I have four children and had three home births. The first was phenomenal but a little chaotic — something I only realized in retrospect. Compared to my first birth, it was incredible. Compared to what birth can be, not so much. The second was peaceful and wonderful and magical. As was the third. Xoxo
As was mine. My first birth was a planned hospital birth with a midwife in attendance. It took only one hospital birthing experience to realize never again. Daugher #2 delivered at home, in water, totally peaceful, was everything I could have wanted and more. I should have had 4 more babies!
An empowered birth is amazing! Makes us want more births. But, as my friend Roanna Rosewood said to me years ago, babies grow up. So you have to be sure you want more children—not just births and tiny babies. 😊 (Roanna had a vaginal homebirth after two cesareans. She wrote a book about it called Cut, Stapled, and Mended. Very inspiring!)
If you create an book recommendation page somewhere, I'll share it with the parents of my students. You might as well get some affiliate dollars for these excellent recommendations.
I had someone recently tell me that the hospital induced labor just to stay on schedule. I didn’t know they did this. Seems wrong to force a birth for a schedule. Nothing good can come of that kind of practice. I’m glad to hear that home births rate better. It makes sense considering hospital are doing more harm these days.
In my research I also found this to be true, Denise. So much of what is done in the hospital is for convenience, liability mitigation, and profit maximization. I write about this at length (along with the proof) in my book called “Your Baby, Your Way.”
Sad state of affairs with hospitals these days. I don’t trust them anymore and hope we can create alternative facilities. I think I would rather expire prematurely than be subjected to poor treatment in one of these places.
Tell us more Alicia! (If you feel comfortable doing so.) Most OBs will insist to young moms that a homebirth after cesarean is “dangerous” or “irresponsible.” They are almost always wrong.
Do you have any particular questions? I am a little uncomfortable to go into a lot of detail on your page just because I don’t know your audience that well. <3
I think we'd all be interested in hearing just a little about what worried you, how your homebirth providers and birth team supported you, and what went well. But I know this is personal. Maybe just a sentence or two of anything you feel could help young mamas wanting VBACs?
So I guess I would say - maybe some of you should start the birthing cottage linked to an OR movement...Each community could have a stand alone OR and perhaps mini ER, whilst supporting holistic care for day to day things such as healthy emergences and ongoing support for wellbeing!
Oh and one more thing is that my son had his arm tucked in an awkward angle that made the birth slightly complicated, but the midwife was able to facilitate moving him around with ultra skill...I feel pretty confident PCP or OB wouldn't to have been as good with that, and it could have led complications if I hadn't had such great skillful hands.
I basically made the decision myself, with the support of my partner. I had lots of fears, and I think that although my experience was that my babies were healthy and I came through it fine as well, the fear itself is what I would have wished I could have surrendered more of, looking back. I had two mid wives from Philly. One later withstood litigation, while being fully supported by her many many clients over the years. My OB was curious and as supportive as she could be given she felt she couldn't ethically technically "support me" -I took more flack from my pastor was a woman who as an ex nurse! I think the best situation would be to have birthing centers and or rentable birthing cottages within a glass bridge of an OR with a surgeon actually there and ready to scrub in, but with the OR as a separate legal entity. I would have preferred not to feel so alone - that I had to choose to either go completely apart from any medical support or give away my sense of safety which would have been absent in the context of a planned VBAC in a hospital or a planned C-Section. We need better options.
Having an HBAC is a dream of mine! But in doing more research I’m getting more scared—I’m not even pregnant yet (praying soon!). I know the uterine rupture risk is super low, but then I hear another statistic with a lower chance for something completely different being called risky or high risk and then think oh so maybe rupture isn’t a low risk? 😥 Or hear of someone who ruptured etc etc.
Were you scared? Did anyone try taking you out of it? Did you notice anything about your scar during pregnancy/labor/delivery? Did you do a water birth? Did your husband/partner support the homebirth?
