A Homebirth Letter to Lukas
November 2, 2008
Dear Lukas,
I had the great privilege to be present at your birth. Your mother and I met at a picnic in the summertime and she invited me to come to your birth as a doula (labor support person). We met up later in the season and talked about ways I could be of help. Your parents were planning to use HypnoBirthing again but this time at home and I was delighted to be a part of what promised to be a gentle, beautiful, natural birth. Read more
Harriet’s Unassisted Homebirth
October 25, 2008
Andrew and I had been planning for the birth of our first child for two years before her birthday finally arrived. During that time we read extensively about birth and decided that the most important thing to us was giving our baby the kind of welcome to the world that all baby’s received in ancient times Read more
My Perfect Yoni: the Homebirth Waterbirth of Rhylan
October 16, 2008
At 41 weeks and 1 day pregnant and after weeks of contractions and being 4-5 cms dilated I was a bit annoyed that I had woken still pregnant. I mean I had both of my other children on this day of pregnancy.
So we went to shops for the day and let the kids play on the play area, that night I did not have many of my usual contractions, so I stayed up surfing the forums. I finally went to bed at about 10pm.
Read more
Unassisted Homebirth Story: An Amazing, Normal Day
October 8, 2008
I have two friends who had homebirths last summer. One had an unassisted water birth, and the other had a midwife-assisted homebirth. When my husband Carlos and I got pregnant last fall, I knew that I wanted a homebirth. I had birthed four babies previously, all with OB/GYNs in a hospital (with induction and pain relief), and I wasn’t happy with those experiences. Read more
Violet’s Unassisted Homebirth
September 27, 2008
This birth story can not be fully understood unless you know about the birth of my first child, a beautiful, spirited boy, Gabriel Kelly. I was naive and uneducated about birth; I had no clue that there were any options other than having an obstetrician in a hospital. My 18 hour labor started early one morning with my water breaking at home, I got right to the hospital where I was laid in bed, subjected to at least 42 cervical checks (I lost count), every single intervention that they could present.
Read more
Home birth/ Water birth of Judah Darwin
September 26, 2008
I recently made a short movie about the homebirth / waterbirth of my
son, Judah, in order to get people interested in and activated about
homebirth; please forward the link to anyone you think might be interested. Read more
Day’s Sunrise
September 1, 2008
At the end of November 2007, the son I was pregnant with stopped moving at thirty-one weeks. It had been a healthy, normal pregnancy, and we had planned a homebirth out of state, in Maine, because of the hostile environment against homebirth in our home state of Illinois, but suddenly he was gone. Read more
Unassisted Homebirth and Waterbirth of Avi Zion
August 29, 2008
When I think of birth, I think of optimum health. This is the time when all senses become the wisest. Wanting to keep my body at it’s purest - smells, tastes, sights, and sounds should be naturally wholesome. There is a new life developing within me - I am a habitat and I control my own environment within me.
Read more
Attending My First Homebirth
August 24, 2008
I attended my first-ever birth (other than my own) this past summer. The homebirth midwife who had attended my last birth was a little strapped for help—her partner was out of the country, she had another mama in labor, and her backup had another birth happening at the same time that she was in danger of having to run off to—so I got to go along as an extra pair of (unskilled) hands and moral support. I was honored to be able to attend the birth of the newest arrival to this amazing family. Read more
Homebirth Story: Jude’s Birth
August 20, 2008
he’s 10 days old today… already the sharp, clear lines of the memories and images of his birth are softening around the edges, taking on the more romantic quality that happens as time moves forward… so, i write.
this pregnancy was different than the others. i was more aware, more comfortable inside my skin this time around. we decided not to go with the home birth practice we had before, and in doing so, took on more personal responsibility for this birth, which we were both ok with. the midwife we hired was very non-interventive, as well as being a terrific friend and fellow birthy person. our visit were long and relaxed, with tea and snacks and trust being shared by all. i wrote on my own chart and was so involved in every aspect of my care - i loved that.
