Homebirth Articles

 Elijah 1.2.2013 

River 6.2.2016

Ember 3.1.2019

 I I will add articles to this post about safety studies. 

Don’t let providers lie to you. Be educated. 

Mana Study - 17K births

Planned home birth presents little risk where midwifery is well-integrated -- ScienceDaily

There is an article saying that neonatal mortality is higher in homebirths. But here’s a breakdown of why that article is not accurate:

Midwifery Today Responds to Study Questioning Homebirth Safety • Midwifery Today

Is home birth safe? - Dr Sara Wickham

Safety Studies

Another great explanation of the biases in many mainstream meta-analysis studies. 

Home Birth: is it safe? | Mama Natural

27 week update.

 

To everyone who has prayed and followed along: 

THANK YOU!! God is our healer! And we are rejoicing in the healing that has taken place!

This pregnancy has been quite different than my other 3. At 12 weeks I started bleeding and at the ER they really didn’t see anything as to why. They thought possibly there was a spot where an SCH had been. 

And then At 15 weeks I had some spotting, very little, but I felt strange, I had cramps & I just had a feeling like something wasn’t normal. And at the ER, a subchorionic hemorrhage (SCH) was found. And so we made an appointment to get a more detailed scan with an OB. At that appointment, It was a significant size 8-10cm. And this lead us to seek dual care and see a maternal fetal medicine specialist for more follow up scans. 

I am now 27 weeks. We saw the OB once and the specialist 3 times. Each scan showed the bleed/clot to be shrinking. Which means my body has been working hard to absorb the blood.

I also rested and continued to eat healthy. Vitamin E rich foods help healing, along with vitamin C and iron rich foods. And I already eat a low sugar diet, I don’t indulge in sweets and limiting sugar helps healing also. And above all else, we prayed. We spoke positively and all of these details I am now sharing, we held them close to us.

Thank you, for understanding our need for that privacy. I am sharing now because we feel comfortable doing so. We simply ask that you continue to speak positively and lift us up in prayer. I take this special time carrying life very serious. And our words matter. 

A wonderful group of women laid hands and prayed for me in November. Beautiful words were spoken. And after that scan at 22 weeks, the SCH was down to 2-3cm. 

At our first OB appointment in September, she said “there’s nothing I can do. I can’t go in and cauterize it, I can’t suck it out. All we can do is monitor & wait.” Referring to the blood clot. 

But as she said those words above, I thought well there is more I can do. I can pray and be as healthy as possible.

Fast forward to November:  

And one of the ladies praying saying “Lord only you can cauterize this bleed, You are the only one who can touch this and heal her body.”  I cried after hearing that because it hit me how those words were so incredibly hopeful compared to the words from the doctor. I understand they are all about exactly what they see and not giving false hope. And also explaining health concerns. But the words in that prayer hit me and were such a reminder that at certain moments in life it’s ONLY GOD. Man cannot do everything. The doctor could not fix this specific thing. And because it could not be controlled or taken care of by their hands, it makes them fearful. 

And this entire time, I have refused to be fearful. I want to walk this journey out hand in hand with Jesus. And lean on His understanding and trust that I am held and our baby is held. 

The womb is a secret place. A place of mystery and wonder. But God is there.

We will continue praying and thanking God for this beautiful gift. The scan today showed remnants of the bleed. Very little remains. And we are released from the specialist. And will continue with our homebirth plans. 

“And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭12:9-10‬ ‭NKJV‬

Mothers

 Flashback photo: 6.2.16

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If I’ve learned anything these past 6 years of being a mother, it’s this:

Satan will use anything he can to try and rob us of the joys of motherhood. He hopes we stumble. He wants us to be fearful. He really hopes we become depressed. He would like nothing more than for us to suffer & be at our worst. He wants us to forget about moments like this. Or frankly, he loves it when we are traumatized or robbed of moments. The Moments where we feel strong, and the room is full of love. 

