Lost and Found: A Letter to My Family

I am thrilled. I found the red three-ring binder that has been missing for months. Funny thing, I came across the notebook yesterday because I was looking for something else that is missing: the gray cord for our digital camera. Still looking for the cord, but at least I have the notebook. Why is this hunk of paper so coveted? Because when I was pregnant with my daughter and planning a home birth, I wrote a letter to my family in its pages. We had a scheduled visit with my direct entry midwife so she could answer any questions they had about the process of birthing at home. In attendance at this meeting was my midwife, husband, father, mother, sister and mother-in-law. My best friend was invited to the birth but lived in another state so I read the letter to her over the phone. She nor my sister actually made it to the birth because of a fast labor (sister) and miscommunication (friend). When I read this out loud to everyone I was very nervous and stuttered quite a bit with tear-filled eyes. Luckily, through the magic of the written word, you can read the letter without interruption. I wrote this letter with the mind of a very organized and emotional pregnant woman.


I am having a home birth because I feel deeply in my heart that our home is the safest place to have this baby. Instinctively and intellectually I know this to be true. Myself and the baby are healthy and strong which means this pregnancy is low risk. This being the case, I have the right to birth where I feel most secure, without the fear of unnecessary interventions and foreign germs. If at any time, the health of myself or this baby changes so that the pregnancy can be considered high risk, I will do what is right and transfer my labor and birth to the hospital. I have full trust in my body's ability to birth, my midwife's knowledge and skills, and my husband's gentle, supportive nature. What I need from you all, my chosen birth companions, is positive energy, confidence in the process of natural birth, quiet, respectful watchfulness when needed and calm, determined action if necessary. There may come a time when the intensity of labor causes me to lose heart and want to give in. I may make primal sounds, my body may tremble, I may even vomit. All of these things are positive and will mean the baby will be born soon. I will not need to be rescued or shown pity, but more than ever, I will need encouragement to guide me back to a place of concentration. I have chosen you all as my birth companions because I know you will do everything in your power to help us welcome this new life in the most gentle way as possible.