home birth

im not sure how many of you know, but we are planning to have our baby at home. isn't it very exciting? 

to have a natural childbirth isn't something i had always wanted or imagined myself doing, i didn't ever think about it, to be honest. and even after finding out i was pregnant, i never felt a strong pull in either direction (to drugs, or not to drugs? that is the question!). so do you want to hear about how we came to this decision? the progression is as follows!

1) it started with "ill think about it", "maybe", "kinda want to", "ok i think so", "yeah sure why not", "for sure", "definitely", want to go natural. 

2) then, one day we were in Waterford Regional Hospital waiting (2 hours!) for a checkup appointment. i found myself sitting in as small as a position as possible, in an effort to avoid contact with as many surfaces as possible (which is hard for a pregnant lady, mind you!). i looked at everyone around me, who, for some reason, had a cough or the sniffles, and preceded to touch as many surfaces around them as possible. i listened to the loud slamming of the opening and closing of doors, and the clatter of heels or squeak of shoes going up and down the hallways. i probably broke a sweat from just sitting there because of the heat cranked up to an unnecessary level with all the windows duck taped shut (i tell no lies!). plus, i looked far to closely along the place where the floor met the walls (not a good idea!). and i just felt generally uncomfortable. 

3) after that, i started thinking, if i'm committed to a natural childbirth (that means, if the bonus of drugs isn't an option!), why on earth would i bring this child into a world like the one i just described? now, don't worry, i'm not so silly that i wouldn't go into the hospital if its necessary for the well being of myself or the babe. of course, i wouldn't be so stubborn. but seriously, why?

4) by this time i was already 24 weeks along, and i found out that there happens to be this amazing option under the mother and infant care scheme (free healthcare for all prenatal and postnatal visits up to six weeks after birth) called the "domino scheme". its a team of four midwives who all rotate to care for you before the delivery and when you go into labour you have the baby with whoever is on call at the time (if there is any kind of emergency you'll get a doctor of course). if all goes well, you can then leave the hospital as early as 6 hours after delivery. to be able to be a part of this, you have to have an all natural approach, with a plan to breastfeed and be in ideal health with no red flags in your medical history. woop! thats me! oh yes, and they also offer home births as an (apparently unpopular) option. BUT i needed to get on the waiting list at 12 weeks (i didn't know how things worked here, i was just stoked to be getting free healthcare!) so i was major bumming at the thought of this not being an option for me. but after a series of people who know people calling other people, and the grace of God, i got accepted into the scheme. thank you Jesus for hooking us up despite our naivety!

5) now, all my prenatal visits are on my own couch. and as of midnight this friday, (as i will be 38 weeks) the midwives are officially on call to come out to our home, should i go into labour!

(where the magic will happen!)

anyway, the more we think about how blessed we are for this to be our plan, we can see it being no other way (God willing). to be able to be in our cozy home that we made together, the place this child will call home for years to come, to be in familiar and comfortable surroundings with the freedom to do whatever we wish. it all just feels so right.
we can light some candles, burn some aromatherapy oils, or turn on calming music. we can create a warm and welcoming atmosphere to bring our child into. my body was made to handle labour and delivery, and i want to experience it, not just endure it. i know i'm in for a world of pain, i'm not that disillusioned, but isn't that a part of the miracle of life? isn't that a part of all things good and from God? isn't it only through great pain that something truly good can come? and with that pain, to be able to give birth, only for it to disappear the moment we hold our child. to have that instant skin to skin contact and bond. for her not to be swept away under blinding lights and be poked and prodded with all sorts of cold instruments. to look into her eyes, and see straight into the soul that will bind and change our lives forever as brand new parents. and for us to crawl into our own bed, after all is said and done, and sleep as a new little family.