Milk Trails: A Journey In The Out-Of-Hospital Birth Experience

Prior to motherhood, Madison was intrigued with everything birth related including her own birth story of being breech and born by cesarean. From her work as a postpartum doula, she had been exposed to many birth stories including home birth. She was also fascinated by what’s known as ‘free birthing’ which is giving birth without the presence of medical professionals. But in the early weeks of her pregnancy, Madison decided to establish care with a midwife. At 38 weeks, after a 24-hour labor, and a discussion of transferring to the hospital due to her exhaustion, Madison finally gave birth to her son in the comfort of their own home.

39-year-old first-time mother Rhea planned a birth center birth because she was not comfortable with the idea of laboring at home in her apartment with neighbors in close proximity. As a performer and back up singer for Pharrell Williams, she assumed it would be her natural instinct to be vocal in coping with the contractions. Ironically, she was completely silent during labor, surprising herself and her midwife. We start our conversation with how she first became introduced to the choices around childbirth.

PART I: Rosie and Noah shared the birth story of their son at home. Their first child was born in a birth center and after a successful, natural birth, they had to transfer to the hospital for a retained placenta. The second time around, Rosie and Noah felt like they were ready to give birth in the comfort of their own home. Together they shared their experience coming to the decision to plan a home birth, the fears they worked through and of course how it all unfolded the night of.

PART II: Rosie and Noah shared the birth story of their son at home. Their first child was born in a birth center and after a successful, natural birth, they had to transfer to the hospital for a retained placenta. The second time around, Rosie and Noah felt like they were ready to give birth in the comfort of their own home. Together they shared their experience coming to the decision to plan a home birth, the fears they worked through and of course how it all unfolded the night of.

We talk about how they chose their midwife, their baby turning head down in the last weeks of pregnancy and just barely avoiding a transfer of care to a doctor as Djuna went nearly 2 weeks past her due date. And after all of that, they got to experience a smooth and successful home birth.

At 40 weeks pregnant, first-time parents Rory and Gabriel, planning a home birth, were evacuated from their apartment due to Hurricane Irma. They found shelter at a local hospital while their midwife was forced to leave town. Almost a week later, barely settled back into their home and with their midwife still a few hours away, Rory went into labor.