"I was happy to be in my own bed. But let's face it: Birth without drugs sucks."
Mardi Douglass, Seattle
Read More: Your Labor &
Delivery Birth Plan
I gave birth to my first son without pain
medication at a birthing center. I found out the most surprising
thing about birth is the pain. Let's face it: Birth without
drugs sucks.
When I got pregnant again, I swore I wouldn't do that again,
but I couldn't bring myself to give birth in a hospital without
a midwife. So I decided to do it at home.
I spent most of my labor kneeling on the floor with my arms on our
bed. I felt more present than I was during my first birth and made
a conscious choice about how I was going to react to the pain. When
the midwife arrived, we moved to the bed and Tanner was born
shortly thereafter. The most painful part is when the baby's
head is coming through your cervix, but it's also a good
feeling because the next sensation is feeling the baby completely
out of your body&#mdash;and the pain is gone.
I was so happy when it was over and very happy that I was in my own
bed. And, I didn't have to drive to a birthing center while in
labor. Overall, the four hours of painful labor relative to nine
months of meaningful care from a midwife was worth it.
"I didn't want to be in a hospital where there are
people I don't know. It just didn't feel right."
Elizabeth Halpern, Los Angeles
Read More:
Study Says Home Births OK
During my first pregnancy, we went to a birthing
class at a local yoga studio. The midwife who taught the class said
the most important thing was to have your baby in a place where you
feel the strongest and most confident. So, I thought, I need to be
home. I didn't want to be in a hospital where there are people
I don't know and they are telling me what to do. It just
didn't feel right.
My first labor at home was long. For my second, I was sure we would
have a water birth, but everything moved so fast we didn't have
time to fill up the birthing tub. The pain was also very different.
It was harsh and quick compared with the dull and drawn-out pain of
my first labor and delivery.
As soon as my 5-year-old son, Hudson, found out we were having a
baby, he was steadfast about wanting to help with the birth. I
delivered his brother, Winston, lying on the cement floor of our
loft. The first thing Hudson did when Winston was born was sit next
to me and ask, "Mommy, are you so happy to finally have your
baby?
"After three hours of pushing, I knew something was
wrong. We couldn't figure out why my daughter, Harper,
wasn't coming out."
Renee Pietrangelo-Brown, Los Angeles
Read about Renee's attempts, and nerve-wracking rush to
the hospital, here.
So what do you think? Have you had a home birth? Do you
admire/respect/disagree with these three women? We want
to know!!!
