Jesus and Janae: Max’s Story
I was a hospital birth girl. Women have babies in hospitals. That’s where they are supposed to have babies. I have the big plastic IHC hospital mug from my first sons’ birth to prove it. It’s just what you do.
But then I met Janae.
Money was the initial reason for my looking into having a home birth. We just couldn’t afford our super high insurance deductible but I wasn’t about to let that stop me from growing my family when I felt the time was right.
I met Janae for an initial consultation and that as they say was that. I felt like I had made an “old” friend after talking with her for ten minutes. The thing that will strike you about her is her passion. She simply loves birth and babies. And mommies of course. She is not in it for some kind of glory or praise. She is balanced. She understands that home birth it not right for all babies and moms. She has respect for medical intervention and help. She understand the limits and freedoms of both home and hospital birth. She is not going to put you and your baby into a dangerous situation. That is what soothed my fears the most. Janae wants what is best for you and your baby: period. She does not let her ego get in the way of knowing what is right for both of you. She won’t treat you like a personal challenge or accomplishment. After our last postpartum appointment, when I got home and was asked how it went, my eyes filled with tears because I realized that was our last appointment and I felt like I was losing a friend.
At thirty-one years old I thought I had myself pretty much figured out. Wrong! I learned so much about myself through my home birth experience. It honestly changed my relationship with my body, mind, spirit, and belief. It empowered me.
There are those who love to reveal in the horrors of home birth stories. They love to talk in detail about the agony, gore, fear, and panic. I understand that not all home births end happily. I understand that not all experiences with home birth are empowering or enlightening.
My Max is a big, healthy, and beautiful baby boy. He could not be more perfect.
I keep my home birth/midwife story close. I don’t readily share it because it is such a deeply special chapter of my life. But, when I am asked about it and questioned, “How the heck did you deliver a 10 pound baby at home?” I can answer from the heart and truthfully say, “Me? Oh, it wasn’t me. It was Jesus and Janae. I just pushed a little.”
I’m a home birth girl.