We still need to come up with the cash to repair our nice Nissan Maxima that is still in Arizona before little Tater Tot comes. We’ll need a safe car to transport our little one around in and the Nissan has airbags and all that safety jazz, the Amigo does not…

Fixing the Nissan in addition to paying for our birth at The Farm basically puts us way over budget. We’ll be short about $3000 based upon how much money N is making working a 40 hour week.

We both feel that having the best birth situation is totally worth paying the extra money we just need to figure out how to come up with the money. We talked about N working overtime when possible to earn some extra cash and we also talked about the possibility of postponing the Nissan repair until after Tater Tot is born since we can only pay for the birth or the car repair (you know one or the other) but not both within our budget.

That would just mean Tater Tot and I would be stuck at home unable to ride around in the car until we get the Nissan fixed/ out here and that our family and friends in Arizona would not be able to see my pregnant belly before I deliver. It also means we would have to rent a car to get to and from The Farm.

Bringing Tater Tot in to the world at The Farm is what is right for us. I feel it in every bone in my body, it is hard to explain but the point is I know without a doubt where we are meant to birth this little one. Now I just need to make it happen. Do you think people would pay to see my labor and delivery via the web? LOL, that could make us some extra cash to get the car fixed…

Well thanks to my Farm birth obsession I have managed to stumble upon a number of bloggers/ blog posts that either have already taken place at The Farm or are planned to.

I found a fellow blogger (The Jenk Adventure) who is also preparing to birth at The Farm, she has my same midwife and is due before I am. I am enjoying following her pregnancy progress and reading her Farm experiences via her blog.

I also found a very detailed water birth story about Savanna Zoe Ioanna, a Farm born baby. You can read the birth story here if you want to get an idea of what a birth at The Farm is like.

Another birth story I found that took place at The Farm was that of Elijah, it was a longer labor but inspirational nonetheless. I am just loving reading home birth style birth stories, especially those that took place at The Farm like:

• Carrie’s Birth Story at The Farm
• Thomas’ breech birth at The Farm
• Asher’s birth at The Farm

If you want to know more about The Farm or about The Farm Midwives and their services I would encourage you to follow the provided links. Also check out the work of Ina May Gaskin, she’s viewed as the “mother of authentic midwifery,” says Jan Tritten, editor of Midwifery Today, a quarterly journal. Her work really gives you a feel for the birthing philosophy of The Farm and the history and experience that goes along with a Farm birth.

I was just asked today what happens if an actual emergency does arise during my birth at The Farm, what would happen since I wasn’t at a hospital?

My answer was: Almost every midwife who is attending a home birth has a back up hospital and even a back up doctor in place before labor even begins. There is no doubt that complications can happen even in the most normal and risk free pregnancies. This is why having a knowledgeable, experienced birth attendant is so important.

If my planned birth develops complications a hospital transport is the obvious next step, this is why I am so set on finding a midwife who knows her stuff. I want to be able to trust her to know when a hospital is necessary and to be able to keep me and my baby safe until we arrive there if any unexpected complications do arise.

I feel like I have been pretty open and clear about my reasoning behind this decision but I know that many still have questions and things they don’t quite understand about the process or the idea since this isn’t a very common thing.

I wanted to take this opportunity to allow you guys to ask any questions you may have about all this, especially family. Just post your question below and I’ll get you an answer. I am not trying to debate the decision or convince you of anything I just want the lines of communication open about it all so if you want to know something ask away! Don’t be shy.

Oooo one last thing! I know HOW much longer can this post be???

Passed on from CIMS e-News:
“TONIGHT: Orgasmic Birth to be featured on ABC’s 20/20 “Orgasmic Birth” will be a featured segment on ABC’s “20/20” tonight (Friday, Jan. 2) at 10:00 pm Eastern.

Filmmaker and former CIMS Leadership Team member Debra Pascali-Bonaro presents the ultimate challenge to our cultural myths by inviting viewers to see the emotional, spiritual, and physical heights attainable through unmedicated normal birth.  In this revolutionary documentary, physiologic childbirth is revealed as an integral part of women’s sexuality and a neglected human right.  Learn more about the segment on the ABC News Web site. “

I am not sure about the “orgasmic” part that the title suggests but I am going to record the show to see how they portray “the emotional, spiritual, and physical heights attainable through unmedicated normal birth” since those are the aspects I am trying to experience and preserve in my own birth.

I can already tell by the video clip posted on their site that many things are going to be inaccurately portrayed. The video clip ties unassisted birth (what Laura Shanley did) and assisted birth (what Rick Lake did) together when they are two completely different things.

Also, the interviewed doctor speaks about how home birth is unsafe because of lack of medical support when in reality a midwife in an assisted birth is the key medical support present to keep mom and baby safe.

Anyway I thought I would mention tonights show incase you are also interested in recording or watching it for more infomation. Then you can come back here and ask questions!

The post Taking the next step towards birthing at The Farm appeared first on Updates from Ryder Family Farm.

A quote on unassisted childbirth from www.unassistedchildbirth.com

“A woman in labor needs to be supported emotionally, or simply left alone. All the knowledge she needs to birth her baby is already within her. Her job is simply to relax, trust her body, and allow her baby to enter the world.”

After reading many birth stories I’ve become more of believer in the natural ability of our own bodies. I have read home birth stories, unassisted stories, water birth stories and hospital stories they all unfold differently but basically it just boils down to trust and fear. If you have a low risk pregnancy there is no reasion to not trust your body. After all women were giving birth well before hospitals and medical supervision (check out this info packed timeline Donna sent me).

Unfortunately we have been conditioned to fear the birth process. It is painful right? Things could go wrong and it is better to be safe than sorry… Well, I am not buying that.

I know for a fact that many hospital procedures and interventions are done for legal and financial reasons, they aren’t always what is best for mom and baby. I don’t want to be induced just because the doctor want to be home for dinner or receive a unneeded c section just so the hospital can legally cover their butt. Plus many of those procedures or decisions cause more harm or unnecessary risk than needed.

If the pregnancy is normal why not let the birth unfold as nature intended it to? That is the direction I am heading with my pregnancy. I will probably want my birth attended by someone who is trained and knows what complications to look out for. It really is too bad the state of Indiana prosecutes midwives and makes the virtually impossible to find. Hopefully I find one that is the perfect fit for me, if not I’ll consider all the other options before agreeing to a hospital birth.

Anywho, I am getting side tracked. I just wanted to put another alternative birth post out in the bloggosphere. I think it is something more people need to learn about and advocate for. So watch “Freebirthing” (or record it) if you have a chance, then come back here and tell us what you thought!

The post Watch Freebirthing on Discovery Health next week! appeared first on Updates from Ryder Family Farm.