Written by Lauren Hartmann for Babble.com
I spent the first 18 weeks of my first pregnancy at a big box hospital and I was miserable... so miserable that after those 18 weeks my husband and I made the decision to transfer care to an out-of-hospital birthing center. We paid out of pocket because it wasn't covered by our insurance -- that's how important this was to us.
I ended up having the all-natural birth I had hoped for and a wonderful experience. And this time around we've decided to take it a step further and have a home birth. Home births are becoming more and more common, but they still aren't the norm by any means, and I've definitely encountered a few naysayers about our decisions. But, we've thought this through and are well-informed.
A home birth is the right choice for me and my family, and here's why...