Dear Dani, I think one of the keys is to find the right midwife (or a midwife doctor homebirth team)--someone who has lots of experience with HBACs. She can give you the best advice, and support, and encouragement. Look for a midwife who has an excellent outcome rate; a good relationship with hospital folks (so if you do need to transfer, for whatever reason, you'll be in good hands and also have her by your side); and who will not put *HER* ideology above what is best for YOUR body and your baby. Also, please read the book CUT, STAPLED, and MENDED (https://amzn.to/49xuSjD). And the book SIMPLY GIVE BIRTH (https://amzn.to/4gjl678). They are both HBAV stories and so so inspiring! Here they are -- these are affiliate links (I recommend the local library and bookstore but if you buy off Amazon at least some of the purchase, a few pennies, will go to support writing about home birth!) Also Aneka's birth story is so inspiring. It was taken off CNN I think, but you can read it here: https://www.myjoyonline.com/mom-defies-doctor-has-baby-her-way/
Dani, I would happily talk to you privately. I only accept messages from subscribers in order to protect myself as much as I can from unwanted attention. I am wishing you the absolute best with whatever you decide and my hands down advice would be get in a relaxed state as much as possible and listen to your heart/soul/inner guidance.
Hospital-acquired infections are a leading cause of death in the US, but doctors speak of hospital births as the "safe" option. NICU-acquired infection rates are staggering. Infections such as bronchitis and MRSA plague hospitals. One cannot simply wipe clean an infected hospital, you'd have to empty it for weeks during cleaning protocols, and you'd have to remove all the filthy HVAC systems.
During COVID, Johns Hopkins alumni news boasted that the hospital had replaced all the air filters in the HVAC systems. So, I guess they do not do this regularly, despite the rampant infection rates.
When a mother tries to give birth as a whole hospital is organized to shuttle her towards the most profitable option, it is almost impossible to have a seamless birth process. You are not in the position to fight for yourself, and you should not have to do so.
The hospital pumps the baby and mother full of antibiotics, even putting drops into the baby's eyes. The only thing this does is destroy your baby's health. I posted a video of the horizontal gene transfer that is one means of creating resistance, you can see that a "full course" of antibiotics is a useless, outdated concept,
Thank you, Mercy, for reminding us about the danger of hospital-acquired infections. And about these other harmful practices. Among the reasons hospitals are so unhealthy, I think, are that you usually can't open the windows in the hospital (to get fresh air); most hospitals don't have live plants in the patients' rooms (to circulate the air and provide more oxygen); and the antibiotic cleaners are toxic and should likely be replaced with regular soap and water (for human hands) and vinegar, water, tea tree and oregano oil, and grapefruit seed extract (for cleaning).
In Japan and China, hospitals have a policy: Close patient doors and open the windows (use extra blankets). I have spent time with friends in hospitals in both countries, even sleeping overnight in a Japanese NICU. None of the babies or visitors got sick. But when I did a few brief hospital visits in the US, I got a bronchial infection that took months to treat.
Asia uses heat pumps: No duct work to carry infection. And, yes, windows that open. The whole 1970s era energy savings brought in the era of filthy, sealed building with fresh air intake at the exterior of the building where trucks and cars idle.
Indeed, we use vinegar, tea tree oil, and grapefruit seed extract for cleaning classrooms.
I had two homebirths in the UK. One with midwives and one without (unassisted). For me personally I cant imagine giving birth in a hospital. My sister was born at 26 weeks, so of course in that situation the hospital was life saving, and in these circumstances we can be grateful that medical assistance exists, but for birth in general, just the very act of leaving the house is in itself a major intervention.
Hospitals are for sick people. A woman having a baby is usually in the prime of her health. I agree with you, Anna, when we need the maternity care system it is lifesaving. I’m grateful for the emergency care we have in this country. But birth is an emergence, not an emergency. I had one hospital birth, two midwife-assisted births, and one unassisted birth. ❤️❤️❤️
I also had a home birth - it was such a wonderful and both emotionally and physically safe environment to give birth! At the time (16+ years ago) my midwives were big advocates for informed choice and home births, however these same midwives are currently veering away from recommending home births. Though I don't know the reason, it seems that the medical system in Ontario has them moving to more and more hospital births. If it is a liability issue, I hope this study can give them the freedom to really advocate for natural, home births once again.
I'm so glad you had such a good birth experience sixteen years ago, Lisa. And I'm so sad that the same midwives are veering away from home birth. Have you spoken to them about why?
There is so much about my 45 years ago first of four home births. They were wonderful and each different and exciting. Sometimes I think I could write a book... but who would read it? I tried to write on the first birth and my note disappeared here so just suffice to say I heartily recommend it.
