How to Have a Home Birth, Spiritual and Emotional Preparation
My journey to home birthing was merely a door that opened unto the realization that today’s culture of institutionalized birth had held my understanding, my faith in my innate feminine ability to birth without outside, assistance hostage.
Birthing at home is more than providing a potential haven from the capitalistic endeavors of an institutionalized birthing system…it is a place of liberation.
A liberation that begins with changing our social understanding of birth…
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. – 2 Corinthians 3:17
Examining your Social Understanding of Birth
Identify your beliefs that don’t necessarily come from personal experience, but evolve from someone else’s beliefs or experience. Read and research the facts as much as possible. When you do this, you’re transforming your understanding of birth and replacing fears with knowledge and facts.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. – Romans 12:2
Take Stock of Society’s resistance to “different”
Standing up for what’s right for you and your right to choose how to birth is never easy, when every one set on one way to birth. Consider your emotional capacity to handle the stress that comes from outside pressure…especially so when it originates from those who you love and desire to support you. Consider your emotional strength. Where do you draw strength from? As much as you may love your partner in birth, it’s your journey and no one can take it for you. Write down everyone’s concerns and questions. Read and research every concern and prepare to answer their questions calmly and factually.
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. – Colossians 4:6
Having A Peaceful Mind
Being at peace with yourself and your decision to birth at home is no easy task. We fight a fear-filled institutionalized birthing system designed to promote worry and an anxious state of being. A peaceful or a restful mind is vital in preparing yourself emotionally for a home birth and should be a goal. Resist the urge to worry. If you are being overly anxious, recognize that for what it is, so you can adequately distinguish unfound worries from genuine concerns. A peaceful mind, is an empowered one.
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. – 2 Timothy 1:7
Additional Tips….
When you do you research, consider your sources. An OBGYN would not be a good source of information for home births. Make sure the websites you read are ones that are not affiliated with/Sponsored by companies that present a conflict of interest. Talk to midwives who have attended home births and moms who have successful home births. Ina May Gaskins and Dr. Sarah Buckley are experts in their fields and highly respected for their work. Dr. Buckley has an informative ebook about the”Hormonal Blueprint for Labor”.
Such a wonderful, helpful post. I never had a home birth, but I think this would have helped me even at the hospital. I need to have my friend read this :0) She's due in four weeks.
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