I know we are all celebrating Thanksgiving Eve today, but our house is celebrating my younger daughter’s third birthday, which also happens to be the third anniversary of our home birth!
Reclaiming Reproduction, Family and Health from Real Food Family on Vimeo.
Since having my little Charlotte at home, I’ve become obsessed with home birth. I think that all births are beautiful- in the hospital, birth center or at home. The miracle of a baby being born is just that- a miracle. But the reason I see home birth so differently is because it’s how we’ve birthed for almost all of human history. It is something that connects me with the birthing mothers of generations past. Home birth in America today is a shunned practice- even illegal in some areas of the country. Births at home (in North America) with a professional midwife (who will determine if it is safe to have the baby at home) are proven to be as safe as hospital birth (and possibly safer because there are no risks from medical interventions). I won’t get into all the politics of why home birth is so controversial in America, but know that it is just that- politics- and not maternal safety.
My favorite thing about birthing at home is the empowerment it gives a mother. After having my first baby drug-free (with a midwife in a hospital), then my second at home, I felt like I could do ANYTHING! It was like my own right of passage into motherhood. For whatever reason, God led me to be a home birth kind of woman, and I’m so glad He did. I believe my birth experiences have been necessary for my own life as a mother.
Home birth isn’t for everyone, of course, but it is for some, and it could be for you! I hope you enjoy my celebration of home birth today by watching Charlotte’s birth video and reading through all these amazing birth stories and articles!! Sit back, relax, and prepare to be blessed!
Thank you to all the lovely mothers and bloggers who shared their stories!!
Happy Birthday to “Babykins” from Creative Christian Mama. Here’s her birth story.
After this birth, they decided to write a series on why they planned for a homebirth, which is definitely worth reading: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Diary of a First Child has a TON of great links for home birth and natural birth:
Great YouTube Birth Videos
I’m not trying for a home birth, I’m having one.
Things to prepare for a home birth
A beautiful birth story of her little girl
The birth story of baby Ralph
Ideas for older siblings at a birth
Labor plan and check list for a home birth
Pain relief methods for child birth
Books to read to your children as you prepare them for understanding birth
Natural home birth vs. Natural hospital birth
Homebirth- A Man’s Perspective
A Birth Story in Pictures
Interested in natural birth, but maybe not home birth? Imperfect Homemaker: Birth Center vs. Hospital Birth
Wardee from GNOWFGLINS shares the stories of her three childrens’ births in one fabulous post!
This is a beautiful birth story from the blog, Georgetown, MN of her first homebirth, then this story of the birth of her third baby.
Are you interested in a natural birth? I believe that a doula can be the key to your success. Read why you should hire a doula in this post from Nourishing Faith & Family.
A beautiful homebirth story from Little Owl Crunchy Momma:
Kate from Modern Alternative Mama has had 4 babies and has shared 3 of her homebirth stories: Nathan, Jacob, Daniel. Kate also shares why they chose home birth, and here is a more information-style post about home birth.
Shannon from Growing Slower also has a TON of information about home birth on her blog, as well as a heart-warming book called “Natural Birth Stories”.
Here are some of my favorite home birth posts from her blog:
22 Benefits of home birth
Deciding between a hospital, birth center or birth at home.
Support for sharing your decision to birth at home with family and friends.
A home birth kit check list (for the parents, of course…the midwife will be bringing all the medical stuff.)
Shannon’s actual (“painless”) home birth stories: Baby “E”, Baby “A”: Part 1, Part 2
The Holistic Mama: Why I Chose a Home Birth
Smithspirations did a lovely series on choosing a place to birth. Here is her post on birthing at home, and also her Home Sweet Home Birth post.
