Why did you choose home birth?

Question

I’d love to hear why you chose to have a home birth (or birth center) opposes to hospital birth! Comfort? Finances? Care? Do tell!

Answer

About 8 years ago I watched The Business of Being Born and saw all the ways hospitals can control your birth and that really scared me. It makes me feel super unsafe knowing that depending on the staff you randomly get on a given day that your birth plan may be completely disregarded. When a mom says they want a natural birth but they keep offering pain meds or an epidural, that is so disrespectful. When you are told that you have time limits before they’ll take you for a C-section. Too often scare tactics like “your baby will die if X doesn’t happen now” are used just because hospital staff aren’t trained to deal with long natural births or breach babies. 
I want to be home where I can control every aspect. I want to have as many people there as o want. (My partner, my mom, my doula and my midwife)  I want to be able to move around my home. I don’t want to have to ask for anything like food or blankets or 6 pillows if that is what I need in that moment. I want to cuddle my dog between contractions. I want to watch my favourite shows. 
I’ve never had a positive hospital experience for anything. I’ve never felt like my needs or experience were taken seriously because they know better. I’ve been gaslit by countless nurses in ERs. I have no reason to believe that a birth experience would be any different.

Answer

I hate hospitals and knew it would add to my stress if I had to be in one. Plus, I was born really fast, as was my father, so planned home birth seemed the safest option.

Answer

I had a hospital birth with my first. I wanted an all natural birth but had to be induced(due to high blood pressure) after they started me on pitocin and broke my water, nurses ( not the one assigned to me) kept walking in looking at my chart and asking when I was going to get an epidural, this happened like 4 or 5 times all different nurses. My contractions were 45 seconds apart and would last for 1-2 minutes I was exhausted finally got an epidural and my daughter was born about and hour later. I was so exhausted and hungry because they don’t let you eat. In the postpartum unit, a nurse came in every two hours for the first three days. No sleep, my daughter didn’t sleep. My husband and I were completely and utterly exhausted. 
My second baby I had a birthing center birth. I was 8 days late and had a membrane sweep which threw me into labor. I had a quick and natural birth at the center but I had my son at 1am. They released us at 5am in the morning. Which is completely normal. Again my husband and I were completely exhausted from labor. Once we got home we slept great and everything considering we actually knew what we were doing with a newborn. Because going to a birthing center is pretty much like having a baby at home expect you have to drive there during labor and then get released really quickly after labor to go home, that’s why we chose to find a home birthing midwife. We are cutting out the middle man (birthing center) 
I am pregnant with my third and we are doing a home birth this time around. I am so looking forward to having my baby at home. Sending my husband off to sleep after labor is over and his work is done. Eating a fantastic meal and then sleeping in my own bed until I feel well rested with my newborn. 
I hope this is helpful

Answer

Oh, so many reasons! I get anxiety in hospitals. It was very important to me to know my care providers well. I didn't want to be at my most vulnerable with strangers. I align much more with the midwifery model of care. My home is my safe space. I didn't want any medication. I didn't want to be rushed. I didn't want constant monitoring. I wanted to do things at my pace. I know there are more reasons, but those are the basics that I can think of right now!

Answer

My first 2 at a birthing center were lovely but I was ready to make it a more natural and intimate experience, so here we go for round 3, this time in our living room 🤩

Why did you choose home birth?

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