Yes, we're using a midwife. And no, we're not hippies

When people hear that Austin and I have decided to use a midwife, we hear all sorts of responses. Some people are thrilled for us, others are pretty skeptical...

"You don't need to try to prove anything. No need to be Wonder Woman."

"You know, God invented doctors and medicine for a reason."

"Isn't it dangerous to give birth out of a hospital? What if something goes wrong?"

The truth is, I agree (for the most part). I am not trying to prove anything or be Wonder Woman. I believe that God uses doctors and medicine to help and heal millions of people. I am NOT anti-hospital. If something goes wrong during labor and delivery, I will be incredibly grateful to the OBGYN that saves my life or the life of our baby.

I just believe that there are a lot of misconceptions about midwifery and the birth process. We watched a fascinating documentary on hospital births compared to out-of-hospital births called The Business of Being Born. I don't necessarily agree with everything in the film. I just feel that God designed a woman's body to deliver a baby. Sometimes there are complications, and in those specific instances, it is good to have a surgeon step in. But I believe it is unnecessary to have a surgeon deliver 100% of babies. (OBGYNS are by definition surgeons).

Most other developed countries throughout the world use midwives for the majority of births. The United States stands alone as the country that has surgeons delivering almost all babies, and we have the second worst newborn death rate in the developed world. Obviously something needs to change.

Austin and I are by no means on a crusade to get all women to use midwives and natural childbirth. There are many reasons that hospitals are the better choice for lots of women. But for us, we feel using a midwife is the right decision.

Our midwife is an amazing woman named Donnellyn. She provides all of my prenatal care. I see her once a month, the same way women visit their OBGYN once a month. She does my blood work, checks my blood pressure and pulse, checks my protein and sugar levels, checks the baby's heart rate, and feels the position of the baby in the uterus (all the same things done at monthly check-ups with doctors). She has been such a blessing to us. I have her personal cell phone number, so whenever I am worried about something (no matter how small), I can call or text her, and she gets back to me almost immediately. For anyone who wants to know more about Donnellyn and her midwifery services, this is her website:

http://allaboutbabies.net/