I am fortunate to live in the state of Arizona where home births attended by Certified Nurse Midwives are an option. I had the opportunity to witness my first home birth in 2005, when my friend and neighbor asked me to photograph her birth. (I am a professional photographer by profession.) As it turned out, her 3 year-old son was sick, so I assumed a more active role as labor coach while her husband tended to their son.

Only inches away, I witnessed a miracle. It was incredible!

When I first learned of my neighbor’s plan, I thought, this woman is crazy. I’d never have a home birth, it’s not safe. But in the end, everything was picture perfect (no pun intended!)

Fast forward 2 years to my own pregnancy—a bit of a surprise, I might add. I wasn’t planning to have a baby, so I didn’t have maternity coverage—why pay for something you don’t need (sound familiar). I soon learned that I could add it to my policy for a mere $750.00 a month…ouch! A hospital birth was affordable as long as I didn’t mind eating peanut butter sandwiches every day. So money (or lack thereof) prompted me to investigate other options.

Intending to leave no stone unturned, I contacted the local midwifery clinic to schedule a consultation. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the consultation was free. Matt (aka expectant Dad) went with me to meet with one of the midwives. She answered all of our questions about safety, emergency situations, fees, transportation to the hospital in the event of an emergency, cesarean birth, vaginal tears, episiotomies, prenatal and postpartum care and more. An hour later, we left her office convinced that this was the option for us.

We agreed that giving birth at home would be more comfortable. We wouldn’t have to worry about knowing “when” to go to the hospital. And we were assured that two midwives would be in attendance, just in case there was a problem. Moreover, the midwives stay with you for 3 hours after birth to make sure mom and baby are okay and to assist with early breastfeeding. The deciding factor was that there would be little or no medical intervention. Admittedly, I am not comfortable in hospitals; in fact, hospitals make me nervous. But it gave me confidence to know that if an emergency occurred, the midwives would not hesitate to transfer me to the hospital.

I will be the first to admit that hospital births offer some important advantages. If an emergency occurs, you have immediate access to an operating room and a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Also, pain medication is readily available including epidural anesthesia. Last but not least, with the push of a button, an angel of mercy (aka nurse) appears.

But in the end, I chose a home birth with a certified nurse midwife because I truly believe in their philosophy of care. Giving birth to a healthy baby was key, but avoiding a cesarean birth and an episiotomy were also very near the top of my list! I am healthy and young (well, young enough, at 30) and I wanted to avoid cutting and pasting, unless it was medically necessary. I wasn’t afraid of the pain (easy to say for someone who hasn’t experienced the pain of labor!) And I was sincere in my desire to meet the challenge head on. I believe that women are designed to give birth vaginally (with rare exception) and that billions of women have given birth before me. Surely if they can do it, I can do it!

Regardless of your choice, home or hospital, be sure to choose an attendant (midwife or doctor) who supports your plan for your birth. And remember that childbirth is a normal event; one that society desperately needs to embrace.