Thoughts on homebirth

There is a common accusation that homebirthers are more interested in having a good experience than in their baby's safety. This is actually an incredible insult. It is an accusation of such extreme selfishness as to be criminally dangerous.


The truth is that every homebirther I have ever met was way more concerned about safety than the "experience."

The evidence shows that for a low-risk pregnancy home is almost always safer. Period.

It is just coincidence that it is also a much more pleasant experience than a hospital birth.

In other words, what is safer for baby is also nicer (and safer, by the way) for mommy.

(Now, high risk pregnancies may actually need our medicalized hospital births, but that is a small percentage of the population. Yes, some babies who die or are injured at home wouldn't be if they were born at the hospital. But we aren't told of the many children that are injured or killed by the procedures at the hospital who would have been fine if born at home.)

Self-centered

" I was accused of being too self-absorbed in my own life and concerns, and in putting too little of myself into benefiting others outside my home." This from an email to a full-time mom. Read her answer. It is very good.

I have always wondered why my children are not valuable. Why are they not considered as "others" ? You see, as a stay-at-home mom I am ministering to "others" (my children and hubby) from the time I wake up until I go to bed. Yet to so many this is being selfish and self-centered. Why aren't my children worth ministering to? Why doesn't pouring myself out to meet the needs of a totally helpless human being count when I happened to have birthed that human being? Why must "service" and "ministering" be out where everyone can see and praise me for it? Isn't that, in fact, the opposite of how Jesus told us to give?

Look at it this way: if I were a daycare worker, school teacher, full time pastor or even cook or maid I would be called a ministering angel, vital to the world, IMPORTANT! But I do ALL these things for my own family (instead of doing one thing for others and farming all this out for my family) and I am called lazy and self centered. Why isn't my own family valuable?