Home Births and why I will never do one.

When my sister in law was pregnant with her first baby, she had him in the water in a midwife hotel like place. Her nearest hospital was 3 hours away and this worked for them. Then my friend got pregnant and wanted to do a home birth. I had never really heard of this option. I mean, I guess I sorta knew people did them but I didn't actually know anyone. After my friend, that was the last I had heard of it. Till I moved to Walla Walla and became pregnant with my first one. I had a gal in our church who had 1 hospital birth and her last 3 were home births *she now has 6 kids, 5 home births*. She was all for them. I had all sorts of questions, home or hospital, drugs or not drugs, vaccinations or no vaccinations, and if a boy, circumcision or no circumcision. So many options! Who knew! I sure didn't. Through my birthing class, I did learn about the epidural and was scared to get it but even more scared of birthing pain. I always knew that I would birth in a hospital with drugs. No questions! I did reconsider the epidural for a brief moment but when my water broke and I was at the hospital and the anesthesiologist was available, so was I! In fact, before when I was like 30 weeks, I asked my dr if he could just do a c-section! I was terrified that a big baby would have to go through a small hole that would stretch to fit that big baby! Please God don't make me do it! My dr told me I would do fine and to not stress about it. Through the birthing class, I was better prepared and ready to do my duty and a birthing mom. No c-section. I could do this. I think God wanted me at that place. I was finally at peace with my upcoming duty. But then Miss Chloe flipped and decided I needed a c-section after all and thus I had one! To be honest, I was completely fine with it! Sure I couldn't eat food as soon and my recovery could possibly be longer *it wasn't by the way* but for the most part, I'd choose a c-section any day! I prayed for it!

Then I got pregnant with my 2nd child. And the questions came again! VBAC? Repeat c-section? Home birth? No yes no. Our hospitals here do not offer VBACs because we don't have an on call anesthesiologist and because the insurance wont cover our drs to do it. So really, I was fine with it! I could "blame" the hospital with my lack of choice but really, I was completely fine with it! If I REALLY wanted a VBAC I could go to Tri-cities an hour away. And really, who wants to drive in hour in labor if they don't have to? Not me! That's what I would tell people. And several came back with "you could do a home birth". Me?? No thanks, not ever in this life if I don't have to! I have nothing against home births, for you. I personally do not like the idea. To have a complication happen and NOT be in a hospital is stressful to me. I trust my dr and the nursing staff to do what needs to be done. And I know they have most if not all the resources to take care of any thing that comes up. And while midwives are some what prepared, they aren't fully prepared for some of the emergencies, and to me, the risk isn't worth it. To me, I'd rather be in a hospital, drugged, and not feeling anything, and letting someone else do the work for me. Call me crazy but that's peaceful to me! You want a home birth? More power to do! Go for it! I will pray things run smoothly. And if they don't, I will not say I told you so. For two reasons, I respect your decision to have a home birth. Two, because hospitals aren't perfect, they do make mistakes, and people still die in hospitals. But if I had a choice between home and hospital, I'll take the hospital please!