The Power of Birth Stories
~Bekah Sealey, editor of MBPH
We at More Babies Prefer Home Birth have always invited our guests to stop awhile and share their own stories. Why should we share our stories? Beyond statistics and research, lists of pros and cons, stories have staying power. We may not always remember all the details, but having heard or read a personal experience remains in our memories.
Thirteen years ago, when I was pregnant with my first child, I knew nothing of pregnancy, birth or options beyond the typical medical childbearing experience. It’s not surprising, then, that I experienced the usual American childbirth, with monitors and tubes, interventions and drugs, resulting in the not uncommon postpartum infection. After mulling over how this happened the next few months, I recalled reading a home birth story in, of all places, one of the American Baby-esque magazines culled from the doctor’s office. At the time, I wondered why anyone would possibly choose to do such a crazy thing. A year later, I was eagerly searching any information I could find on the subject. Since then, we have planned 5 home births: one water birth, one (unfortunate, but healthy) transport during birth, and one unassisted birth.
I wish I remembered who had written that article, or even what magazine it had been. She gave me options, I’d otherwise never have known existed. I’d like to thank her for changing my life.
{If you’d like to share your own home birth story, please use the form at right to submit it.}
