Our $500 Baby- Thanks Kristine!!

Homebirthing is a personal choice... and one that I wouldn't have made so easily if I knew that I had any other option... I am an American living in Canada. Here, in a land where health care is free, I didn't think I was eligible to participate in their programs. And I also didn't want to have to pay-off a huge medical bill... So, my partner and I did the research, got comfortable with the idea and then found a midwife.

"Homebirth?!? You must be a hairy legged, arm hair happy, natural foods loving hippie!!" On the contrary, I am just a normal (whatever that means) person... Occassionally I forget to shave my legs, but my underarms are hair free... And I love to eat at fast food joints.. Nothing like fries and a burger!!

But anyways, I was dubbed a high-risk pregnancy because of a blood disorder that I have where my body doesn't create and maintain an adequate amount of platelets... I bleed easily and heavily... But through careful monitoring by blood counts... and taking some natural something or other my midwife gave me, I was able to increase my platelets high enough to be considered in the normal range.

In the beginning of my pregnancy(the first 6 months), I drove the 18 hours monthly back and forth to Massachusetts for our doctors visits... I was determined to make sure that everything was ok for baby... We had our last ultrasound on January 3rd, just two days before my state health care was cut-off... At that point, baby was healthy and looked like she was going to be small...

At my last midwife check-up, I was measured and even then, the baby was small... My midwife said probably around 6 lbs. or so...

The baby arrived right on schedule... Labor began at 9:30 on a Sunday night... I didn't sleep at all during the night... Hard and heavy contractions came and went all night long. My midwife came the following morning around 9:30 or so... She said she wasn't worried and that everything would be ok... The one thing that no one ever tells you is about your body's need to empty all of it's contents before giving birth... So, I had a considerable amount of pain all ready...

After going through a night and then a long morning of contractions, I just wanted to go sit in the bathtub and rest in the water... As I made my way towards the stairs, my water broke (around noon) and I was steered towards my bed... At this point, my contractions worsened and became even harder...

In preparation for our home birth, we bought a birthing ball which is supposed to lessen the pain of the contractions... (it did nothing)... We also installed a railing along the wall so that I could have support and be able to give birth in a squat position... This was the best thing that I could have ever done!! and even in a hospital setting, I highly recommend it...

Our homebirth wasn't without disturbances... You can't just put on the door, "Do not disturb- baby delivery in progress!!" and of course, of all days, this was the day the contractor came for the siding... which was being replaced under warranty.

Well, the long and short of it all, baby was born at 2:36pm. She was a healthy 8lbs. 2 oz. baby girl!! Her face was blue from bruising. She was also born with her right hand up on her face...

Looking back, there isn't one thing that I would have changed about the experience that I had...
Celia was born into the arms of my partner... She was held close by her family... not whisked away to be poked and prodded by some stranger... And when baby number 5 comes along- even though I have health care... I still will choose to have my new baby at home... in a loving environment!!