In America, based on the numbers, doctors are performing on the order of 600,000 unnecessary abdominal births a year. The moment you walk into an American hospital the clock is ticking. The hospital earns nearly twice as much for every surgical birth. There’s zero incentive to let the birthing woman and her baby take their time. I interviewed an OB who was reprimanded for not doing enough cesareans. His patience and gentle birth practices were costing the hospital too much money. If you have time to read it, I think you’ll find the chapter of my book “Your Baby, Your Way,” on C-sections very eye-opening.
The doctors poo poo home births because that’s money out of their pocket. Home births are far and away better and the parents have more control especially over avoiding the baby’s first “vaccine”. Childhood vaccines should be revamped to the barest of minimums as the vast majority are totally unnecessary.
There is no question that the more people choose home birth the more conventional doctors and the pharmaceutical industry lose money. Yet doctors will even deny that money has anything to do with why they are promoting vaccines. In a for-profit greed-forward medical system, a healthy baby is a lost customer.
Posted with permission from a reader: "45 years ago in November I had my first of four home births...Best thing I could ever have done. I recommend it." ~Alea
It’s not hard to find wonderful, dedicated, competent, and well trained homebirth midwives in the United States, Al. Even though they’re not as common as hospital births, tens of thousands of babies are still born at home every year in this country.
Thanks. Good to know. I’m interested because of having 3 great grandbabies born last summer in our family. When more pregnancies arise, I’ll pass your info on, so they can give it serious consideration.
My home births were delightful and peaceful.
I have four children and had three home births. The first was phenomenal but a little chaotic — something I only realized in retrospect. Compared to my first birth, it was incredible. Compared to what birth can be, not so much. The second was peaceful and wonderful and magical. As was the third. Xoxo
As was mine. My first birth was a planned hospital birth with a midwife in attendance. It took only one hospital birthing experience to realize never again. Daugher #2 delivered at home, in water, totally peaceful, was everything I could have wanted and more. I should have had 4 more babies!
An empowered birth is amazing! Makes us want more births. But, as my friend Roanna Rosewood said to me years ago, babies grow up. So you have to be sure you want more children—not just births and tiny babies. 😊 (Roanna had a vaginal homebirth after two cesareans. She wrote a book about it called Cut, Stapled, and Mended. Very inspiring!)
If you create an book recommendation page somewhere, I'll share it with the parents of my students. You might as well get some affiliate dollars for these excellent recommendations.
I had someone recently tell me that the hospital induced labor just to stay on schedule. I didn’t know they did this. Seems wrong to force a birth for a schedule. Nothing good can come of that kind of practice. I’m glad to hear that home births rate better. It makes sense considering hospital are doing more harm these days.
In my research I also found this to be true, Denise. So much of what is done in the hospital is for convenience, liability mitigation, and profit maximization. I write about this at length (along with the proof) in my book called “Your Baby, Your Way.”
Sad state of affairs with hospitals these days. I don’t trust them anymore and hope we can create alternative facilities. I think I would rather expire prematurely than be subjected to poor treatment in one of these places.
Hey, I'd missed seeing this book you wrote! Off to get it now.
Oh, yes, it's been protocol for at least the four decades of my experience. "Everyone" knows about it in the medical community.
<3 I had two HBACs
Tell us more Alicia! (If you feel comfortable doing so.) Most OBs will insist to young moms that a homebirth after cesarean is “dangerous” or “irresponsible.” They are almost always wrong.
Do you have any particular questions? I am a little uncomfortable to go into a lot of detail on your page just because I don’t know your audience that well. <3
I think we'd all be interested in hearing just a little about what worried you, how your homebirth providers and birth team supported you, and what went well. But I know this is personal. Maybe just a sentence or two of anything you feel could help young mamas wanting VBACs?
So I guess I would say - maybe some of you should start the birthing cottage linked to an OR movement...Each community could have a stand alone OR and perhaps mini ER, whilst supporting holistic care for day to day things such as healthy emergences and ongoing support for wellbeing!
Oh and one more thing is that my son had his arm tucked in an awkward angle that made the birth slightly complicated, but the midwife was able to facilitate moving him around with ultra skill...I feel pretty confident PCP or OB wouldn't to have been as good with that, and it could have led complications if I hadn't had such great skillful hands.