But I am here to remind myself & all of you wonderful mothers out there that, we are more than conquerors. We walk this earth with the same power that rose Jesus from the grave. It’s time we harness that power & use it to benefit us right in our homes; Right where we are in the day in & day out. And I pray we can always remember, when we are weak He is strong. We don’t have to walk around suffering with debilitating burdens & fears. When we hear crippling anxious thoughts, if we arm ourselves with the truth found in God’s word, we can replace those lies with truth. We can bring all of our worries & pain to our Savior & let him carry us.

One of my favorite Psalms is 18, if you haven’t read it in it’s entirety, I dare you to😉. After I read it, I’m reminded of the truth of who God is & how much power we hold by relying on Him:

PSALM 18:1-7

I love you, Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;  my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,  my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,  and I have been saved from my enemies.

The cords of death entangled me;  the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

The cords of the grave coiled around me;  the snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called to the Lord;  I cried to my God for help.

From his temple he heard my voice;  my cry came before him, into his ears.

The earth trembled and quaked,  and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry.

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#homebirth #homesweethomebirth #naturalpregnancy  #midwife #birthwithoutfear #faith #bible #pregnancy #childbirtheducation #motherhoodunplugged #thebirthhour 

Some placenta facts

 Here are some of my personal favorite facts:

THE PLACENTA:

🌳is a multifunctional organ.

—— acting as baby's lungs to supply oxygen, kidneys to filter out waste, & as gastrointestinal & immune systems by delivering nutrients & antibodies.

🌿secretes important hormones during pregnancy.

🌱The combined length of all the capillaries in your placenta is 32 miles.

🌳can provide immunity to the baby long after birth.

🌿is the only Disposable organ

🌱Some women ingest their placenta.

—-most mammals do.

🌳has spiritual significance in some cultures.

🌿Identical twins may or may not share a placenta. {monochorionic, dichorionic}

🌱Both mama & baby’s blood passes through the placenta, but do not mix.

🌳Delayed cord clamping is very important.

—-1/3 of a baby’s blood resides in the placenta.

🌿Babies send cells through the placenta that protect and heal the mother’s organs.

🌱The placenta gives the mother’s immunity to the baby

—-babies are born with double the concentration of blood antibody as their mothers.

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The placenta & it’s creator deserve adoration. This temporary organ brings life to our babies. It nourishes them womb side; Preparing them for life on earth. This organ is miraculous. It’s birth deserves respect. My goal for Ember’s birth was to slow down & marvel in it’s birth; be present & unrushed {barring no complications}. 💛

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What is your favorite fact? .

#40weeks1daypregnant #preggo #babybelly #babynumber3 #love #joy #motherhoodunplugged #momlife  #whynothome #homebirth #holzhauerpartyof5 #pregnancy #pregnant #babybump #bumpdate #homesweethomebirth #midwife #midwifery #naturalpregnancy #instagrammamas #bornathome #birthwithoutfear #birthstory 

No surprises

 3.1.19

If you’ve chosen to follow me, you should know I stand on the fringe. And what I mean by that is, I don’t believe the mainstream way to exist is the only way. The fringe is the edge. It’s the opposite of the collective.

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So it shouldn’t surprise you that I stand where I do on hot button topics. And there is no need to message me and inform me you will be unfollowing. It’s rude. It’s something that is petty. Simply move on and remove me if you can’t handle our differing beliefs.

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I believe we all should have a choice in how we live. We are free to decide where we seek care and with whom, where we give birth, & what we put into our bodies.

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No one should decide what a woman chooses to do in regards to birth. Not anyone. *please don’t come at me with emergent situations* because even then complete and total informed consent should be given to that woman.

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I stand for freedom. That is all. I will not ever stop advocating for birth rights and parental medical rights.

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I implore you to dig deep and reach past what you think you know. Seek out the truth. Follow the money trails and see where they lead. Be prepared to let go of everything you thought was true. Because there is an agenda and it doesn’t have your best interests in mind.

