Tag Archives: home birth

Have You Considered a Home Birth?

During my second pregnancy, my husband and I decided that we wanted a different prenatal care and birth experience than we had with our first son, who was born in the birthing center of our local hospital. We found a pair of wonderful home – birth midwives, and we worked with them throughout the pregnancy until I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and my care had to be transferred to a hospital. Even though we did not get to have the home birth that we had wanted, the care that we received up until the transfer to the hospital was much … Continue reading →

Let’s Talk About Water Birth: Fluid Pain Relief

My second daughter was born at home via water delivery. Today is her three-month birthday. Today I rejoice in her magical birth. I had planned a water birth at home from the very beginning. I knew that having a water birth would probably be the best thing for me to do, and I was very excited about it. I only wish that I had delivered my first in the same way, but being a young first time mother, it wasn’t something that I knew enough about. In the almost five years before becoming pregnant again, I had come across the … Continue reading →

Babies in the News: Good Things Come In Threes

This is a great baby in the news entry, imagine if you will, you and your husband are expecting your third child and your first two babies were big ones (9 pounds and 10 pounds respectively). This is the case for Dusty and Lynette Jones of North Dakota. With their third child, they planned a home birth – wanting to enjoy having the baby in the security and comfort of their own home with a trusted midwife in attendance. On November 14th, Lynette went into labor and though they were expecting another big baby. Imagine their surprise when instead of … Continue reading →

Including Children in Home Births

One reason some women choose to give birth at home is the ability to have other family members present. This includes the baby’s older siblings. These women tend to view birth as an experience to be shared by the whole family. While siblings can be present at some hospital births, it is easier to accommodate them at a home birth. Your older children may feel more comfortable attending a birth at home. The hospital can seem like a big, scary place to children. They feel comfortable and safe in their homes, so it makes sense that they would feel more … Continue reading →

Choosing a Home Birth Midwife

If you want to give birth at home, you will need to find someone to attend your birth. In most cases, a midwife attends home births. There are various types of midwives: Certified Nurse Midwives, Direct Entry Midwives and Certified Professional Midwives. There can be significant differences in both training and experience among these professionals. Make an appointment to talk to a few midwives. You can get a referral from a friend, or online through the American College of Nurse Midwives or Midwives Alliance of North America. Once you have found a few that offer home births in your area, … Continue reading →

The Benefits of Home Birth

There are benefits to having a baby at home, for many women. The mother benefits during labor and in her ability to bond as a family with her baby and other children. The baby benefits by bonding with mom and may have less risk of infection after birth. If you are considering a home birth, make an appointment with a midwife to determine if you are a good candidate for home birth. As long as you are healthy and your pregnancy is not complicated, you may be able to give birth at home. There is increased bonding time for the … Continue reading →