from B.W. – Georgia, USA

I found out I was pregnant with my fourth child, on my children’s last day of school before summer break. We were surprised and excited to start a new pregnancy journey. I had told myself and my husband that if we ever had another child, I wanted to have a free pregnancy and birth. With my previous three children, I was limited to all the things I desired in my pregnancies and births. Throughout my fourth pregnancy, I had the mindset that I would know by my motherly instinct if something was wrong. I chose to hire a friend who was also a midwife/paramedic to assist me whenever I requested labs and scans if I felt need be, without the intervention or consequences that come from being seen in a modern medical facility. Having a midwife was my back-up plan yet looking back if my midwife had not already been a support person or a friend, I would not have hired her. In truth, I did not need her other than being a person to talk with about my after-birth plans. I asked to have no visits until the third trimester. At 25 weeks I had my first visit, one at 30 weeks, another at 35, 36, 37, 38, and then 39. While visiting as requested, my midwife was hands off, we both knew cervical checks, scans, weight checks, labs and various testing would not determine my outcome with my homebirth and so none of these were performed. In previous pregnancies I was deterred of having a natural hospital birth, by feeling uncomfortable and in no way able to relax and listen to my body. We spent much of our time during our visits talking about my after-birth plan. I asked for assistance with paperwork, such as pku and vaccine exemptions, birth certificate and social security forms, as well as what would be expected from her after birth such as cleaning and checking on baby. On my due date, I woke at 2am with consistent contractions, but unlike before in my previous births the contractions were not painful. I was able to shower and clean my home while having contractions. I had not truly felt in labor until 5:30 when I felt the need to push, yet there was still no painful pressure as I had felt in all my other births. I rocked on my yoga ball back and forth, I used my tens unit, my birthing comb, my oils, and I talked with my children and husband freely. Everybody I truly needed and trusted was surrounding me, my family. At 6:40 I made my way to the birthing pool, as I had the urge to lay in water, I texted my midwife who was at a local coffee shop and asked her if she’d mind stopping over and filling the birth tub with hot water. My husband was doing Hip squeezes and I demanded he stay behind me and not leave the tub, by this point the urge to push was stronger than ever. By 6:46 the midwife arrived and knew by the look on my face that it was time and she stood in the doorway with my children, watching and waiting. Leaving me to do what only I could do, bring my baby from my body into this world. My husband kneeled behind me and called out ” I see his head”, we all yelled in excitement, I pushed a couple more times and my husband caught our son, bringing him from water to air in his strong hands. My midwife brought our children all into the room where we sat and stared at our newborn son. We let the birth settle and made our way to the bed where I delivered my placenta naturally. No medication, no inducing, no IV, no oxygen, no jabs, no circumcision, no taking my baby away for testing. My midwife cried with me and said, “you had your redemption birth”. I have never felt such pure joy and peace in my life with a birth. I had absolutely no worries during the pregnancy, the birth, or postpartum. The majority of my labor was relatively pain free, due to my comforting and safe environment. In my previous pregnancies I would develop white coat syndrome, preparing for the worst at every appointment knowing what was to come, scans, testing, swabs, labs, cervical checks. During previous births I knew I would be hooked to an IV, pressured to take pain medication, I would be limited to drinks, food, and mobility, my private areas would be exposed to a room full of men and women coming in and out, letting me feel exposed and diminished in my privacy, which I highly value. For me having a hospital birth was highly stressful, intimidating, and undervalued my needs. I was fear mongered with vaccines, circumcision, natural birthing, and everything else I had wanted for myself and my child. In a perfect world I would have had a homebirth with all my children, it is absolutely something that does not compare to a hospital birth. In my personal experience having a loving support system around you, will always be better than a medical system that does not support you. My first birth was an absolute nightmare where the male doctor cut me, pulled my son out, and then gave me the “husband stitch” because he was late for a game, my second son I was forced to be induced or my doctor was calling cps, my third pregnancy I was induced due to high blood pressure, the hospital refused to send me home because I did not have sufficient care with my midwife. I have many negative stories revolving around the medical system while pregnant, yet my one homebirth and I have not one negative memory of this time, it was absolute bliss. I wish every mother was able to experience this type of pregnancy and birth. My son was nearly 10 pounds, 21 inches long, and I did not tear. We allowed his cord to fully empty before cutting, and we used a sunflower tie.