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My love for people reaches past the mean words and rude comments. I love you anyways. God loves you anyways.

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#homebirth #bornathome #educateyourself #parentalrights #medicalfreedom #wherethereisrisktheremustbechoice #speaktruth #loveoneanother #buildyourtribe #findyourtribe #sisters #Christbeforeus #birthwithoutfear #birthnerd #naturalbirth #naturalpregnancy 

Birth Support is important.

Each of our babies have unique and amazing birth stories. You can read about them by clicking the link in my bio.

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The topic of birth is my 2nd favorite next to talking about Jesus & Faith. I’m beyond passionate about advocating for women and their families. I will never stop sharing facts and truths from the rooftops.

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Maternal care in the United States is sub par. So often women are abused, not believed and belittled. Fear is what fuels the system. And it isn’t the way it should be. Women are not given the truth about the interventions & medications the doctors push and when side effects happen that cause a cascade of problems, the women are so glad the doctors saved them. The system lies, the women believe the lies, and more fear surrounds birth.

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Women are amazing & we deserve evidence based care & individualized care plans! Birth is NOT one size fits all. Every woman, deserves to make the right choice for herself & her baby. But that can only be achieved when all the facts are given.

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I want everyone who reads this to understand, this is not written to shame anyone. Nothing I ever write is meant to make anyone feel lousy. I share in hopes that women searching for the truth, can find it. Past choices, those are done. If a woman feels her choices were exactly what she wanted & everything went how she wanted, even if those choices are different than what I would have done, they are not my choices.

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But, the woman who had a negative experience & is now struggling with PTSD from her birth trauma, I want her to be heard & know that what happened because of an intervention or pushy nurse or doctor, should not have happened. I want to stand in the gap & join those women & together we can make a difference.

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I also write & share birth facts because there are women searching for a beautiful birth. I love knowing that through my words, I have helped other women fight for the birth they want.

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Birth brings a baby earthside & it also brings forth a powerful force within a woman. The lioness is in us & she deserves to be free & loved when giving birth.

God sees you.

Women have this amazing ability to love & nurture. We can make a house a home & bring others together. We can pour our whole hearts into others & light up the world with the love of Christ. It’s a special unique gift we hold as women. We change the emotional atmosphere around us as we walk through life.

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It’s imperative that we support & love one another. This post has been fueled by my passion that, women need to stop degrading one another & we need to stop demeaning ourselves. I still catch myself about to say “I’m just a mom” or “I just stay home”. JUST? Why do we do this? Why do we belittle what we are doing?

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Is it the culture? Do we only matter if we leave the home? No, we matter on a deeper level. We matter because we exist. What we choose to do is important. But we are special because God created us. He knit us together & He planned out our existence.

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God whispers it to me quite often, you are not JUST anything. You are my child. You are chosen. You are seen. You are loved.

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The labels we use define us by the world’s standards but that’s only surface deep & we are meant to reach beyond, to our souls. To find a healing & love only Jesus can give us.

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Be encouraged today, that God sees you where you are. He knows your heart & loves all of you. Jesus calls us to Him so we can find a peace that changes us from the inside out.

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✨2 Timothy 1:9

All 4 Births.

 

Follow the links below for each birth story.

Every story is unique and so special to us.

I hope they encourage you to fight for your own birth.

Ember

Ember

Ember

Elijah’s Birth 

River’s Birth

Ember’s Birth

Mika’s Birth

November 23 bump date

Philippians 4:4-8

4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

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Thank you, all for the prayers & messages.

They are felt and so appreciated. We feel so very carried as we walk a road I wouldn’t choose for myself  

And what I mean by that is, I’ve had healthy pregnancies without any hiccups. And this threw me at first because the first ER physicians assistant was a jerk. More afraid of germs than caring about being a decent human being. She judged us for our homebirth past choices and current plans. 

But since then, we have had endless prayers and so much love poured out over this baby’s precious life. And we are eternally grateful. And we know that this baby’s story is powerful and he or she has a mighty purpose. Just as out other children do as well. 

