A photo journal comprised of my thoughts on motherhood and other life happenings, as well as some of professional work as a photographer. Southern California is home.
While I am a huge and passionate supporter of natural birth and home birth, I know it’s not for everyone. I would never judge someone for choosing to have an epidural or choosing to give birth in the hospital setting, but I do feel it is absolutely the responsibility of mother and father to explore their options and understand the risks and benefits involved. I think it is complacent and ignorant for someone to assume that the hospital is the best or safest choice without doing research to back that up. I agree with much of Melissa’s opinions on the subject, which you can read here and here.
Beliefs aside, the reality is that a home birth is not an option for everyone. Insurance companies rarely cover all, if any, of the cost associated with a birth at home or the prenatal care delivered by Certified Nurse Midwives. I feel strongly that it ought to be the woman’s right to chose her birth setting and that cost should not be a factor. If an expectant mother believes a home birth to be the best and safest option for her, it ought to be just that: an option. That’s why I’m so proud to share the following video with you. It’s from the Home Birth Consensus Summit.
I’ve made the decision to start a grassroots effort to, at the very least, contact our insurance company and make it known that the option to have a baby at home in the care of midwives is something I, the consumer, is interested in. I’ll include you all on this journey and keep you informed on where it leads… To be continued.
1 Response
I completely agree with you. It isn’t an option for everyone (regardless of the insurance matter – we don’t need that here in NZ) but all research suggests that for LOW RISK, HEALTHY women, home birth is indeed as safe as birthing in a hospital and you have a lesser rate of intervention.
I am a midwife and our home birth rate in New Zealand is approx 8% – which we think is really low. But it is much improved on the <1% for the US!
Thanks for pushing the issue. Women need to be more aware of what the evidence based research is showing with regards to birth setting and outcomes.
I completely agree with you. It isn’t an option for everyone (regardless of the insurance matter – we don’t need that here in NZ) but all research suggests that for LOW RISK, HEALTHY women, home birth is indeed as safe as birthing in a hospital and you have a lesser rate of intervention.
I am a midwife and our home birth rate in New Zealand is approx 8% – which we think is really low. But it is much improved on the <1% for the US!
Thanks for pushing the issue. Women need to be more aware of what the evidence based research is showing with regards to birth setting and outcomes.