It
's made a
huge difference for me and in my ability to
breastfeed through the first two weeks (a
challenge for sure — but since I knew about «the first 2 weeks
are the hardest» from your fb page, it helped me get through it), and I
'm still
breastfeeding my 9 month old.
These benefits include but
are not limited to the power of the human touch and presence, of
being surrounded by supportive people of a family's own choosing, security in birthing in a familiar and comfortable environment of home, feeling less inhibited in expressing unique responses to labor (such as making sounds, moving freely, adopting positions of comfort,
being intimate with her partner, nursing a toddler, eating and drinking as needed and desired, expressing or practicing individual cultural, value and faith based rituals that enhance coping)-- all of which can lead to easier labors and births, not having to make a decision about when to go to the hospital during labor (going too early can slow progress and increase use of the cascade of risky interventions, while going too late can
be intensely uncomfortable or even lead to a risky unplanned birth en route),
being able to choose how and when to include children (who
are making their own adjustments and
are less
challenged by a lengthy absence of their parents and excessive interruptions of family routines), enabling uninterrupted family boding and
breastfeeding,
huge cost savings for insurance companies and those without insurance, and increasing the likelihood of having a deeply empowering and profoundly positive, life changing pregnancy and birth experience.