Kathryn was good enough to round up a few ladies to share our different perspectives in her HDYDI: Choose a Birth Plan series. Dianna discussed an unmedicated, natural birth, Lisa shared her story on a standard hospital birth, and I talked about home birth, along with my progression from a natural homebirth to an unmedicated hospital birth to an induced, medicated hospital birth.
I feel like I am your blog stalker because I always comment, but I really appreciated your story. Because I have had two and now on my third c-section, I am very sensitive to the way people approach the telling of their stories. Not because I don't think each story is valid, good and beautiful, but because sometimes people say crazy hurtful things (c-section babies are 'slower' than regular babies, God intended natural un-medicated births only, etc...)- it's kind of REALLY turned me off from wanting to hear the stories of my more natural sisters, particularly those that birth their children at home. In your birth stories, I saw real beauty and real witness of the different ways that God helps us bring our children into the world. Also, I get all like, 'I had a huge baby at 10 pounds 6 ounces'...then, I think of an 11 pound and change baby and well, wow. The current one cooking was measuring 6 pounds at week 32, so it should get interesting up in here.
ReplyDeleteI love birth stories! Thanks for sharing yours. I've had all kinds, too: a scheduled c-section for placenta previa, an unmedicated hospital VBAC, a homebirth (accidentally unassisted! I misjudged how far along I was!), and another hospital birth for financial reasons. I think there can be beauty found in every birth, as long as a woman is made to feel empowered and supported.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
I would really like to know which birth you've preferred after having all these styles. I'm asking selfishly as I try to decided which direction to go in for my 6th baby...
ReplyDeleteIf I could have continued having home births I would have. I could not for two reasons:
Deletephysically it wasn't safe any more as my kids got too big.
mentally and emotionally I couldn't labor in the same bedroom where James was born lifeless. I tried laboring at home and had flashbacks and cried through the contractions.
But with the large babies medicated hospital birth was preferred. Without emotional scarring and with smaller babies the home births were preferred.
Sorry if that's not the answer you're looking for! I'm a different woman than I was before and so I need something different.
Bonnie, I loved your approach, your stories and your honesty. It was a great, great honor to have you share your heart on the blog. God bless you as you love on the newest Engstrom!
ReplyDeleteJust a note to let you know that this exchange really helped me in discerning a homebirth:
ReplyDeletehttp://aknottedlife.blogspot.com/2013/03/five-things-liebster-award.html?showComment=1363714011880#c8226406611119578935
You reassured me that it was okay to feel a little nervous about it and I really appreciated your perspective. I considered what was making me nervous and decided it was the unknown instead of not being at a hospital. Well every birth is an unknown and I had a lot of peace about our decision. On June 4 I delivered my daughter in my own bedroom.
Jenny, I'm so glad to know that you had peace and then a good experience. I'm glad I was able to encourage you, too!
DeleteCongrats on your little one!
Thanks! I hope your new one is sleeping better than mine. :) She seems to think 430am is party time.
Delete