What Does A Home Birth Look Like?

Most of us know what a hospital birth looks like. There is medical equipment strapped everywhere. Women generally keep the lights dim, except for the bright spotlight shining at the birth canal welcoming her baby ever so boldly from her warm dark sanctuary. There’s bleached white sheets, that don’t fool anyone for a second into thinking that hospital room is anywhere near safe from germs. There’s machines with beeps and lights and wires.

Chris and Krystal have been an amazing team since they first fell in love. They are both chiropractors in Goleta, CA. They supported each other through chiropractic school and now own and operate their own office in Goleta, CA.  Most recently though, was their greatest team effort and payoff  as Krystal gave birth to Chris’ daughter in the home that they made with the help of a midwife.

Chris and Krystal have graciously offered their photos to Everything Birth’s Blog so that more families will be able to witness the loving and safe environment that a midwife assisted home birth can provide.

In early labor, Kristal decides to make a birthday cake to celebrate the birth of her daughter.
Since Krystal didn’t have to spend her early labor getting situated in a hospital L&D room, she had time to decorate her cake.
Instead of walking the germy halls of the labor and delivery floor at the hospital, she eased into contractions in the comfort of her home.
Krystal can feel confident knowing that wall she is leaning on hasn’t been thrown up on. Chris, her husband, finds it easy to make himself at home… since he is.
As labor gets more intense, Krystal was able to relax in a birth tub right in her own house.
I’ve tried being comfortable with my husband in a hospital bed and it just doesn’t work. Being comfortable makes labor go much more smoothly.
A midwife assisted birth means that the initial exam is less disruptive for the child. Instead of the baby going to meet the doctor, the midwife, comes down to the baby. None of the most crucial and precious first few moments are lost. Bonding can begin right away.
After proper bonding time has happened, the baby is weighed in total comfort, not on a metal scale.
Krystal kisses her new baby girl. She was born in peace and will know nothing of the birth trauma that my children went through in the hospital. That is one lucky little girl.

My children were born in a hospital. So, I’m not about to challenge a woman who delivers in a hospital. I delivered there out of fear. I feel that my own hospital birthing puts me in a unique position to allow the Everything Birth Community to witness the gentleness of a home birth.

I’m not forcing anyone’s opinion. I’m not judging anyone’s choices. I just wanted you to see… because when I saw, tears of happiness flowed down my cheeks. Because a little baby was born… gently.

 

If you have your own birth photos, we’d love to see them. You can post them in our community forum, The Village. We’re not judgmental, we want to see your hospital birth pictures too!

8 Comments

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  2. Codi

    I had a homebirth and it was truly beautiful, I had a hospital with my first, then home water birth for my second daughter it was so amazing i absolutly loved it, it confirmed for me i must have one more in some years down the road 🙂

  3. Tara

    Having the opportunity to birth at home for any woman must be wonderful. My wee bundle was born in a hospital…not to glaring lights and cold tables…but to a very warm and very comforting room and soft fluffy blankies everywhere. The sheets on my bed were pinks and blues and a lot of flannelette to be nice and comfortable for me. I totally believe that every woman has a choice as to where to birth their baby and those who chose at home are truly blessed. My little girl was born not just blue, but gray. Had we not been in a hospital at her exact moment of ‘welcome into the world’ she would not be with me today, 3 years later. It was traumatic for her in the only fact that it was a truly traumatic birth. I was lucky enough to have a fantastic doctor, pediatrician and pediatric nurses beside me when they realised the situation myself and baby were in less than 5 minutes before she was finally birthed. My wee girl was also very lucky to have been born in a hospital that made everything as ‘at home’ as possible. I even managed the entire birth (28.5 hours of labour, the last 2 pushing) without drugs.

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