Tonight's 20/20

I was a little excited to see he story on home births on tonight's 20/20. But after watching it it left me irate and really mad. According to this story couples choosing home births are selfish and only thinking of themselves.. not the child the are bringing into the world. As a mother who has had a hospital birth and a home birth I could write pages comparing both experiences and why our choice was so clear that our second birth should be at home and how our natural birthing experience benefited our child.

Our first birthing experience was by no means a horror story as some people describe their birthing experiences to be when they are in hospital sometime not by their own choice or wish to be there, and in the case of an emergency or things not working out as planned at home the back up plan is to always head to the hospital. But when did birth become a surgical procedure? When you look at the statistics it seems a bit alarming to me that according to 20/20, in the US one in three births are a surgical procedure... that there has been a 50% increase in c-sections and medical interventions. When I toured Windsor Regional they volunteered the information that 80% or more of their births end up being c-sections. I don't really think that that is something to be proud of. The fact of the matter remains that with the right guidance, knowing and listening to your body and in a case where there are no complications birth is one of the most empowering experiences a woman can have. I am so thankful for our amazing midwife and doula that were there every step of the way, making this a truly personal experience - just us and our baby - how it should be. This is what my body was made to do.. so why should I let someone take that right away from me, stick a needle in my spine and slice me open?

Now I can understand an OBGYN's dilemma... They don't want to stick around and endure the labour for however long it may be, I mean it could interrupt the planned golf game or charity ball and think of all the money that can be made by sticking this woman under the knife, a quick procedure that can be billed for big bucks and doesn't tie up all their day and night.... Am I a little cynical? How troubled is our medical system in the 'western world'? Now the American Medical Association is agreeing to support legislation that would make it impossible for couples to have a home birth. Wanna baby? You have no rights, no say in what will happen with your body take these drugs and under the knife you go!

20/20's website and the article stemming from the program I just watched led me to the website for Ricki Lake's documentary 'The Business of Being Born' I am really intrigued to see this documentary and any positive experiences for home birth. I agree that home births and drug free births are not for everyone, it is not what we all look for when it comes to our birthing experience but never stop fighting for your rights to be able to bring your child into the world in the most natural way, instead research look at the benefits and don't let our messed up medical system scare you into being a c-section statistic.