Homebirth Information - not for the faint

Ok, so as many of you know, Doc and I decided to plan a homebirth for our daughter. This means that I will labor at our home and deliver baby Evelyn here with a CNM (certified nurse midwife) in attendance to make sure that both myself and the baby are safe during the process. I've been asked a lot of questions about this decision, so I thought I'd post and answer a few.

Is that safe?: It can be. Midwifes are normally very selective (ours sure is) in who they will allow to plan for a homebirth. I am in excellent health, with great blood test numbers, appropriate weight gain, and a healthy baby. I'm a good candidate. Homebirth has a more narrow window for when you can deliver at home too. We will be going to a hospital if I go into labor before Thanksgiving OR if Evelyn refuses to come out on time and I need to be induced at a hospital.

What are you doing for pain medication?: I'm going without pain medication. We've taken classes to prepare and my husband is highly supportive of my decision to avoid medications if at all possible. I have been told I'm crazy many times for choosing this path, but I believe it's what is right for my family. It's certainly not right for everyone's.

What if something goes wrong?: We have a backup OBGYN just in case anything goes wrong. The midwife will call the OB and the hospital (less than 1/2 mile away) in the event we need to transfer to a hospital at any point in time. Her transfer rate is under 6% and the majority of those are mothers who decided they were too tired to continue at home or changed their mind about not having pain medication.

What is a CNM?: A certified nurse midwife is an RN with additional education and training in the field of women's health. My midwife can prescribe certain medications and my insurance covers her as my primary care during pregnancy. She IS NOT some old witchdoctor lady who brings a stick for me to bite on and chants alot during labor.

What about the mess?: It's not so old school now that you have a few warm towels and some boiled water and hope for the best. We ordered a birth supplies kit from "In His Hands" online. It includes medical devices (gloves, clamps, etc.) as well as absorbancy pads to control the mess from birth. One of the requirements for homebirth is that we clean our house thoroughly, especially the room we intend to deliver in.

What does your husband think about all this?: This question makes me laugh. Anyone who really knows Doc and I knows that we don't make decisions like this without being completely on the same team. Doc believes in my ability to birth as do I. He knows the risks involved with labor and has seen how well I have taken care of myself so far through-out pregnancy. He's on board. I do not think I could have the strength to do an unmedicated birth at home without his complete support.

Any more questions? Let me know!