Shameless plug for homebirth

 My disclaimer is that I wish to cause no woman pain. I am representing a birth side that has been repressed and still is. I am standing up for and speaking about what I know. This does not mean that I down anyone else or their way of thinking. But stand I will in the middle of the room.

When you get a new car do the people you know say "aren't you afraid that you'll die if you drive that?" or "don't you think that is a little risky taking that on the freeway you might cause your family harm" or perhaps "that just isn't safe, you are only thinking of your own selfishness to get somewhere faster than walking?". No I don't suppose that they have. We prepare ourselves or others help prepare us for driving and then we drive. It is a very dangerous thing to do. We weren't even made to do so. When was the last time you saw a person born with wheels?

Oh yea born. That is what I am really talking about here. We were made , women that is, to give birth. Check out the anatomy it is all there and contrary to medical belief the body of woman is what grows and births a baby.

"Aren't you afraid that you or the baby will die? "Well no actually there is more chance that I will die driving my car than having this baby.

"Don't you think your taking risks?" Ah, no again, last time I looked all the right equipment was there it worked to get pregnant, it'll work to give birth.

" Don't you think you are being selfish having that baby at home?" Mmmm resounding no. I think I am being very reasonable. It won't set us back for years paying off a hospital for doing to me what I don't want done because I am not sure and they can't tell me what will be the long term effects for my baby. And the bacteria and germs who wants to have a baby near all those sick people and in contact with the superbugs that live in hospitals?

I already did have those babies at home 4 of them. I heard all the questions and endured the years of horror stories from mothers who chose the other way. I kept silent and smiled while they told me that I just didn't know and didn't understand. Oh I understood and I smiled.

I am no longer silent on the matter.

I cry with the women that give me story after story of how there births were taken away and the outcomes questionable. I am mad that the woman that couldn't walk was told she pushed to hard and not that the epidural was done incorrectly. I weep with my friend that asked not to be too drugged that cannot remember the birth because she was doped up. I growl at the doctor that told the woman that she had to have the c-section because she had failed to progress and at her homebirth she tool a break at that point as well and then went on to have the baby. I cannot believe that the doctors tell women when they cut them, poke them, pull on the heads of their babies, scream PUSH at them, shove there feet in stirrups, drape their body as if would contaminate their own babies and then tell them they had to or they or their baby would have dies. Who the heck can argue with that??? Who do they think they are GOD or something???

I am so mad and have been pent up for years about it.

I am putting my mad into action. I sit down with young women and we dispel those fears. We walk through birth and pain and joy together. I stay with them and believe with them. I let them be in charge.

I will talk till I am blue and let women know there are other ways. I found a way. It worked. I am happy. My babies were happy and healthy now they are having there own in the same way and their babies are happy and healthy.

Now I know that things can go wrong like a car wreck that breaks your neck and you live for 20+ years not walking. I know that babies die in and out of the hospital. I know that people have heart attacks and young ages and die. I know that the wrong antibiotic after a successful operation can kill you. This is but a small part of my experience of life, death and suffering after all I have lived almost half a century. I am not naive nor flippant.

"What if something happens?" We darn well hope something will happen. We want that baby. It will take something to get him/her here.

Don't be afraid to live and birth. Don't be robbed. Don't listen to horror stories. Hear the truth. You were made to do this. You have the equipment. You can do this. This is natural not medical. Educate yourself and be brave... live and as in Spanish they say "Dar a luz" Give a light. Do it at home with those you love. Shine.