Open Circle home birth stories. Thank you to all the moms who have been willing to share! Click on the link to read each woman's story.
Sharing birth stories is a time-honored women's tradition. Since it is now rare to hear our grandmothers', mothers', aunties', sisters' birth stories as we grow up, as our fore-mothers likely did, it is especially important for us to hear and read birth stories. Positive birth stories, even if the brith did not go as planned, help women to believe, "Yes, birth works, babies come out. I can do this, too."
Sharing stories of home births also helps women who are planning a home birth either for their first or subsequent children, to get an idea of the variety of ways birth can happen at home.
The oral tradition of sharing birth stories continues at our potlucks. Sharing stories helps the story-teller to process and explore her own birth while those that are yet to birth soak up the details and get tips for their own upcoming births. Please join us!
Stephanies Story (Nicholas’ birth 4/7/07) First time mom home birth.
Elania's Story (Dylan’s birth 4/17/08) A fifth time mom has her first home birth after four hospital inductions.
Michelle's birth story (Nathan’s birth 8/18/2008) First baby, home birth.
Amanda's story (Harper’s birth, 11/22/08) Fourth time mom has her third homebirth and tells the story to her new baby of his birth.
Katherine's Story (Emilia's birth 5/5/09) Second baby (first was at Ballard House), first home birth.
Stacies Birth (Ian Glade’s birth 6/7/09) Second natural birth for this mom, first home birth.
Leslie's Story (Cor’s birth 7/16/09) First time mom, home water birth.
Megan's Story (Aila's birth 2/20/10) First time mom, home shower birth!
Births that transported to the hospital during or after labor.
Not all planned home births culminate in birth at home. Home birth transfer rates are 7-10% of all planned home births. Most transports are for non-emergency reasons, like a slow labor where we’ve exhausted all of our “tricks” at home and are ready to move on to some tools that hospitals have. Below are stories from moms who transported to the hospital either during or after labor.
Amrons Story(Luck’s birth 8/19/08) First baby, labored at home, transferred to the hospital and birthed vaginally there.
Jessicas Story: (Violet’s birth, 5/26/09). First baby, born at home, postpartum transport for third stage issue, and back home again a few hours later. [Note from the midwives: Retained placenta is a infrequent occurrence (0.8-1.2% of births) that can necessitate more help from the hospital.]
