Why I'm Not Worried About Giving Birth At Home

My mother kindly brought it to my attention that family members are worried about my hippie ways.

While supportive, they just don't understand why I would want to have my baby at home.

So I decided to compile some helpful information, and hopefully put their worries at ease.

• I have a wonderful care provider, who will be with me the entire birth, and thereafter to keep watch over baby and I.
• Should something go wrong (rare, but it happens), my midwife has the skills to handle the situation. And if needed, 911 response would have someone to our home within 2 minutes. We also live within 2 miles of 2 different hospitals.
• My midwife, her assistant, my doula, and my husband will all be ready and able should I need any help.
• In many studies that compare home vs. hospital births, home births (with a trained care provider) are safer. They have fewer complications, injuries, infections, and deaths.
• The amount of interventions in US hospitals is unacceptable. 1 in 3 women have a cesarean section.
• Hospitals have a "time limit" of how long they will allow women to labor.
• Many of the hospital "routine" procedures are unnecessary and can cause more complications.
• The cost of a midwife is by far more affordable than a hospital birth.

Smaller reasons:

• No IV at home, instead I get to eat and drink as I please.
• I don't have to worry about people not respecting my wishes.
• I don't have to ask to pee.
• I get to wear my own clothes.
• No strangers will be all up in my lady business.
• Instead of being strapped to a machine, the midwife checks heartbeats with a Doppler/fetoscope.
• No paperwork being shoved into my face during contractions.
• No one will be shouting "PUSH" at me.
• Instead of a tiny hospital bed, I will have my large fluffy bed with my own pillow.
• I will have a birth tub to use during labor AND pushing. (hospitals kick you out before you start pushing)
• I get real food instead of hospital food.
• Hospitals make you stay 24 hrs, sometimes more.
• Nurseries give babies formula, even if specifically told otherwise. 
• Hospitals are crawling with germs.
• Baby-nappers.
• Bitchy nurses.
• etc.

My main reasons:

• I hate hospitals. They are for sick people, and I am not sick.
• I want the girls to have the option of being present and involved.
• I am comfortable at home.
• I trust my body.
• I want to do whatever the hell I feel like during labor, and not have to fight off medical staff.
• After giving birth I get to simply crawl into bed and enjoy the emotional high. At a hospital I would be on high alert making sure no unwanted procedures were preformed on baby.
• Because I can.

I am very excited about our first home birth.
I adore the midwife and doula that I've chosen to support me during labor.
I will have a wonderfully talented birth photographer there to capture the memories.
My children and husband will be there to give me love and support.

Who wouldn't be excited?!?!?