Home Birth | Top 5 Reasons to Choose a Natural Birth
Whether you choose to have a natural birth at the hospital or a home birth, here are the top 5 reasons why I think it’s the best and safest option for all non-high-risk pregnancies.
Natural Living: Birth
One of the most natural experiences a woman can go through is the birthing process. Having a natural birth in today’s modern world can seem far-fetched and scary at times. Especially to those who have not experienced or researched what a home birth or natural birth in general can look like. Historically, children would grow up knowing about birth from experiencing it with their siblings and with their mothers and grandmothers discussing it freely as a normal topic. I’m hoping to bring more awareness to our natural birthing options in our current culture. Whether you choose to be in the hospital for a natural birth or choosing to home birth, there are options available to fit your family.
Our Culture and Birth: History
The norm had always been a home birth, until well-meaning interventions became available. There would be unfortunate circumstances that would end with maternal and/or infant death prior to medicalized care. However, the prenatal care was also advancing simultaneously, and these instances were declining as well. The shift still began to start giving birth in a hospital setting. There were even advertisements enticing women to give birth in a hospital on the basis of it being a vacation from home and the ability to receive nitrous oxide for pain relief. Money was starting to be made in the medical field of birth.
The pendulum has shifted so greatly, most have not heard of home birth within their circle of family and friends.
In our current culture, birth has become very medicalized and treated as an emergency. You see it all of the time on TV and movies where a womans water breaks and the scene immediately intensifies into an emergency. This is not the case with the majority of labors. In fact, most of us are able to labor and birth without issue. Unfortunately, though, most women do not know enough about their bodies are capable of for several different reasons.
Of course, there are always going to be the few that do require medical care and a hospital birth for true health complications. Such complications can be preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and multiple births. This does also depend on your state laws. In California, you cannot be diagnosed with either of those examples and legally give birth at home.
With labor and birth now seen as a medicalized model and an emergency situation, it has led to become the precursor to many medical interventions. With increased medical interventions, we are now seeing a major decline in maternal and fetal outcomes.
Statistics
According to the CDC, vaginal births (not even just natural births) are declining. Cesarean deliveries are on the rise in our country. Vaginal births as of 2021 are only 67.9% of births. Thats over 32% c-section rate nationally. This again is not state or hospital specific, with some hospitals having reputations for higher than average c-section rates.
With the rise in c-sections, it is very concerning as to the cause of this in my opinion. Have women become so unhealthy that we are unable to birth naturally anymore? Or is there an underlying issue within the medical field driving this trend? From my personal research and experiences, I have come to the conclusion it is a combination of both. I’m not going to go into too much detail in this post, but I will share with you the top two educational resources I recommend for anyone wanting to dive deeper into our current medical model on birth
The Business of Being Born Documentary and the book The Business of Baby are excellent resources when starting to look into this subject.
Natural Birth Defined
Natural birth is the mother giving birth without medicalized interventions. In our culture today, this means no pain or other medications and very limited, if any, medical interventions being utilized. This can be accomplished at the hospital, birthing center or at home.
Interventions such as continuous fetal monitoring, IV fluids and medications are not considered to be a natural birth. These are medical interventions that do not always have a justification and can even do more harm than good when used without proper cause.
An example of evidence-based practice for fetal monitoring during labor is below. I encourage you to read this handout and go to Evidence Based Birth website for many more topics and information. Knowledge is your power when making your birthing decisions.
Natural Hospital Birth
Can you have a natural birth experience at the hospital? Yes. Is it easy? No.
In my experience you have to be armed with education on your birth plan and how to advocate for yourself. It is also beneficial to have someone specifically there to assist you with advocating for yourself. A doula is a wonderful “tool” to use for this. Doulas are generally women you can hire to help you prepare for your birth and then be there for your labor support in all settings: hospital, birthing center and home.
The exception to needing a doula and knowing what you want beforehand, is if you have a great nurse and doctor/midwife who are on board with your birth plan and want it to succeed. However, most are either not educated enough on what natural birth in fact is, or they have their own preconceived notions about how birth should be. The latter is unfortunately the most often heard story and experiences.
Below I have a video of my birth experiences from having two hospital births and then having two home births. Even as a registered nurse, I was not the exception and did not have good hospital experiences. Looking back, I now know medical interventions and lack of education from my medical team were obstacles I’ve since been able to get over. I’m currently pregnant with our 5th baby, due anytime now, and am anticipating another home birth.
Home Birth
The information I am giving is based on my current state laws in California. Please make sure to check with your state on what is legal. Some states do not allow home births with a licensed medical professional.
In California, as long as you are having a healthy and low-risk pregnancy, you can choose to give birth at home. You can even do a “free birth,” which is a birth without a medical professional in attendance. However, it can be difficult to get a birth certificate.
A normal and healthy pregnancy is actually viewed differently with a home birth midwife than a midwife or doctor at the hospital. For example, I am currently 39 years old with no medical complications. All of my labs and milestones are well within normal limits. However, if I was delivering at the hospital, my age alone would automatically put me in the high-risk category. No evidence-based research has shown my age alone to make me a high-risk pregnancy. However, claiming that on my insurance would increase the hospitals profits immediately.
The Experience
With a home birth midwife, you are looked at a whole person and even a family unit.
With my first two home births, my midwife made all home visits for prenatal and postpartum care. Our kids were able to be involved with listening to the baby’s heartbeat and feeling baby move with the external exams. They could ask questions and get an idea of the birthing process in our home environment. The appointment would typically last for about an hour each time. It’s not your typical 10–15-minute quickie appointment that you get in the hospital setting. With my current midwife I do go down to her office. The appointments are still the same just a different setting and my kids love to join me whenever possible still.
The Environment
The labor and birth will obviously be the biggest difference. You’re home. You’re in your own safe environment with more control over your space. If you have other children, they can be involved in this process at any time at your discretion. If you want the lights off, choose to be in a birthing tub, shower or any other laboring spaces, you’re able to at your discretion. A midwife will meet you where you are at in the moment.
Once your baby is born, you’re able to rest in your own bed. Your midwife will continue with your and your baby’s exam. Depending on what you have planned for postpartum, your kitchen is generally within reach with your favorite foods and snacks. You won’t have to be subjected to vending machine and hospital foods.
Once your midwife has finished with your initial exams and recovery phase, she will leave you with postpartum instructions. You will be able to begin an intimate, unobstructed bonding period with your new little one right away.
This is what a home birth with family centered care can look like.
Most midwives will come back within 24 hours and again around 48 and then start tapering down on your visits. You will be seen and heard several more times within those first 6 weeks postpartum. Generally, you’re able to contact them very easily too via text and phone calls at any time day or night.
I highly recommend that every pregnant woman speaks with at least 2-3 home birth midwives prior to making their decision on where or whom they want to be involved with their birth. Every midwife will have a different personality and structure that will work and feel differently to every pregnant woman.
Hospital Vs Home Birth Photo
The photo on the left is after our 2nd child was born in the hospital. You can see the epidural is still in place and several monitors and medical equipment surrounding just that small section in the frame. There is much more not visible in this sterile, non-familiar medical environment. Our 2nd child was 10.2lbs and have medical interventions that created complications.
The photo on the right is after birthing my 3rd child with our first home birth. He was 11.14 lbs and no interventions or complications.
The Choice is Yours
I hope after reading this you have a better idea of your options to giving birth. It is never a once size fits all experience and should never be treated as such. Every woman and their family should be given all the options with the risks and benefits firmly laid out.
Remember to continue to educate yourself as you go down your path to labor and birth. You’re more than just an incubator and what you want, and feel is best, matters.
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