I basically made the decision myself, with the support of my partner. I had lots of fears, and I think that although my experience was that my babies were healthy and I came through it fine as well, the fear itself is what I would have wished I could have surrendered more of, looking back. I had two mid wives from Philly. One later withstood litigation, while being fully supported by her many many clients over the years. My OB was curious and as supportive as she could be given she felt she couldn't ethically technically "support me" -I took more flack from my pastor was a woman who as an ex nurse! I think the best situation would be to have birthing centers and or rentable birthing cottages within a glass bridge of an OR with a surgeon actually there and ready to scrub in, but with the OR as a separate legal entity. I would have preferred not to feel so alone - that I had to choose to either go completely apart from any medical support or give away my sense of safety which would have been absent in the context of a planned VBAC in a hospital or a planned C-Section. We need better options.
Having an HBAC is a dream of mine! But in doing more research I’m getting more scared—I’m not even pregnant yet (praying soon!). I know the uterine rupture risk is super low, but then I hear another statistic with a lower chance for something completely different being called risky or high risk and then think oh so maybe rupture isn’t a low risk? 😥 Or hear of someone who ruptured etc etc.
Were you scared? Did anyone try taking you out of it? Did you notice anything about your scar during pregnancy/labor/delivery? Did you do a water birth? Did your husband/partner support the homebirth?
Only answer if you’re comfortable!
Dear Dani, I think one of the keys is to find the right midwife (or a midwife doctor homebirth team)--someone who has lots of experience with HBACs. She can give you the best advice, and support, and encouragement. Look for a midwife who has an excellent outcome rate; a good relationship with hospital folks (so if you do need to transfer, for whatever reason, you'll be in good hands and also have her by your side); and who will not put *HER* ideology above what is best for YOUR body and your baby. Also, please read the book CUT, STAPLED, and MENDED (https://amzn.to/49xuSjD). And the book SIMPLY GIVE BIRTH (https://amzn.to/4gjl678). They are both HBAV stories and so so inspiring! Here they are -- these are affiliate links (I recommend the local library and bookstore but if you buy off Amazon at least some of the purchase, a few pennies, will go to support writing about home birth!) Also Aneka's birth story is so inspiring. It was taken off CNN I think, but you can read it here: https://www.myjoyonline.com/mom-defies-doctor-has-baby-her-way/
Thank you!!
Dani, I would happily talk to you privately. I only accept messages from subscribers in order to protect myself as much as I can from unwanted attention. I am wishing you the absolute best with whatever you decide and my hands down advice would be get in a relaxed state as much as possible and listen to your heart/soul/inner guidance.
Hospital-acquired infections are a leading cause of death in the US, but doctors speak of hospital births as the "safe" option. NICU-acquired infection rates are staggering. Infections such as bronchitis and MRSA plague hospitals. One cannot simply wipe clean an infected hospital, you'd have to empty it for weeks during cleaning protocols, and you'd have to remove all the filthy HVAC systems.
During COVID, Johns Hopkins alumni news boasted that the hospital had replaced all the air filters in the HVAC systems. So, I guess they do not do this regularly, despite the rampant infection rates.
When a mother tries to give birth as a whole hospital is organized to shuttle her towards the most profitable option, it is almost impossible to have a seamless birth process. You are not in the position to fight for yourself, and you should not have to do so.
The hospital pumps the baby and mother full of antibiotics, even putting drops into the baby's eyes. The only thing this does is destroy your baby's health. I posted a video of the horizontal gene transfer that is one means of creating resistance, you can see that a "full course" of antibiotics is a useless, outdated concept,
https://mymontessorihouse.substack.com/p/science-antibiotic-resistance-and
I dug up this video because I did not have a video of the experiment that I viewed in a lab.
If you go to a hospital, never let your baby out of your sight. I think Jennifer wrote this earlier, too.
Jennifer, thanks for all you do and share!
Thank you, Mercy, for reminding us about the danger of hospital-acquired infections. And about these other harmful practices. Among the reasons hospitals are so unhealthy, I think, are that you usually can't open the windows in the hospital (to get fresh air); most hospitals don't have live plants in the patients' rooms (to circulate the air and provide more oxygen); and the antibiotic cleaners are toxic and should likely be replaced with regular soap and water (for human hands) and vinegar, water, tea tree and oregano oil, and grapefruit seed extract (for cleaning).
