Midwives are at Home with Birth

Midwives are at Home

with Birth

I was driving along the other day reading all of the crazy bumper stickers when this idea came into my head:

“Midwives Are at Home with Birth”

For over ten years, I have been passionate about home births. Now that I have become a doula, this passion is intensifying. But as a doula, I have a constant debate going in my head: “How do I support a woman in the hospital when I truly believe that she should be at home with a midwife?” and “Where is the balance between being supportive of a woman’s choice and advocating for home births?”

While talking with a client today, I answered my own questions.

• I have realized that MY personal choice is having a home birth.
• By telling my story and educating women about their choices, I AM advocating for home births.
• I am supporting a woman’s choice by supporting her in the hospital.

Beyond anything else, I believe that a woman has a choice about where, with who and how she gives birth to her baby. This is why I am a doula. This is my role right now. I am here to educate women about the choices they have and support them in the choices they make.

Eventually, when I become a midwife, I will take on a new role of directly advocating for home births and supporting women with their choice to give birth at home.

So, along with my belief that “Midwives are at Home with Birth,” I also believe that “Doulas Support a Women’s Choice.”