WHY A HOME BIRTH?
Never ever ever in a million years did I ever think I would ever have a home birth and to be honest when I first heard about home births I always thought it was because 1. you were a naturalist or 2. you couldn’t afford a hospital birth. (I know SUPERRRRR ignorant!) So then how did we exactly fall into this mess…well, when we first found out we were expecting I was terrified about giving birth, you always hear the craziest birth stories–not to mention the movies make them seem so scary! So i started to research births in general: what to expect, the difference between an obgyn and midwife, real testimonials, blogs, etc. The more I started to read the more at ease I was with giving birth and realized what a natural process it can be. This is also when I found out about hiring a doula…and it was she that really helped me in making a decision of what I wanted my birth story to be. She helped me explore all options, connected me with different doctors and midwives and it was then that we found out about Rivercity Midwifery….ahhh how I love these ladies! They actually are a birth center that conducts home births as well.
FAQ’s
Is it safe? - With everything, do your research, ask questions, and have a back up plan. Our midwives are extremely conservative and only take on zero risk pregnancies, they are medically trained and have more certifications than I can count. We also live 10 minutes away from the hospital so if any emergency were to arise they would 100% do a hospital transfer.
Is it messy? - Not at all! & They do all the clean up. & To me nothing is cleaner than my own home. (Hospitals aren’t always the cleanest)
How scary is it? - It actually wasn’t scary at all. I felt safe, protected and cared for at all times. Never was I alone, my midwives travel as a team and work as a team. If my blood pressure needed to be checked it was, if the baby’s heart needed to be monitored it was, if I was hungry Mike could run down stairs and get me something to eat or drink. If anything it was so peaceful and reassuring.
Who checks the baby? - The midwives and our pediatrician. Our midwives vaccinated Michael, cleaned him, weighed him, helped me nurse, etc. The following day our pediatrician came to check on him…yes at home! We didn’t have to go any where everything was done at home.
Is it cheaper than a hospital birth? - It depends on your insurance. Some insurance companies actually cover home births. In our case our insurance company did not so it was an out of pocket expense for us it ended up being a little more than a hospital birth.
Sitting here writing out this post, literally makes me feel so blessed that we were able to have our baby at home. The entire experience was so pampering and too good to be true. I would say my favorite part was being able to relax in our own bed as soon as he was born, visitors weren’t ever an inconvenience because if I wanted my space they could hang out in the family room and I could stay in our room. And then, of course, having our pediatrician conduct all examinations at home for the first two months. ♡
If you have any other questions please let me know, I’d love to answer them!