Home Birth in NZ

More than a thousand New Zealand women each year shun the hospital system and instead give birth in their own lounges, bedrooms and bathrooms. Is homebirth a fringe lunatic choice?

JOANNA DAVIS reports....

Why a Home Birth?

C's story:

It is hard to explain why I chose a Homebirth except to say that it was something that had always appealed to me.  But I never thought people like me actually did.  I’m an educated, professional woman.  The best and safest place for us to birth is at the Hospital!  Or so I thought.  The Hospital Birth of my first child was the single most devastating thing that has ever happened to me and to this day I cannot speak about it without breaking down.  I’m not sure I will ever overcome that experience.  It left me feeling ashamed, abused, useless and isolated
 
My decision to Homebirth was a long one.  Heather recommended I enlist the help of a Doula for my (then) planned Hospital birth, and I was thrilled to meet one of the most amazing women on this planet.  My Doula was inspirational in helping me overcome my fear of birth and of allowing me to recognize my own strength. She never once suggested a Homebirth, but lent me books and DVD’s on different types of birth and home birthing always seemed so magical.  However, I still did not consider it an option. These women who choose to Homebirth all seemed much stronger in character than me.  I was just an ordinary woman, how could I do that?
 
When I was five months pregnant, my friend birthed in her car (on the way to the Hospital).  I was so thrilled for her (as she did not have to endure a Hospital birth). My friend’s ‘car birth’ was quick, easy and “fun”! Her first words were “I want to do that again”.  She was the first person I had met that had not had a baby at the Hospital, and her baby was born easily and healthy (and got to keep his cord blood!).  My mind started ticking…
 
When I was seven months my cousin was arranging a Homebirth.  She had a ‘surprise’ pregnancy after having IVF twins only 18months earlier. I had never known anyone to try a Homebirth before… I watched and waited… Her Homebirth required a transfer after a grueling three days at home with no progress.  I was so proud of her, her story was inspirational, her courage, strength, wisdom and of course having a healthy baby girl.  Her need for a transfer in no means discouraged me from a Homebirth, if anything, it was the switch that I needed to confront my Doula and ask “would you mind if we didn’t go to the Hospital”, “I mean, if everything is going OK, can we stay at home?” Once my Doula knew what I wanted she helped me prepare, help me get my head space out of the TV version of birth, to see what birth could be, what it should be, a normal, natural occurrence that has the ability to transcend you as a person.
 
In my last weeks of my pregnancy I was truly glowing, I knew my baby was in the right position for birth.  I knew in my mind how to birth and knew that only I could do it.  I had chosen the music, the candles, the artwork and images.  I’d prepared for the worst (hot packs, vomit buckets, towels everywhere) a pool, and was registered at the local Hospital in case I needed a transfer.
 
But in the end, all I needed was my mind.
 
When my labour started I was at peace, I saw Heather for a treatment (which moved the sensation from my back to my tummy) then drove home to eat. Between contractions I was smiling and when they got stronger my sense of euphoria got stronger.  The contractions must have been a somewhat painful sensation as I would hum long and low but they did not feel abnormal, in fact they were easily managed, and after each contraction all I felt was pure ecstasy. I felt like I was at the best party in the world, I was in pure heaven, I was actually having fun.  Yes, pushing the baby out was extremely painful, but at no time did I contemplate drugs or quitting, or anything other than “I’m having a baby, this is wonderful, this is a miracle, and this is exactly what I want to be doing and where I want to be doing it”. 
 
When I lifted my baby out of the water and held her for the first time we bonded instantly, we cuddled forever in the glow of candles and in the silence of the full moon. It was pure love.  My husband and I and our baby all then moved to our own bed and cuddled together as a family.  I woke to a nutritious meal cooked by my Mum, and stayed in bed all day.  My babymoon was perfect.  I never had to change a nappy or listen to other women’s visitors when I was trying to nap, or eat terrible hospital food.  My husband, my baby and I stayed in bed and enjoyed being a family.  A wonderful, complete, happy family with super woman for a Mum.
 
I guess in the end, the reasons I chose a Homebirth were simple;
 

• To ensure that my baby was born in the safest way possible.
• To ensure that my birthing experienced enabled me to be the best Mum possible (not one that was wounded – physically and / or emotionally).

And:

• Because birth is a journey and I wanted to choose my travel companions.
• Because I had experienced the alternative, and I knew that there had to be a better way.
• Because I knew that only I could birth my baby, no one else.
• Because I had prepared for this, physically and mentally.
• Because I had the support of women healers whom I trusted and who believed that I could do it.
• Because birth is not a medical emergency but a spiritual process whose purpose is so much more than a screaming baby at the end.