Why I Chose a Midwife

Choosing to have a midwife at a home birth isn’t for everyone. It can come with some great advantages as well as risks. When I chose a midwife I knew I could do it, and I knew it was for me. No one should be convinced on where or who births their child, you will know if it is right for you. Below are all the reasons I chose to have a home birth with a midwife.

Family history

One of the initial reasons for wanting a natural birth (whether in a hospital or not) was my family. My mother, though she was induced, pushed me out with no pain medication. That led me to ask about my grandmother, all 5 children she pushed out vaginally without pain medication during the 1950-1960’s. Both of which said they felt very empowered and strong by the experience. As hearing this when I was a kid, I wanted to be strong like them and do the same.

As I got older that point of view changed when I asked my mother why she chose to not have an epidural. Her reason was, simply, that she wanted to know what if felt like. I went on to take that reasoning as my own.

Fear of the unknown or Uncontrolled

Once I was pregnant the fear of not being able to control my own pregnancy started to build up. I wanted to have more choices then laying on a hospital bed in a room that is always too hot or too cold. Pregnancies are unpredictable, therefor I wanted to be able to be in a setting that I could control to help ease that. What if I want to go for a walk outside, or be in a birthing pool? What if laying on my back in a bed is too painful and I want to squat this baby out? I decided I want more control. I didn't want to go to a hospital in a setting (to me) that was treated like my Aunts knee surgery or an emergency.

I wanted to celebrate this experience and new life in a setting that I control and create. To be in my house I don't have to wait to be released, I could control the setting of the room (and temperature) as well as the energy created in that room. I wouldn't be stuck in one room, with nurses and doctors dictating the progression of my pregnancy as if I was a puppet along for the ride. I wanted to use my body for what it is made for to learn to trust its process and dictate the progression of my birth by the instincts of my own body and the comfort of the baby working with my body.

Fate or Destiny

I originally started my doctor visits in an amazing hospital in Colorado. I loved the doctor, the nurses, and everyone was very customer service based. Once we moved closer to family every hospital I called had an energy that just never felt right, they made my transfer very difficult, they didn't offer any help and everything I had asked they declined. I decided that I didn't trust them (Initial experience is very important for me).

That is when I decided that I was going to look into midwifery. Initially I chose my midwife based off her About video and picture, and initial visit with her. She stood for everything I wanted, I loved her demeanor, she was calm, and very educated with confidence that was very reassuring. Because I am a health nut, I like all natural things in the most organic form, that's when I decided that I was going to go with a midwife and to have my birth experience in the comfort of my home.

My body

I was born a female, given the amazing ability to create life and birth a human. How crazy is that?! From a sperm and egg, to billions of cells, to a fully functioning unique human body. With the help of a partner I get to create life! As a woman, that is a gift that only women get to experience and I want to experience it 100%. I want to know the capabilities, the pain, the stress, the emotion, and the gift itself that you go through during labor.

Another reason for choosing to have an at home birth with a midwife was I have no health risks, I exercise regularly, I have a healthy starting BMI, good family history with birth, and I sustain a good diet. It was also something I wanted and knew I could do.