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Welcome Home Baby!

Two Moms Share Their Home Birth Stories

By Teri Brown

It used to be that giving birth at home was looked at as a "hippie" thing to do. Most people thought that no normal, conventional woman would consider such a thing, completely forgetting that until the 1920s home births were the norm.

Now, more and more women are eschewing high-tech hospital births in favor of a more natural approach in the comfort of their own homes. And just like more conventional births, home births vary greatly in how they come about and how they progress. The following stories are just a couple of the many home birthing stories out there.

"I have always been very animal oriented," says Hawkins. "Since I was a child I declared I was going to have my babies at home. If the animals could do it, there was no reason I couldn't also!"

As the due date for her first child approached, reaction from her family and friends was mixed. Her family grew more concerned while her friends were resigned.

"With the impending birth of my older son, my mom and my (now ex) husband were a bit apprehensive, but they knew just how intent I can be when I set my mind on something," says Hawkins. "Most people who know me understand I walk to the beat of a different drum, always have and most likely always will. My friends seldom question my actions because they know how determined I can be."

Hawkins was blessed to know a true "country" doctor who was very sensitive to her needs and wishes, and though it was his usual practice to refer women to the local hospital for their births, he understood exactly what Hawkins wanted.

"He and his wife had attended numerous home births over the years in my area," says Hawkins. "Normally, Doc encouraged women to consider birthing at the local hospital if it was their first. Again, my determination and personal philosophies, along with my physical and emotional health, convinced Doc to let me have my first baby at home."

For her first baby, only the father, her doctor and the doctor's wife attended to Hawkins' needs. Her second birth, five years later, was very different.

"The second birth was quite an affair," remembers Hawkins, fondly. "My mom drove five hours to arrive with time to spare to be at the birthing. Doc and his wife were there. A close friend of mine was present, as were the eight kids I was providing daycare for!"

"I would recommend home birth only if the mom is sure she wants to have her baby this way," says Hawkins. "It is the hardest work I have ever done, but I would do it all over again without a second thought. I loved birthing my babies at home!"

Want to see more?

• Cord Blood Storage: Preserving a Lifeline for the Future
• Birth Presentations and Delivery: A Guide for Baby's Arrival
• The Birth Plan: Helpful or Troublesome?
• Talk about it!