I have always been fascinated by birth, more specifically natural and home births. My first child was born in a hospital with me receiving interventions I didn’t consent to and in an environment that didn’t fit my values or support my choices. My second child was born in that same hospital all natural with zero interventions.

My husband and I made the decision early on in this pregnancy that we would be choosing to birth this little one in the comfort of our own home. The choice for a home birth came with much weighed thought and research. Preparation for the home birth has been one of the most empowering, and valuable processes I have yet to experience prenatally. I feel like in preparing for the home birth I am heard, taken seriously and treated with the utmost respect. So what exactly am I doing to prepare for this most joyous event? I would love to share that with you!

Changing My Perception of Birth

I consider this one of the most important things I have been doing for the upcoming home birth. So often in America especially, birth is surrounded with fear and pain. Anytime you talk about birth or birth stories so many women chime in with their labor horror stories, or a friend of theirs who’s birth was extremely traumatic. All too often the movies you see depicting childbirth show a woman strapped to a bed screaming at anyone and everyone around her in a panic.

The most important thing I felt I needed to do was to change my perception of birth, to remind myself that women have been doing this since the beginning of the human race and that it is a normal natural body function for the woman. I am currently reading Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth. The first half of this book is filled with natural home births that occurred on their community farm. I found the stories in Ina May’s book to really reshape what birth represented to me, reading stories of women powering through their labors and trusting their body while being surrounded by women who also trusted in them to be so moving and transformative. If you are planning home birth I strongly suggest to surround yourself with stories that support that plan.

Choosing My Birth Team

In the same ways that you interview for the right Obstetrician to attend your birth, as well as the right hospital, I have interviewed to find the right midwife and birth team. Currently my birth team consists of my very cherished Doula who has attended my previous two births. My Doula is highly experienced, highly practiced and well educated in her role for caring for the mother prenatally, during labor, and postnatally. My Doula has always provided me with the “Mama Bear” care I needed, someone to support me and nurture me physically mentally and spiritually in the most vulnerable time in my life. I couldn’t imagine birth without her.

We have also chosen a very highly recommended birth photographer. We have a few reasons for choosing a photographer to attend our birth. This could be my last birth and with that said I can’t say I have any decent quality pictures from my first birth and none at all from my second. My birth with my second was so fast photos were never even on my mind! After having photographed a birth myself I realized just how much i’ll never see from my previous births like the first time I seen my baby face, the look on my husbands face when he supported me and when he saw our children for the first time. There are so many glorious moments I just cant wait to have captured this time including my children’s faces as they witness their sibling come into the world.

My midwife is one of the best in the area, she is a second generation midwife and very much in tune with her work. She is confident, calm and very sure of herself. My midwife has an apprentice currently which offers more help at the times needed. I have felt respected, cared for and listened to in every one of my prenatal appointments thus far. I feel like I can share anything ask any questions I want and relate on just about every level with these girls.

My mother in law will be here if she is needed to help with our kiddos and the cooking/cleaning if needed during labor as well. I can’t thank her enough as her service towards this purpose is a true godsend. We didn’t want our children to be removed from the house if they didn’t need to be but we knew they would most likely have needs within the labor time frame that neither my husband nor I would be able to really focus on. Having someone to play with and explain to them what was happening as well as feed them if needed all while staying with and apart of the process was the perfect situation for us as a family.

Supplies Needed

My midwife provided me with a list of things needed for a home birth. I have made sure to go and check through amazon as well as my local grocery store to get the best prices on each item. Shopping for the home birth is definitely making it a more real process as well as packing up and making the home birth supplies box. I love to make lists and organize things so this is one of the more fun things for me to indulge in!

Space in the House

My family of 4 soon to be 5 share a very cozy 760 square foot home, we share a lot of our space and we are really particular about the items we welcome into our home. Most things that are welcomed in need more than one purpose to fit the bill of becoming a permeant fixture of our house. Our couches are arrangeable to acclimate a few different positions and layouts depending on our needs. We have literally zero end tables in our house and it really works for us.

We recently arranged our bedroom and our living room to better fit the number of people that will be attending our birth (birth team listed above) as well as supplies needed and a birth tub! I just love seeing our new layout and knowing what its purpose is as labor gets closer and closer.

So there you have it, this is how I am preparing myself, my family and my home for our upcoming home birth!

Lakota

I am a stay at home mother of two, who loves to create in every form, from cooking, to henna, to painting or sculpting, creating with my hands is my passion! I love to dance and let loose when the music flows right. Being outside is a special kind of therapy I think humans need more of as well as mindfulness! I love all things new and adventurous and am always looking to experience more of life 🙂