Model, actress, natural cosmetic maker Josie Maran is one inspiring mama! She gave birth to baby number two in her backyard. Certainly more primal than a homebirth, right? Makes me want to have another baby just so I could have the little one under my favorite tree in the yard of the house we just moved into.
There are certainly many pros of having a backyard birth over a birth in the house. Cleanup is a big one. If already outside you can take that pool of water and easily let it soak into the earth. Or use it to water the plants -- nutrient rich! Ina May Gaskin would certainly be very proud of Josie. In just four short hours, she gave birth in nature beside her Pennsylvania farmhouse under a honeysuckle bush surrounded by friends and family. Her experience sounds amazing.
Josie had midwives to assist her as she labored in a blow-up kiddie pool. Her husband, Ali, was in the pool with her making sure she knew that she was powerful and capable. He also told her how beautiful he thought she was. Is your heart filling with happy yet? Mine is. Her older daughter, 5 1/2-year-old Rumi Joon, was there giving her kisses, picking flowers, and served cookies to those who were there. Rumi was also born outside during a 14-hour labor under a jasmine vine.
Luckily the weather was perfect. "Being surrounded by birds, plants, and my family was much better than being in a hospital with impatient doctors and lots of beeping monitors," Maran said. "I understand that this birth choice isn’t for everyone, but I believe in trusting my body to do what women have been doing for thousands of years."
Josie is super-nature-Earth-mama! She also reminded us how childbirth isn’t scary. We are made to birth babies -- it is like our very own superpower. Sure sometimes medical intervention is needed, but not as often as it is used.
I also love how Maran said that when little Indi Joon, her second little girl, was born she was caught in the pool by dad and then got the sunshine on her face. Such an amazing way to come into this world -- what a better view than hospital lights. If you love the idea of homebirth but don't actually want to have one in the confines of your four walls, why not take it one step further ... and go outside.
Would you consider having a backyard birth? If so, create the perfect setting.
Image via Ken McMillan/Flickr
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Comments 26
This is just getting silly. What next....climbing a MOUNTAIN and giving birth at it's PEAK to be considered an "inspiring mom"?! BS She had a baby...yay and congratulations to her......she is no more amazing or inspiring than anyone else because she chose an off the wall place to give birth. This is how mommmy wars get out of hand.
i think it sounds lovely, but there's no way I would do it. Yes, our bodies are made to birth babies. However, things can go very wrong in the blink of an eye even with a normal, healthy pregnancy. One of my friends had a totally normal and healthy pregnancy. Her planceta detached while pushing before her baby was out. Because of the beeping monitors and screens, the doctors knew that her baby was in trouble (as was she) and knew that the baby had to come out ASAP. She had to push him out right then or he probably would have died due to lack of oxygen. I shudder to think what would have happened had she delivered at home. My sister-in-law, again, someone with a normal, healthy pregnancy, pushed for hours before the doctors recommended a c-section. Once inside, they saw that the structure of her pelvis/tailbone would not have allowed for her baby to ever come through. Again, I shudder to think what would have happened. Kudos to everyone who has had a wonderful homebirth experience. I use midwives for my ob/gyn care and I also used a doula with my first, but I still chose to give birth in a hospital because I wanted that medical care right there for those unforseen complications that can suddenly arise.
This makes me want to go to a volcano and deliver the baby to Black Sabbath playing. While wild animals lick the baby clean I can roast the placenta over a fire and my husband can do a ceremonial dance to bless the baby with the power of Boli Shah. Most epic birth ever that win me the mommy war!
Best comment I've read in a while, Mary Cimino. HAHAHA!!