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A Brief Description of a Home Birth
by Lynda Hoskins
Although every birth is uniquely different, there are a few similarities. It’s the most wonderful birthday party you’ll ever attend but you won’t know the day or hour in time to plan. You could be summoned day or night and you’ll be expected to come without hesitation, ready to attend to the needs of anyone in this “birthing family.”
Your eyes will constantly be on your hostess who will probably ignore you for hours at a time. It’s kind of like a mini-vacation. People may be eating, drinking, taking naps, singing, reading, watching movies, taking care of other children, possibly catching up on old times, and almost everyone will be barefooted.
The women will be sitting around the bedroom watching a scantily dressed lady, while the men do whatever men do when they have hours to do nothing. The dad, of course, will be attending to Mom’s every need, supporting her in the hardest work of her life.
You’ve been invited; they knew you were coming, but the house, by
this time, is usually a mess with pillows, sleeping bags and shoes everywhere
but no one seems to really care. It’s very family oriented with sometimes
several generations together but you’ll also meet people you never
saw before but even they will seem like brothers and sisters. The party
seems to be centered on the laboring “Mom” but the real star
of the show is a little fellow who isn’t even there for most of the
party. And, this party could last all day - or even longer, but no one
seems to care! The main attraction of this event is when this new little
life, created by God, makes his/her grand entrance into the world. Watching
a miracle in action is never easy on the emotions but always a blessing
to everyone.
The party ends with women helping the hostess take a shower, changing
the sheets on her bed, cleaning up her house, phoning dozens of people,
doing her laundry, taking out the garbage, passing around the new baby,
washing dishes, taking pictures, crying, eating birthday cake, singing,
praising, thanking God for this little miracle, and finally leaving in
a state of real glory. But that still doesn’t explain it.
I guess you’d just have to be there!