Here are more excerpts from my upcoming book CONFESSIONS OF A CHILDBIRTH EDUCATOR from chapter on What Mothers want Women to Know Before Giving Birth. These are some segments on Birth Center and Home Birth experiences:
JL:
There is no reason why you cannot birth outside of a hospital setting. I gave birth to my baby girl at a birth center in L.A. in the presence of my partner, doula, midwife and obstetrician. It was a natural birth. It was hard, it was scary, at times I thought I could not do it, I remember whispering this to my partner many times, but as time passed, and I yielded, I gave myself up to the experience and the pain. I trusted my body and whenever I was in doubt I had the support of the people in the room who never for a moment doubted my ability to do the hard work of labor. I know not all women have, or want, this experience. For myself, I knew I wanted the experience of an unmedicated birth. The best thing I ever did was to surround myself with women who supported me, and whenever I came up against resistance from those who doubted my choice (during my pregnancy I shared, sparingly, my decision to give birth at a birth center) in a strange way it forced me to own the decision and to step into a new role. There was a lot of psychological and emotional work that had to be done before I could have my baby and I found that sharing my choice, verbalizing it to others, was actually a very healthy thing for me, so that when it came time to give birth I felt strong, confident, loved and supported in all the right ways.
JP:
Homebirth is the best! Midwives are not the same as doulas! I can’t believe how many women still think homebirth is unsafe. I wish more women knew the truth about hospital birth compared to homebirth. I am speaking to those who have a healthy pregnancy without complications and are not high risk. Obviously if a woman has medical issues, a home birth might not be possible. But for at least 90% it is possible and not high risk. Midwives are medically trained for almost all medical emergencies that are birth and postpartum related. They can give Pitocin, IV fluids, resuscitate both mom and baby, and they monitor mom and baby throughout the labor and delivery wherever necessary. Midwives are flexible and understanding. They are not afraid of birth. They are superheros!
CJ:
Choosing home birth was one of the most empowering decisions of my life. I wanted an experience where I felt fully in control, surrounded by love and support, and able to birth in my own space without unnecessary interventions. I spent months preparing—physically, mentally, and emotionally—learning to trust my body, my husband and my baby.
The moment my child was born, in the quiet of my own home (literally, I wasn’t screaming my head off like a Hollywood birth), was pure magic. No bright lights, no needles, no rushing, just deep trust and an overwhelming sense of peace. My midwife and birth team were incredible, guiding me with wisdom but never taking over. In fact, for both births, my husband was my main support as it happened quite quickly. It was intense, but I never felt fear—only strength.
For any woman considering home birth, I’d love for you to know that you are capable. Birth is not something that just happens to you; it’s something you actively do. Educate yourself, find a supportive team, and trust that your body knows the way. However, I also believe in making informed choices—home birth isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. You have to birth where YOU feel comfortable. The most important thing is feeling safe and supported, no matter where or how you birth. Listen to your heart, you know the right choice for you.
YK:
I chose home birth because I didn’t want a c-section (knowing the high c-section rate in hospitals) and I wanted a private birth with a team of women I could trust and feel comfortable with. I am so happy with our choice. Tears still come out from my eyes when I think of the moment of the birth. It was painful, but I could make choices in every detail of the delivery, thus it was empowering and so beautiful.
I did home birth for my first child and hospital birth for my second (planned home birth but baby came too early to be allowed to have a home birth legally). And I, by far, preferred home birth. In a hospital – the controlled environment and with various protocols – it’s hard to truly relax and enjoy the special moments of giving birth.
Jana’s birth class prepared us for the birth and gave us courage. It removed any fear of giving birth at home. It helped us design our birth in the way we believe.
KW:
I had planned for a home birth. At 31 weeks, I went in for a check-up and discovered I was 75% effaced. They sent me to the hospital for a steroid shot, put me on bed rest, and advised me to be ready for the baby to come early. I was on bed rest until 40 weeks and three days, when she finally decided to arrive. I began to feel a backache and noticed that the discomfort was coming in a cycle. I called the midwife in the morning, and she asked me to come in. When I arrived, she said I was a few centimeters dilated and told me to go home, eat some protein, and relax. She told me to call when things got “real.” I asked her how I would know, and she said, “You’ll know.”
Sure enough, I went home and tried to relax, several hours later the contractions became too intense. I stopped talking and began vomiting, I knew things got real. The midwife came back over and checked me; I was about 7 cm dilated. I told her I needed to lie down because I felt awful, but she insisted I go for a walk. I was reluctant, but she said I could either walk or have the baby tomorrow. It was 6 p.m., and I decided to go for the walk. As we finished the walk, she told me to walk up some stairs. I was adamant that I wasn’t going to do that, but she said we were doing the stairs. After just a few steps, I felt an overwhelming urge to sit on the toilet. I went home and sat by myself on the toilet, while the midwife waited in another room. It was peaceful and I knew instinctively what to do, the privacy felt natural.
My water broke, and the midwife told me to get on the bed so she could check me. I was 10 cm dilated. She said we were ready, but I didn’t need her to tell me—I could feel it. My body was telling me it was time to push. After about 20 minutes of pushing, Everly was born—crying and perfect.
It was a beautiful example of a woman’s natural instincts, knowing when to push without needing to be told. The hormones that rushed through my body gave me a natural high. After she was born, I remember feeling an overwhelming love for everyone who was there with me: my husband, the midwife and her assistant, my best friend, and my sister. It was perfect.