Peaceful Birth: It Can be Done!

So today we're going to let Jessica get on her "natural labor is awesome" soapbox!  My dear friend Amber gave me permission to share the video of her home water birth... her daughter Riley was born a few days before Christmas.  Not only does watching a birth make me cry (in general) but this particular birth experience makes me cry because of how peaceful and beautiful it was!  And also because she had a girl when she was just sure she'd have another boy!

Amber's experience is such a sharp contrast to the Hollywood version of a screaming panicked mom-to-be yelling at her man to FLOOR IT to the hospital!  (Though that does make for a more epic movie scene, obviously!)  And her experience even trumps my own two natural labors, as I was far from calm and peaceful right before my babies crowned!  

Women often fear the pain of childbirth simply because they have been trained by this western mentality that medications and interventions during birth are the norm.  The hippies want to tell you otherwise!  I wanted to share this hopeful picture of another option to anyone in their childbearing years.  You don't have to deliver in a hospital with a doctor, you don't even have to deliver in a bed!

Decide what kind of birth YOU want (and yes, you can handle the pain, I promise!) and go for it!  Even if people are going to incredulously ask questions like "you delivered your baby in your living room?  In front of the Christmas tree?" Yes.  Yes she did.  And she did AWESOME!

Great job Amber!  Thanks for letting me share your story!  And welcome to the world baby Riley!  

Love, your resident wanna-be-doula.  GO GO HIPPIES!