I love this - shared it straight away with a friend who's expecting her first. Such beautiful powerful writing. I'm a veterinarian and it seems mad that we treat humans so differently from animals. I'd never suggest someone brought their dog to hospital to give birth. If a foaling mare stopped birthing because I disturbed her, I'd blame myself, not her. Yet we always blame women and women's bodies.
Thank you for a glorious piece, that helped me revisit my three wonderful home births. My children always want to hear their birth stories because they were a part of those magical days.
Thank you for sharing your perspective as a vet! It's incredible how we acknowledge and protect the safe, dark spaces where our pets go to give birth, yet we put women in brightly lit, exposed areas and watch as she struggles. As you said, we always blame her. So glad you found value in the piece and thank you for sharing it!
Oh my goodness, beautiful article!! I love the term “ecstatic birth.” Our fifth baby was a free birth and after my one hour labor, I was laughing and shrieking with JOY! That’s what woke my other children up. My daughter tells people now “I woke up because my mama was so happy she just had a baby! She was SOOO HAPPY!” I’m like what a core memory for her, wow.
Hi Michelle! I always loved babies, so when I got a job at a bookstore in high school, I asked to be in charge of the pregnancy/baby section of the store. We stocked Mothering Magazine, which ran articles about home birth. I had never heard of such a thing before, but was enchanted! I found a copy of Spiritual Midwifery at a bookstore during my freshman year of college and when I fell pregnant not too long after that, I knew I wanted a home birth. That's how things started for me!
Thanks for sharing with me. I learned the hard way 😃, but now I have had more home births from hospital births. I also write advice articles for women on what I have learned along the way and encourage home birthing with common sense.
I love this - shared it straight away with a friend who's expecting her first. Such beautiful powerful writing. I'm a veterinarian and it seems mad that we treat humans so differently from animals. I'd never suggest someone brought their dog to hospital to give birth. If a foaling mare stopped birthing because I disturbed her, I'd blame myself, not her. Yet we always blame women and women's bodies.
Thank you for a glorious piece, that helped me revisit my three wonderful home births. My children always want to hear their birth stories because they were a part of those magical days.
Thank you for sharing your perspective as a vet! It's incredible how we acknowledge and protect the safe, dark spaces where our pets go to give birth, yet we put women in brightly lit, exposed areas and watch as she struggles. As you said, we always blame her. So glad you found value in the piece and thank you for sharing it!
Oh my goodness, beautiful article!! I love the term “ecstatic birth.” Our fifth baby was a free birth and after my one hour labor, I was laughing and shrieking with JOY! That’s what woke my other children up. My daughter tells people now “I woke up because my mama was so happy she just had a baby! She was SOOO HAPPY!” I’m like what a core memory for her, wow.
Aww this is so awesome Chiara!! Thank you for sharing. What a powerful and beautiful impression of birth for your daughter 💖
Kristen,
How did you come on to home birth for your first birth? I am interested to hear. I started home birthing with my fifth child.
Michelle Perl
Homebirthdowntoearth.substack.com
Hi Michelle! I always loved babies, so when I got a job at a bookstore in high school, I asked to be in charge of the pregnancy/baby section of the store. We stocked Mothering Magazine, which ran articles about home birth. I had never heard of such a thing before, but was enchanted! I found a copy of Spiritual Midwifery at a bookstore during my freshman year of college and when I fell pregnant not too long after that, I knew I wanted a home birth. That's how things started for me!
Thanks for sharing with me. I learned the hard way 😃, but now I have had more home births from hospital births. I also write advice articles for women on what I have learned along the way and encourage home birthing with common sense.