No.2 Home Birth Is (Not Just) For Hippies Agile Family

You can join the discussion and share your own birth stories at www.slowbirth.com/agilefamily via email at theagilefamily@gmail.com or on twitter @agilefamily. Once again, I’m joined by my mum Jacquie Munro, Doula and childbirth educator of 30 years experience, and my wife Alanna Munro, freelance communication designer, typographer, and the mother of our baby James. Thinking about the options for where to give birth to your child is one of the first major decisions you will come to as parents. You will feel the weight of this decision, as it’s not just about making a decision for yourself, you also have an obligation to your child, and it may have great implications for their well being. It’s an intense introduction to parenthood. How you go about forming your decision will likely lay the foundation for your future decision making process. Early on, you have a lot of time to think and consider many different influences; from family and changes in roles of responsibility, to societal expectations, past experiences with healthcare, your own personal health, as well as best evidence. Who knew babies were such a research project. We hope this episode will spark in you a broader dialogue of birth experience amongst those close to you as well as your caregivers. Knowing that you have thought clearly and carefully through all the possibilities and being open to as many options as possible will set your family up for the best success. One of our favourite responses to the question “Where are you planning on having your baby?” has always been; wherever our baby chooses. Jacquie also has this to say: “Ultimately it is your baby and your body that makes that final decision and it might be midway through labour when you discover where you are having your baby.”