Freestylin\\\’

My son was born at home with the help of a midwife, her apprentice, and my partner. I came to this decision after having a series of visits with a midwife at a renouned hospital, but then deciding I wanted a much more personal and natural experience with my baby.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions I receive from others.

1.) Weren’t you scared if something would go wrong?

I was more scared of something not going wrong and being coerced with unnecessary interventions. This actually almost happened. I tested positive for Group B Strep, and the standard thing is that I would automatically be strapped to an IV during labor in the hospital and be given antibiotics. However, if you do your research on both sides, this is an overly cautious intervention.

I also asked my midwives important questions about their practice that made me very comfortable and ensured my trust in them. This included what their plans were in case of an emergency, whether they had their own oxygen, and many other questions that were of my own concern or that were suggested to me by others.

2.) Did you take any drugs?

No. No anti-biotics, no epidural.

3.) Why no epidural?

Instead, I learned coping strategies for the pain, which worked really well. Instead of Lamaze, I chose to do vocalization exercises which my partner did with me during contractions and honestly that is what got me through the contractions. The vocalizations I used were deep, guttoral grunting sounds. I also used alternative birthing positions which are much less painful than giving birth on your back. One doctor said that giving birth on the back is the most painful way to give birth short of being hung upside down.

There are debates on the use of epidurals, but my main reasoning was that because of evolution, my body knows the best way to give birth. Since I was healthy and had no complications, I trusted that my biology would get me through everything. Epidurals can increase labor and it also interrupts the whole process of dilation and what your brain is telling your body to do at the right time. This helps some women, but I didn’t feel I needed it. I am not against epidurals, I feel that women should make their own educated decisions.

4.) What did giving birth feel like?

It felt like I was shitting a bowling ball. Then the baby kind of plopped out at the end.

5.) Which position worked the best?

I was squatting, with my partner holding me under my armpits for support. I had a very fast labor, too fast to do a waterbirth, which was what I had originally planned.

6.) What would you have done differently?

Drank more water during my pregnancy. I think that had something to do with how fast my baby came. My labor was only 3.5 hours.

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