Going into a pregnancy is a really challenging time for a woman, because it's forever-changing, both mentally and physically.
Whether you plan to labor with an epidural or the Pitocin Fairy pins you down or you end up having an emergency C-section, there are still choices you can make throughout your entire birth experience that allow you to feel some control over what is probably the most dramatic day of your life.
I had a home birth because I really believe in the body's natural ability to give birth. The medical profession has kind of warped women's minds into thinking we don't know how to birth and we need doctors and epidurals and Pitocin.
Even if you are planning a birth with an epidural, the evidence suggests that a doula can help make things go much more smoothly.
My own father flipped out on me when I told him we decided to ditch our doctor and go with a midwife instead.
I know we can't always know what medical surprises may happen during childbirth. But my hope is to go fully natural - no epidural, no interventions. Wish me luck.
From conception to delivery, it has been a great experience. I was determined to give a natural birth.
My son's birth was pretty life-shattering, in good ways and bad ways. I realized that I needed a doula because I'm not close to my mom, and I don't have a lot of people in New York.
I wanted to be a 'jungle mom', where you're giving birth and getting up and doing things straightaway.
A home birth is about being able to create exactly what you want, because it's such a violent moment inside of the body that you want everything else to be as beautiful as it can be.
My wife and I would be very comfortable having a baby at home or using one of the terrific nurse-midwives at the hospital.
We're going to do a natural birth. At first she was like, 'We should do it at home,' and I said, 'Look, either way, when you go into labor, I will be checking into a hospital... so if you want to come along, come along.
I'm excited. I'm nervous. I'm having a girl! Baby weaves and green lipstick, here we come!
I'm not sure if my husband is going to be there when I actually have the baby. He said the only way he's going to be in the room when there's a delivery is if there's a pizza involved.
I had a very long home birth. She was almost 10 pounds and did not want to come out.
I watched Ricki Lake's documentary, 'The Business of Being Born,' and that led me to call a midwife, and not an ob-gyn, when I found out I had conceived. My delivery was not easy - they call it 'labor,' not 'a vacation!' - but I was incredibly grateful that I did it that way.
I'm definitely not the person who's gonna sit anywhere and tell you that home birth is the only way to have a baby because I don't believe that. But I do think the only way to have a baby is where you feel great about your birth.
Birth is really judgy, and people get really opinionated. Everyone's entitled to the experience they want.
I just believe pregnant women need a familiar face, someone who isn't related to them who they may have all this emotional past with, to be there, just for them, during the birth.
I wanted a doula because it's my first baby, and I want to be able to call her when I'm going into labor so she can come over and help us go through the early stage.
I just felt very young and unprepared. I didn't know anyone who'd been pregnant, and I didn't know anyone who'd had a baby. Because everyone around me didn't really get it, I just kept on as though nothing was happening, even though I was slightly scared and throwing up everywhere.
