know anyone who had had a home birth, and my assumption was that a hospital birth was safer. But my midwife made everything seem very normal and natural, explaining that women have been doing this forever, which gave me the feeling I could do it.
I did some reading, and I started thinking about birth as less of a medical procedure. My midwife provided me with some information about the safety of home births and assured me that if anything went wrong, an ambulance would come to the house, and she?d call ahead to get a spot prepared for me at the hospital. As I wrapped my head around the idea and tried to picture it, home birth became more appealing, especially the idea of being at home and being comfortable.
Obviously I was a little bit unsure, but I did feel confident in my midwife and in my husband. I wanted to really experience birth?like, ?This is what it feels like to bring a person into this world.? I decided I was going to do it.
Even though my first labour was long?about 18 hours?I can say I actually loved birth. I felt very empowered as a woman, really encouraged and connected with the birth experience. I felt great about it. And my hunch is that if I?d been in the hospital, there would have been more of that need to just move on with it and do it quickly. But ...
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