The Home Birth Decision

quiet voices and a caring supportive team of family, friends, and midwives around you.

What do you think? Do you think that this type of atmosphere would help you relax at a very important time in your family's life? Do you think that the imminent arrival of the newest member would be made a little calmer and and less traumatic if you had the chance to mould the environment to your liking? To have some control as to where and how you give birth?

My husband, Steve, and I really believed that this option would give us the most positive experience and decided to have our baby at home, away from the, sometimes traumatising, intervention that can happen in a hospital setting.

We were not ignorant to the complications that can occur and the need for further medical intervention, but considering the non-problematic pregnancy I had, we opted for this option as our first choice.

When our daughter, Jennifer, was born, we knew that our choice had been the best decision we could have ever hoped of making. We had exactly the birth that we hoped for.

Though home birth may not be for everyone, I have included links below to information that will allow you to make an informed decision.

• Choosing Waterbirth: Reclaiming the Sacred Power of Birth

• Gentle Birth Choices : A Guide to Making Informed Decisions About Birthing Centers, Birth Attendants, Water Birth, Home Birth, Hospital Birth

• The Home Birth Advantage

• Home Birth