When I discovered I was expecting my second child, my first thought was panic. I am a planner by nature, and at that moment, adding a pregnancy to our already full plate was far from ideal. My partner, Jamie, was contemplating law school, which meant a possible job change, and I had just begun a new role that I truly enjoyed. Plus, we had recently settled into our newly renovated home with plenty of unfinished projects. But once the initial shock subsided, I quickly began crafting a new plan.
Reflecting on my previous experience having my daughter, Lily, in a hospital setting was daunting. While I was grateful to have a healthy baby, the delivery was quite traumatic. I found myself in a chaotic hospital environment where many women were delivering on the same night. I spent hours in triage, unable to move freely due to being confined to a bed, which made the pain of contractions feel almost unbearable. By the time I was finally moved to a delivery room after eight exhausting hours, I was emotionally depleted and ended up requesting pain relief, despite my desire for an unmedicated experience. To top it off, when it came time to push, my doctor wasn’t available, and I was told to “stay calm” and wait for his arrival. It felt as though my needs and feelings were overlooked throughout the process.
Determined to have a different experience this time, I made the significant decision to plan a home birth. I hired a midwife who came highly recommended. I wanted to ensure that my voice would be heard and that I would have the comfort of being in my own space during labor. If you’re interested in exploring more about home births, check out this article on home insemination for additional insights.
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Ultimately, my choice for a home birth stemmed from a deep desire to reclaim my birthing experience and ensure that it was one filled with support and understanding.