Choosing our birth place

Ultimately it all boils down to prayer. With each child I have prayed countless times that God would direct us. With Eliana's hospital birth, I learned that although many woman are walked all over and mistreated, it's not an evil place in and of itself. I had previously feared the hospital but through knowledge and experience, found that you CAN have a beautiful birth there!:) With Garrett's home birth... there's no doubt God's hand was in that. Physically speaking, it would have happened exactly the same way if we'd be planning to go to the hospital. I believed I was in such early labor that we wouldn't have left home yet. But instead of having supplies at hand, knowing what to do, and having someone to call while it happened, who came to our home after, we could have panicked, called 911, been carted off to the hospital immediately following the birth. And I learned how beautiful birth really is:)

I have been praying for over a year now that God would show me where our next baby should be born. A few months ago, I officially ruled out home. I can give you my human reasons why, but in the end, it's all about God. Is this birth the exception? Perhaps there will be a reason we need to be there. Or maybe Garrett was the exception. I don't know. But I do know where I will be most comfortable.

Beyond that most important reason, the primary subreason which lead me to this choice is location. We are 35 minutes from the nearest hospital. This was once acceptable to me, but no longer is. These two things (God's leading and location) are the absolute driving factors in my decision.

There is another thing I've been giving thought to. This is a matter of a woman's preference. IF there was a need to transfer from home... would I want to? With Garrett, each time I considered a specific birth possibility, I thought about the need for transfer. And I was okay with that. But for some reason, I feel differently now. The idea of having to climb into the car in the middle of hard labor, possibly with a serious problem, just weighs me down. I hate the thought of it.

I often wonder if I'll receive MORE questions about choosing a hospital birth AFTER a perfect home birth, than when I chose home in the first place! I know it's a truly rare thing to do:) I want people to know that it's not based on fear. I believe that, generally speaking, home birth is as equally safe as hospital birth. I am the last person to say that I fear birth. And I hope that Alabama legislators come to their senses soon and allow midwives to catch babies legally. We need that here.

And on lighter issues, once that decision was made, there are certainly a few perks to giving birth in the more typical location. I won't have to pay extra to get a hearing test for my child. I won't have to make an extra trip to see the pediatrician when my child is just a few days old. We'll save a few dollars (not a huge amount, since our insurance covered half of our home birth). None of these things play into my decision:) Just perks.

I realize the risk of intervention that comes with a hospital birth. I make no apologies for my choice. Please pray that I can find an obstetrician who is patient and concerned more with mother and child than policies and timelines. Pray that we can be respectful of each other and work together to make it beautiful.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6-7

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Eph. 3:20-21

Some links for others who may be trying to make a decision as well....
Choosing a Place of Birth
Home Birth study
Birthing Choices:Health Care Providers and Birth Locations
Practices that support normal birth
The Home Birth Choice