OK, it's been over a month since Sequoia Rain was born and I've been promising to get my birth story out to folks. So let's see how it goes...
I think it's important to begin with how we came to choosing a home birth. For those of you who've been following this from the beginning, sorry to re-hash.
Our pregnancy wasn't a planned one, but we had been talking about having a child in the future, so it didn't take us long to adjust to the news and get excited about it. Excited and nervous. We weren't ready to have kids. Well, who's ever ready? But seriously, we weren't sure how we were supposed to manage this giant life change. We were running a small start up food business that hadn't shown definitive success or not. We had lots of ups and downs, and we always managed to pay rent, but lots of insecurity too. A difficult place to be in when you have the responsibility of having a baby lurking in the future. I've got MediCal for insurance, so lucky for us I knew our hospital bills would be covered and even luckier I realized that we could have the baby at St. Luke's Hospital, which I had heard was relatively progressive and had a low c-section rate. I began their centering program (a group centered approach to birth preparation) and was continuously telling myself how lucky I was to have all that I had available to me (which was true), but what I wasn't admitting was how deep inside I wished I could have a home birth, but since it wouldn't be covered by MediCal I didn't think it would be an option for us.
My step-sister and friend, Tara Brooke, offered to be my doula at no cost. She had introduced me to home birth from her profession and also from the birth of her own children. I had a few other friends in my larger circles that had their babies at home too. After having seen home birth videos, including Tara's, and having started reading Midwifery and natural birth books I saw how much the home birth experience was in alignment with the way I try to live. It's about being present, it's about trusting in our bodies natural capacity, it's about comfort and safety, it's intimate and loving, and it's about allowing yourself to be really supported!
One day towards the end of my pregnancy Tara reflected that it sounded as if I was choosing my hospital birth as an option solely because of my financial restrictions. I didn't think of it as choosing, I didn't think I had other choices, but in that moment I realized that wasn't true. We often create barriers where there are none instead of recognizing the endless opportunities available. Then everything shifted for me and all of a sudden I owned that what I really wanted was a home birth and that I should be doing everything I can to make that happen. If I couldn't find the $ or the midwife or the special conditions that would allow for a home birth, then it would be time to accept the hospital birth and feel gratitude for what was available to me. So the light bulb went on and I decided I would raise the funds by seeking support from anyone and everyone that I knew. I'd throw a fundraiser event, I'd look for scholarships, I'd seek midwives that would offer a discount, and I'd do whatever it took!
So, at something like 7 months pregnant I began my campaign. I started this blog, I found a midwife and with the help of friends I put on a fundraiser craft/jewelry/art show. Once, I made the shift and owned my true desires, I absolutely knew that we'd raise the money. Which we did! In the process I discovered the true girth of our community. It extended beyond just family, beyond our tried and true friends; it includes all kinds of caring and/or interested parties: friends of friends, strangers from the home birth community, work associates, folks in my herb class, other food vendors, people in the birth community and beyond! It was amazing to see how our community grew in response to putting ourselves out there. It was incredibly inspirational and it has caused me to want to give back. That's why I want to continue this blog. I hope that any couple or woman wanting to create a birth atmosphere that feels safe, supported and loving is able to see all the opportunities available. I'm even thinking of starting a fund for expectant mothers in need. But that's another chapter.
End of Part 1
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