RE: http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,187899,00.html

I don't think it has anything to do with what you eat or the prettyness of birth. I had my son in a hospital at 23 years old. I chose to have an all natural birth and I had a dula by my side. To this day I still wish I had had a mid-wife and perform a home delivery. It's a matter of it being a much more personal and intimate experience. Of course should there be an emergency, you have a well laid plan and always have a doctor a.k.a your mid-wife by your side. In my experience from before and after birth, people are interested in our birthing process. It's fascinating and beautiful! I have had to go into details many of times to mothers and non-mothers alike. As well as close friends of mine detailing their experience to me long before pregnancy had even occurred for me. My 1st child was born naturally in a hospital. I regret the fact that I didn't know enough about it. And I regret to have to tell my son when he's older that, yes he was all natural but in a hospital. From this point forward, I will be doing home births. It's a beautiful thing.

High five to you Sarah! Really who's right is it to say whether my daughter's birth in a hospital was right for her and I or not. I had a 2 year venture to even get pregnant and once I did, I was sick every single day of that pregnancy. The week before I was due, I started developing signs of preeclampsia and the day before I was due, they sent me in to be induced! Can you imagine, I just said the "I" word, that too is taken by so many as such an ugly word. My pregnancy was hard to achieve, hard to go through but the best part was where I was for it! The team of doctors and nurses I had made that experience ever lasting in my memory and was beautiful. I hope to be so lucky if I am able to get pregnant again to find people so eager to help me and my experience turn out so well. The benefit to being in the hospital is that 24 hours after I gave birth I hemorrhaged and it wouldn't stop, had I been at home, I could have died, I was in an O.R. not 15 minutes after it started and I am thankful God blessed us with doctors. I am not saying homebirth is wrong, but it is NOT for everyone. I just don't understand why people feel the need to tell me what I should or shouldn't do with my body!

I enjoy each story I am told of a woman giving birth, because like each child, it is her story to tell, not mine.

I've read the NYTimes article and Sarah's article. And I've had one hospital and 3 home births. Basically, the NYTimes midwife was a bit scary. Take something simple and put the NYCity spin on it and it goes wacko! My hospital experience (1st child)was clinical, cold, and impersonal. My home births were not. I never, however, would have attempted the home birth if I had chronic conditions, VBAC status, or any signs of danger in my prenatals. That said, I realize that even then, there is still risk. However, from that point my husband and I rested in faith that God would show us the right way each time. Yes, like Sarah said, all four of our kids are perfectly normal. Unlike an MD relative accused, we were not being neglectful nor selfish. We were making a choice for our family.