A Tribute to Homebirth

About two years ago, while I was pregnant with Kaitlyn, one of my midwives came to me and said she was in the process of writing a book on home birth. As such, she was collecting submissions of women's home birth stories, as well as pictures to accompany them, to include in this book. She asked me if I would submit a story, and this is what I came up with. I have written birth stories for each of my children, but for this particular submission I wanted to focus on the turning point for me between hospital and home births. I hope you enjoy.


From my first time giving birth at age eighteen, I had always held a strong belief in natural labor and childbirth. Birth is a wonderful, empowering event that every woman is capable of experiencing. I would not dream of surrendering this rite of passage to drugs or hospital procedures. Now that I am pregnant with my fourth child, my love for labor and childbirth continues to grow. However, prior to the homebirth of my third child, giving birth outside of a hospital was an unknown realm to me.

While the births of all three of my children have been unique, sacred experiences, I wish to focus on the birth of my third child, Noah, as a way to open the door for women who are considering birthing at home. Noah was born in the water on February 17, 2007 in the comfort of our own bedroom. The first hands to caress his tiny head were mine followed by my husband’s, then my daughter’s. There is something magical about being able to reach down and deliver your own child, and my wish is for every mother to have this opportunity.

In addition to the beauty of the birth itself, laboring in my own home was a comfort unsurpassed by any hospital or birthing center around the world. Aside from the obvious benefits such as not having to deal with hospital staff, infant seats, paperwork, middle-of-the-night visits from nurses and such, being at home enabled my labor to progress in a very comfortable manner. I don’t think I really even realized I was in active labor until I reached the transition phase. Up until that point, I had been listening to relaxing C.D.s, sitting on my birthing ball, visiting with my husband and children, and making phone calls to distant family members. I hope that the smile on my face in these pictures is a telltale sign of the joy and ease I felt bringing Noah into the world!

Finally, there is nothing like having your own bed for your recovery bed. Noah was born at 10:37p.m. and shortly after midnight, the three of us (my husband, myself, and Noah,) were snuggled into bed, the bedroom was clean, laundry was washing, and the midwives were quietly letting themselves out the front door. I will never forget that moment, looking down at Noah while he nursed and my husband as he slept, thinking, “That’s it? I just gave birth two hours ago and now I am left alone with my beautiful, healthy baby boy beside me in my own bed? Wow, that was too easy.” However, maybe ‘natural’ would be a better word to describe the feeling. Yes, after six years and three children, I had finally obtained my ‘natural’ birth.

Words cannot describe the special spirit that permeated our home those first few days after Noah’s birth. I was very protective of my home, a sanctuary for our littlest one. I kept visitors to a minimum, as I did not want any part of the “world” to interrupt these precious first days together. My other two children accepted Noah right away, and the time we spent bonding as a family is very memorable.

Doctors and hospitals have their place, but to every woman who is capable and willing to have her baby at home, I would highly endorse it. I am forever faithful to home birth, and I would never turn back. To any woman who knows what her body can do and is considering home birth, I would say that home birth is birth the way nature intended. It takes childbirth back to its roots. Bringing a child into the world is a sacred experience any way you look at it, but birthing at home enables the child and his or her family to reap all the blessings that come with the miracle of birth.