The specialist released us but also left it up to us as to how to move forward. And we decided to see her again to continue to check my healing & baby’s growth.

Our scans showed that my body is healing. Which means, a healthy diet, the right supplements, rest & a simple slow life is exactly what we need right now.

We have always walked out our homebirth plans with the contingency that if there was ever true solid evidence we would adjust the plan. We will do what is the safest for everyone. And for now, that is monitoring & praising God as I heal.

I do know that cookie cutter care that is one size fits all and being told we have to do XYZ or sign forms declining doesn’t feel right. I’ll be honest- Point blank being told that I need to be checked for syphilis is demeaning. But that’s the standard of care. Everyone gets checked or has to decline it and sign. There wasn’t a question of “do you want STD screening” it was “we will check for syphilis”. 

Hmm yeah no you won’t.

And I refuse to be treated that way. And I refuse to mask in labor. Which is why we will keep our plans for homebirth unless the concrete EVIDENCE says otherwise.  

Yesterday’s scans confirmed what I already knew, the baby is growing and thriving. 

I don’t hold much stock in measurements being exact but baby is average size and in the 40th percentile. Again scans aren’t 100%. And my history dictates that we can either have a baby close to 9lbs or a 7lb baby. The genetics are there for either. And my body has managed to birth them all quite easily. 

We are so excited to meet him or her!

Sometimes our walk with Jesus isn’t one where we can look far off into the distance. Often times it’s one day at a time. And that is where we are right now. Rejoicing in the good news & remaining hopeful for the road ahead.

When everything has healed this sweet baby will be welcomed into our home in a 100°F pool of water just as our other babies have been  with the loving guidance of family and our midwife  

If any concrete evidence arises that justifies a different choice, rest assured we will make the right decision. 

#homebirth #babynumber5 #holzhauerpartyof6 #whynothome #homebody #22weeks #pregnancy #pregnant #bumpdate 

Be your own expert.

This concept is a huge passion of mine.

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Many of you know we’ve had to seek dual care this pregnancy. For the situation at hand it’s the wise option.

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But I’ll tell you this, the words on the post hold so true. It wasn’t until our 4th visit that anyone even asked my pregnancy history. I found it strange that these so called experts were providing pregnancy care but had not taken the few minutes to ask me how many babies I’ve birthed & how long I carried each and their birth stats etc.

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And even more sad, I wasn’t surprised that they hadn’t asked. And that’s a shame. 

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And when we saw a specialist the nurse said “is this your first baby”? I said “nope my 5th pregnancy & 4th living”. And she said “Oh wow”. The nurse looked shocked that I know everything about my pregnancies, births & babies. I hold that knowledge in my mind because it’s important to me. Who else is going to remember? 

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But prior to that, the only history they had in my chart was “quit smoking”. So I also made them change that to say how long I smoked and when I quit (2009). The chart made it sound like I just quit because of being pregnant.

I say all of this to explain why I’m so passionate about being your own expert. And finding others who will care for you in a loving & respectful manner.

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This is why we choose homebirth and midwifery care. The love, prayer, support & acceptance is priceless. 

October 15th Update

 Alright! 

A quick update:

The complication is still visible. But our OB is very hopeful now that she saw an updated scan.

10/26 we will see a maternal fetal medicine specialist just to dot our i’s and cross our T’s. Many who have similar situations don’t do this but she is available and we feel it’s best to have her see an updated scan that day.

That will be our anatomy scan. We will not be finding out gender  

On ultrasound today (10/15) the baby is healthy and everything looks good as far as he or she is concerned.

The worry for the doctors was that the placenta would become compromised. But the scan today showed that it is not what’s happening.

Here is how you can pray:

Pray for total healing. . 

Pray for our children, being on light duty and needing to rest has been hard for them. Elijah has been such a huge help. We are giving everyone rewards/prizes as they’ve all taken on more than their normal share of house chores. 

