Thread: Quote from barefoot birth on facebook.

"Death is a possibility wherever you birth. I think the difference is, in a home birth you assume that responsibility for yourself, and gain an acceptance of death itself. Choosing a hospital "just in case" is refusing to accept death as a possibility, and an unwillingness to take responsibility." - Emily Howard Jones

I'm sorry but I think this is a crap thing to post. I know the safety of homebirth but it is not always an option and there really are some instances that it is safer to be in a hospital to have acess to an OR and things you can't get at home.

I would rather have just in case in a hospital than dying. I don't plan on going to a hospital but if its death or hospital... I am choosing hospital.

I know that most women would be safer out of a hospital and that is not what I am saying but for them to say that going to a hospital would just be not taking responsibility for death is a silly thing. Emergencies can happen.

okay, here's what I got from that quote: when you choose a homebirth you are accepting the responsibility that comes with birth and one of those possibilities is death. birth can be dangerous no matter where it happens, hospital included. when you birth in a hospital, you don't so much accept death as a possibility and when it happens it's definitely not your responsibility, someone should've done something.
I don't think she's talking about the women that have a need to be in a hospital. I think she's talking about the ones that birth in a hospital for the sole reason that "something" might happen and pointing out that yes, "something" could happen in either place.

that was my take on the quote.

I agree with MomW. My mom, dh and I had a similar conversation when preparing for our homebirths. We had to accept the risks of what could happen and know that there was no one to blame.

Originally Posted by momW

okay, here's what I got from that quote: when you choose a homebirth you are accepting the responsibility that comes with birth and one of those possibilities is death. birth can be dangerous no matter where it happens, hospital included. when you birth in a hospital, you don't so much accept death as a possibility and when it happens it's definitely not your responsibility, someone should've done something.
I don't think she's talking about the women that have a need to be in a hospital. I think she's talking about the ones that birth in a hospital for the sole reason that "something" might happen and pointing out that yes, "something" could happen in either place.

that was my take on the quote.

Ditto!! I didn't take it as bashing women who choose to go to the hospital. It was more of an explanation to that ever present question: "Would you ever be able to forgive yourself if something happened to the baby and you chose to homebirth?" I've been asked this more than once, and I wish I had thought to explain it like they did above. I probably would have left out the part about not accepting death as a possibility if you go to the hospital, but I think saying that choosing to say home is accepting responsibility for that possibility was a very eloquent way of putting it. I have responded with something similar before. But you can also do the same in the hospital if you are taking an active part in your care and decision-making. Like I said, I would have just left that part out probably.

I kind of get what the quote was trying to say, but it wasn't said quite right. PPs have explained better what I think it means. I don't think it was trying to say that everyone should give birth at home, whether they will die or not, but that birthing at home means accepting responsibility for decisions about you and your baby's health (and the consequences of those decisions) rather than defering that responsibility to the hospital

I get what she is trying to say, but don't think it comes across well. Not a great pro-homebirth quote IMO. It requires too much though lol

Originally Posted by kris_w

I get what she is trying to say, but don't think it comes across well. Not a great pro-homebirth quote IMO. It requires too much though lol

I think this is what I was trying to get across.

I think we realize death is a possibility in all of life.... I really don't want to hear about it right now too.

I think her wording was a little off on what she was trying to get at. Agreed that it requires to much thought to see her point as I think it was meant.