Hippies Aren't The Only Home Birthers........

I wanted to share this article about Home Birth from a website I frequent, because not only do I think Home Birth is an awesome thing, but also just to show others that is not some crazy choice that only super crunchy or "granola" type families choose. It is a fabulous choice for many and not that my motive for choosing home birth was based on a celebrity endorsement (nor should anyone else's), but funny thing about celebrities....they tend to bring more awareness to certain topics and make things more acceptable to the mainstream public. The article isn't ground-breaking or supremely written, but viewed from the eyes of someone who oft gets gets strange looks or comments about my choice to have my second, much less my third child at home, it is fun to see an article like this that isn't bogged down with negativity.

Celebrities and Homebirth

by Monica Beyer

With the arrival of daughter Maxine on May 1, 2011, 311 frontman Nick Hexum not only witnessed the homebirth of his child; he was actually the person who delivered her. He and his wife, Nikki, had arranged for a homebirth (their second) with a midwife present, but baby Maxine’s arrival took less time than anticipated and she made her presence known before the midwife’s arrival. Even though the delivery wasn’t without a few tense moments, the proud dad reported that the experience was overwhelming and incredible.

While daddy deliveries are still somewhat rare, celebrity homebirth is becoming more prevalent. Here are a few examples:

• Jennifer Connelly’s daughter Agnes Lark was born at home on May 31, 2011
• Gisele Bündchen delivered her son at home in her bathtub in December of 2009
• Nelly Furtado experienced a homebirth in 2003 with her daughter Nevis
• Cindy Crawford had two homebirths — son Presley and daughter Kaia
• Pamela Anderson’s two sons were born at home
• Kelly Preston had a baby boy at home in November of 2010
• Erykah Badu birthed all three of her children at home

Mothers choose homebirth for a number of reasons — a desire to avoid the unnecessary medical interventions that often accompany hospital births, a sense of empowerment and ability, and a wish to be at home, in comfort, surrounded with the ones they love.

Giselle Bündchen has become one of the most outspoken celebrities on homebirth. She has openly talked about blogged about the experience. She said, “It was the most amazing experience of my life, feeling him come through my body. And once he was born, I never felt so empowered as looking at him and thinking, Oh, my God, we did it together!”

If you are considering a homebirth, you are in excellent company. Not only will you join the many celebrities who are keen on keeping the birth experience natural and at home, but the countless couples worldwide who are hopeful to allow their bodies to do what nature intended in the best environment possible.

About Monica: Monica has been writing professionally since 2000 and has two published books — Teach Your Baby to Sign and Baby Talk. Her writing appears in a number of websites. The mother of four children, Monica is a cloth diaper and natural parenting enthusiast. She also sews custom fleece soakers at Mama Bird.