In Japan and China, hospitals have a policy: Close patient doors and open the windows (use extra blankets). I have spent time with friends in hospitals in both countries, even sleeping overnight in a Japanese NICU. None of the babies or visitors got sick. But when I did a few brief hospital visits in the US, I got a bronchial infection that took months to treat.
Asia uses heat pumps: No duct work to carry infection. And, yes, windows that open. The whole 1970s era energy savings brought in the era of filthy, sealed building with fresh air intake at the exterior of the building where trucks and cars idle.
Indeed, we use vinegar, tea tree oil, and grapefruit seed extract for cleaning classrooms.
Love your work!
I had two homebirths in the UK. One with midwives and one without (unassisted). For me personally I cant imagine giving birth in a hospital. My sister was born at 26 weeks, so of course in that situation the hospital was life saving, and in these circumstances we can be grateful that medical assistance exists, but for birth in general, just the very act of leaving the house is in itself a major intervention.
Hospitals are for sick people. A woman having a baby is usually in the prime of her health. I agree with you, Anna, when we need the maternity care system it is lifesaving. I’m grateful for the emergency care we have in this country. But birth is an emergence, not an emergency. I had one hospital birth, two midwife-assisted births, and one unassisted birth. ❤️❤️❤️
Oh that is a beautiful sentence!—emergence not an emergency 💕
I also had a home birth - it was such a wonderful and both emotionally and physically safe environment to give birth! At the time (16+ years ago) my midwives were big advocates for informed choice and home births, however these same midwives are currently veering away from recommending home births. Though I don't know the reason, it seems that the medical system in Ontario has them moving to more and more hospital births. If it is a liability issue, I hope this study can give them the freedom to really advocate for natural, home births once again.
I'm so glad you had such a good birth experience sixteen years ago, Lisa. And I'm so sad that the same midwives are veering away from home birth. Have you spoken to them about why?
There is so much about my 45 years ago first of four home births. They were wonderful and each different and exciting. Sometimes I think I could write a book... but who would read it? I tried to write on the first birth and my note disappeared here so just suffice to say I heartily recommend it.
Write that book. I love books about home birth, Dorothy, and so do lots of others. We will all read it!
At present I am not in a position to do it but I will keep it on my upcoming schedule. Thank you
I’m in Canada and had four children here. No way will I have more! But oh how I wish I’d gone for home births. I’m
pretty convinced now that at least one of my two caesareans could’ve been avoided. They want to rush you and get you out of the hospital.
In America, based on the numbers, doctors are performing on the order of 600,000 unnecessary abdominal births a year. The moment you walk into an American hospital the clock is ticking. The hospital earns nearly twice as much for every surgical birth. There’s zero incentive to let the birthing woman and her baby take their time. I interviewed an OB who was reprimanded for not doing enough cesareans. His patience and gentle birth practices were costing the hospital too much money. If you have time to read it, I think you’ll find the chapter of my book “Your Baby, Your Way,” on C-sections very eye-opening.
The doctors poo poo home births because that’s money out of their pocket. Home births are far and away better and the parents have more control especially over avoiding the baby’s first “vaccine”. Childhood vaccines should be revamped to the barest of minimums as the vast majority are totally unnecessary.
There is no question that the more people choose home birth the more conventional doctors and the pharmaceutical industry lose money. Yet doctors will even deny that money has anything to do with why they are promoting vaccines. In a for-profit greed-forward medical system, a healthy baby is a lost customer.
“In a for-profit greed-forward medical system, a healthy baby is a lost customer.” Such sad and tragic words that are utterly true.
Posted with permission from a reader: "45 years ago in November I had my first of four home births...Best thing I could ever have done. I recommend it." ~Alea
Seems like operating your own personal health clinic from home is a lot more safer and effective than engaging with the medical community.
Since home births are not very common in the US, is it hard to find a midwife?
It’s not hard to find wonderful, dedicated, competent, and well trained homebirth midwives in the United States, Al. Even though they’re not as common as hospital births, tens of thousands of babies are still born at home every year in this country.
Thanks. Good to know. I’m interested because of having 3 great grandbabies born last summer in our family. When more pregnancies arise, I’ll pass your info on, so they can give it serious consideration.