Home birth for financial reasons alone

As the economy gets tighter for most of us and making our monthly incomes stretch further gets more challenging, I have had an increase in women calling and inquiring about my services based upon the fact that home birth is a less expensive option than hospital birth.

Home birth is something you want to feel completely comfortable with, fully engaged in, wholly passionate about...not just something you do because you don't have insurance coverage or because it is the cheapest option.

Most couples begin wrapping their minds around the idea of homebirth by becoming educated about it on the internet or through childbirth books or from word of mouth referrals. They learn that midwife-delivered babies have less interventions and better outcomes. They learn that midwives take an hour during each prenatal visit and build a relationship with the pregnant mom and her family. They see that midwives use prevention to steer away from any possible problems that may arise later in pregnancy and that midwives really get to know the mom/baby and come to truly care about her health and well being.

Home birth is built on a foundation of trust between the parents to be and the midwife. It is a service that is somewhat "old-fashioned" in today's high-tech, lawsuit happy world. It is based upon a hand shake, of sorts, which gives equal responsibility between the two parties involved. Midwives provide the best care they can give with the information and intuition received from the parents, as well. No decisions are made without consulting the parents and every decision is made together and agreed upon. This is why midwives don't have to carry malpractice insurance or worry about being sued. In today's society this type of business relationship is nearly archaic, but so valuable. It brings the responsibility of the baby's pregnancy and birth squarely where it should be: on the parent's and midwife's shoulders. It doesn't allow for women to fall through the cracks or receive marginal care because both parties are engaged, responsible and accountable to each other. In a perfect world this is how all of our dealings would be.

As the general public begins to understand and educate themselves on the advantages of having a personal, caring and trusting relationship with a midwife we will see more positive mom/baby outcomes and possibly a more calm and gentle world. Babies will come into this world without being drugged, suctioned, poked or prodded and will find the arms of their mothers as their first skin to skin interaction. Home birth babies have less incidence of colic, jaundice and a 0% rate of autism. They rarely cry when they are born because the lights are low, voices are quiet, mom and dad are the first sounds they hear and they are welcomed into a room filled with love and peace. Wouldn't it be great if every human being on the planet could be born in such a gentle way?

Having a baby at home is a wonderful option but not just because it is the cheapest option. It entails a commitment and responsibility that parents must be willing to make. It requires being educated and forming a trusting relationship with a midwife who knows the parents and their unique situation. It is a decision that shouldn't be made lightly but one that is life changing and deeply rewarding! I encourage every pregnant mother and father to do the research and become good consumers and make their choices out of knowledge and not out of cultural fear.