Pray that we can remain content taking this day by day. There’s no need to get ahead of ourselves. This is a journey of daily abiding in Jesus on a level we’ve not ever had to do  we don’t want to miss the lessons & blessings God has in store. There’s a story here worth telling.

Pray for my blood to do it’s job in the healing. All of my numbers look great. Surprisingly the best they’ve ever looked as far as my iron levels are concerned. It must be all the spaghetti sauce meals & cheeseburgers lately 😂 Usually I have to work hard to maintain them. Which has always worked but this time they are wonderful.  

Thank you for your prayers and being on this journey with us. 

And thank you for respecting our privacy. I’ve prayed a lot about what to share & how much etc. And for now, this feels like the best way.

What we are dealing with has a label. It’s in my chart. But as far as the public and this forum, I am keeping that information close. 

Our society lives on labels. Positive labels are wonderful but I don’t want to give too much attention to the negative. 

Please speak positively and use words of healing. That’s what God wants us to do, I can feel it.

“But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.”

‭‭James‬ ‭3:8-12‬ 

Jesus is Our Guide

“He will shelter you with his wings; you will find safety under his wings. His faithfulness is like a shield or a protective wall.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:4‬

On October 6th at 16 weeks along, ER doctors found a minor pregnancy complication. I am not naming it or giving myself a negative label because I refuse to carry it as my own. It isn’t mine. It isn’t our baby’s either. I have done all the recommendations & will continue to do so in order to physically do my part to enable a healthy womb world for the baby.

This precious baby is bouncing around in utero happy & healthy as can be. He or she looks so joyful on the ultrasound. I thought of the Bible verse about John the Baptist leaping in his mother’s womb when Jesus -in Mary’s womb- was near.

Please pray for today as we go in for a follow up at 1:30 Cst. We are praying for healing & believing that God our Father is with us every step of the way no matter what.  And we will always trust that He is writing our story.

Pray for:

Strength. 

Courage. 

Wisdom.

Truth.

The womb is a secret place, a place where God is in control. 

We believe as the Bible says that the power of life & death is in the tongue. As Christ’s own, we have been given a calling to speak life. And that is why I won’t be labeling myself in any negative way as the mainstream medical world does. I’ll heed advice & use my brain but spiritually speaking, I refuse to allow fear into my soul. I want to walk this out with wisdom & truth. I refuse to be bullied or coerced into anything unnecessary. And that’s what we need the most prayer over. The strength to stand up for our baby & ourselves.

Karilynn reminded me of a favorite saying this week, “No is a complete sentence.” Over the last 18 months, much has changed. While receiving care, we’ve already had to say NO to the *you know what* several times - that’s a topic in & of itself. But I will say this, ANY care provider pushing that onto a woman carrying LIFE (or anyone) doesn’t have OUR best interest in mind. I will not waver on that stance. 

And the vibe inside the walls of the clinic has been full of fear from the enemy but that will not permeate our lives because Jesus is the King of our hearts. God is in control & He gets the final word.

All week as I’ve rested & prayed I’ve felt God so near. And heard Him say, “be yourself. Be who I made you to be. I have given you a voice & a mind that you have filled full of knowledge. You are prepared & ready.”

God also reminded me that over the years, that same knowledge has helped many women fight for the pregnancy & birth they deserve using grace, love & evidence based truth. And with that knowledge I can & I will help our family & bring Glory to God.

We will do whatever it takes to be safe & use the medical evidence we are given to make wise decisions.

This journey is God leading me where my feet would NEVER wander. And I know it’s because the medical system needs Jesus now more than ever before. I don’t want to miss whatever He has planned along this path. 

Never forget that anyone holding power over you & shoving fear into your mind, doesn’t want you to be educated & know the truth. That’s why they talk down to you & make you feel helpless. But we are called to be ambassadors of truth. The truth of Jesus & any other loving truth that needs to be declared.

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God’s will. And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:26-28‬ ‭