My boy W was born at home on the back verandah at 8.10am, 25th March 2006. The neighbours, an expansive and enthusiastic Portuguese family who seemed to be ever changing and expanding like a vapour cloud, were woken some time earlier. Unbeknownst to me, the women of the family gathered in the kitchen, which was just over the wall from where I was in the pool, and they listened and waited.
Later in the day, I went out on the front verandah and showed my new boy to the three generations of women next door. "He was born at 8 o'clock this morning" I said. "We know," they replied, "we heard his first cry."
I am sure some of the love that was showered on my boy every moment that he was within calling, grasping, cuddling or kissing distance of the neighbours was on account of them hearing his birth. Not that I would have picked an audience, but somehow, generations of women, seated in the kitchen next door and listening for my son's first cry, still makes me feel such a strong pull in my heart. Still seems so appropriate.
Surely, where possible, birth is about generations of women, about the home, about women's knowledge and the great strength and insight women have about their experience as women and mothers. My midwife was amazing. My partner was great but to be honest I was not particularly interested in him towards the end of my labour - it was a knowledgeable woman I was leaning on and could consider no other option for the birth of my second child.
Our first child was born in Fremantle, Western Australia. We were lucky enough to have the support of the Community Midwifery Centre.
http://www.cmwa.net.au/ I think we paid about $20 for the whole thing from start to finish. We had the support of a midwife from 3 months after conception, two midwives at the birth and the support continued for over a month after the birth. I cannot recommend it enough.
Of course, hospital is the place for complications. No one would debate the skills of various hospital based professionals in certain situations when it comes to supporting the health and welfare of mother and child. All good home births include a back up plan and all good home birth midwives know exactly when to go to hospital. I never had any doubt about this and still don't.
Now in South Australia, there is no community based program. We are lucky enough to have a private midwife who is quite amazing.
http://www.homebirth.net.au/ She came highly recommended and I love the activism that oozes from her.
Of course, the current political landscape for home birth is a little torrid to say the least. Certain "journalists" have made headlines with quite ridiculous, badly written and badly researched stories. Statistics of course can be made to say most things, however current research is most definitely stating that home birth is no more or less dangerous that a hospital birth but generally does result in higher rates of satisfaction, particularly on the part of the mother.
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/lifematters/midwife-home-birth-as-safe-as-hospital-says-study-20090416-a8wu.htmlSomething that can not be said for free birth, where a woman usually has no support from conception to birth from any trained professional at all and often births alone or just with her partner. Referring to a free birth as a home birth is confusing as the only thing that is the same is the location. A home birth as I understand it, is one that takes place with a trained professional midwife. My experience of home birth midwives is that they are exceptionally well experienced and educated. Their understanding of the woman's body and the birth process is deep and thoughtful. The breadth of their information is impressive. I love that the way they support you is to get to know you and provide the information and support that you need. That is why they spend so much time visiting you and talking to you from when you meet them to when you have a new baby.
I hope that the current recommendations for independent midwives do lose registration do not get passed. Ultimately it is about women's choice. I would be horrified to be forced to go to hospital unless I needed medical intervention. Having a baby is not like having root canal treatment as one thin-minded journalist put it. Women are supposed the have babies, we are not actually supposed to have the roots of our teeth ripped out by knives and tweezers. A normal birth is safe at home. Give a woman an environment where she feels safe, a well educated and professional home birth midwife and time, and babies will be born.
Of course not all women would choose a home birth. I am not suggesting this. To force a home birth on some women would be the same as forcing a hospital birth on another. Surely both ideas are ridiculous.
Support home birth as you are supporting safe choices for women. You don't need to choose it yourself to see that it still a valid choice.
I look forward to sharing news of my second born, since it will be in August, hopefully rather than on the back verandah in front of the fire perhaps.
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