So until I got pregnant, I had never given much thought to how or where I would actually give birth. I more just thought about the impending doom that the baby eventually DOES have to come out. But if I ever did picture myself having a baby, it went like a scene on a tv show:
I'm in the middle of a crowded mall and suddenly my water breaks and I'm having super strong contractions. My husband whisks me off to the labor and delivery wing of the hospital where I then begin to push and WHA-LA! my baby comes out.
I mean, I haven't had many of my friends have babies, so is it surprising this was my view? It's literally a version of what is portrayed in every movie, sitcom, drama, etc. which sadly was my knowledge on the subject.
As those of you who know me would tell you, I believe largely in simplicity and natural remedies when it comes to health. I believe that the body is capable of handling most things itself AND the more you let it handle, the better that it gets at these things. That's why when you come to my house and ask me for Tylenol or Motrin I might pause for a moment and then offer you some essential oils instead.
The more I looked into traditional American birth, the more I realized it wasn't in line with my beliefs or what I believed to be true even about the human body. Thankfully, I have a few like-minded friends and they both gave me wonderful books upon our baby annoucement which has supplied me with more knowledge and confirmation of what I believed to be true (yes, yes... maybe confirmation bias hahaha). After confiding into a friend I didn't think the hospital was the place for me, she recommended that I watch "The Business of Being Born."
This documentary is fascinating and has so many interesting statistics about how basically America sucks at letting women give birth naturally (my paraphrase). It follows several women's journeys in their pregnancies and widely covers the practice of midwifery, as well as how in America we went from using midwives to hospital births... all the while watching our infant death toll and cesarean section numbers climb. Did you know that of all the developed countries in the world that America is in the top five for highest infant death at birth, and according to the CDC, in 2015 our cesarean rate was reported a whopping 32% (ummm in 1970 it was 5%).
In America, almost always, MORE is BETTER. But is that always true? Do we need to add more drugs? More machines? More interventions? Does that actually make the process better? I would argue that no, when it comes to childbirth, it is not better, and actually can be detrimental to the health of the mother and infant.
Let's switch gears for a moment. When I say the word "midwife," what do you think of?
BE HONEST - you just pictured some female hippie in a sackcloth dress with dreadlocks (or something similar). When I took my hubby to meet some midwives this was exactly what he was expecting and was so surprised about what he learned. Midwives have medical training? Some Midwives utilize medical equipment? They are capable of administering drugs or IV's? Yes, yes, and YES. We have this conception that if a midwife is involved that we are in some Little House on the Prairie cabin and she is just setting up with hot water and towels (which could be the case, depending on your midwife... which is why you should interview them!).
Man... I am struggling right now. There is SO MUCH MORE that I could go into, but I'm trying to figure out how to not make this post ten pages long. I can't help it though; I start talking about this stuff and I feel like a fire hydrant that is expelling water for the first time. So, I will say this, coming soon I will write specific posts about certain topics. If you have a specific question about something, let me know! I would love to address it.
I think what bothers me most about this situation is how it appears we do not have a choice in how to give birth. We just automatically think that it's going to be in a hospital, and unfortunately, even if you are well versed in how you would like your birth to go, the hospital normally has the right to override your wishes if they deem it "best".
I think what we need to remember largely is that yes, hospitals do A LOT of good, but they are also BUSINESSES who want to make as much money as possible and giving birth is currently a multi-BILLION dollar industry.
Bottomline, if you are thinking of having a family one day, or are currently pregnant, INFORM AND EDUCATE yourself. Ultimately the mother needs to feel comfortable and safe with whatever option she is choosing. I know women who have received this information and still choose to have a hospital birth because it is what feels RIGHT for THEM - and THAT'S awesome! Whether you are choosing to have a home birth, a hospital birth, or something in between, the thing to remember is that it IS your choice and you need to be proactive in your decision making process.
So often we play the victim and we act like life is happening to us and instead of the truth that we are active participants. Own your decisions and educate yourself so that you can make the best decision you can on how to proceed... and that goes for all of life, not just when choosing your birth plan.
I also want to be very clear about something: if you have a high risk pregnancy, you belong in a hospital when you go into labor and any midwife worth her salt will tell you the same thing. I have a hospital backup plan should something not go according to "plan". America is arguably the best in the business when it comes to acute care, and I want them in my corner if something goes wrong to protect me and my baby.
However, when it comes to chronic illness, or natural life occurrences like child birth, America is lacking. We implement too much, and take away from what our brilliant bodies were created to do.
Be smart. Be informed. Be deliberate in what YOU want. And then proceed, knowing that you made the best decision you could given what you had. At the end of the day, who couldn't be happy with that?