How long did your HB "high" last?

[ShwarmaQueen]

I'm still on a major "high" from my HB. I think people are getting tired of me talking about it, still, lol. But seriously, I just love talking about it any chance I get...

So, how long did your HB high last?

[JorgieGirl]

Well, I think mine was more just a 'birth' high, but the 'home' part of it is a big part, too. Nearly 2 years now and, yup, still annoying friends and family with my deliriousness! lol!! At least now they have something new to listen to, since we're expecting again in May. It'll be nice to have a bit of variety in my favourite thing to talk about. haha!

[MsBlack]

Um...forever? Something like that!

Because my homebirths changed me, especially the first one of course, first baby and first homebirth--it definitely influenced the course of my life in a definite, positive way. Not that I've never had a down moment since....just that I can call on that power & joy anytime...and my last homebirth was 17yrs ago.

[*MamaJen*]

The immediate high last about three days...the glow from it is still going strong two years later. It was such a wonderful, transformative experience. It definitely turned my into a homebirth junkie. I'm pretty obsessed with birth politics now.

[cathicog]

The immediate high, about 3-4 days, the long-term high? 29 years and counting! Her birth was one of the reasons I decided to become a midwife, it just took a looooooonggg time. (am taking my NARM exam in Feb...) I am STILL enthusiastic about home birth!

[SamGroom]

It has been 33 months since my last HB and am having another one in March and I still think I talk about it to everyone. Maybe a few years from now I will calm down

[bobandjess99]

I didn't get any "high". My 2 homebirths were the worst days of my life. The PTSD they caused me took years to recover from.

[mbhf]

My last homebirth was 15 months ago and I still feel like superwoman. I will talk about my homebirths with anyone who will listen. Thinking about my births never fails to bring a smile to my face or make me feel the birth-bliss.

[proudmamanow]

My dd1 will be 5 in April and though I don't think I have that crazy superwoman feeling, I still get all warm & fuzzy & happy when thinking & talking about her birth. And although we are not having any more, I still wish I could do it again...that's how great it was!
So I'm still high almost five years later :_

[Ruthla]

There's supposed to be a "high" from homebirth?


After DD1 was born, I was just "high" from birthing her, period. I'd never known any other way to birth.

After DD2 was born, when she was a day old, I was thinking "if I'd birthed in the birth center, I'd be home by now." 3 days later, I was thinking "even if I'd birthed in the hospital, I'd still be home by now." PPD kicked in REALLY fast after her birth. I didn't feel "high" or "superior" to other birthing methods, and I felt dissapointed about that.

Those of you who were so "high" from your HBs, even years later, did you have hospital births prior to your home births?

[velveeta]

I experienced a high for about 2 weeks after birth, and it was more pronounced with my first. I had pretty bad PPD with #2. I had PTSD before giving birth, and both births helped to heal that. This time, I am hoping for good times because I am going to eat my placenta.

This high I talk about was not just enthusiasm about home birth (of course I have that always!), but it was like everything in the world is covered in glitter. There was a warm haze that stayed and stayed. I was *so* happy! It was WONDERFUL!

[Youngfrankenstein]

Great question!

I actually am just getting the high now...9 weeks later.

My HB was a great experience but it was so dang painful that it was scary to think about for the first several weeks. I can look back on the pics now and tell the story with pride and happiness, but in the beginning, it just reminded me of the pain.

People often ask me if I would do it again or "next time" (which we don't plan on having) and the answer is....probably, but hopefully there are no more babies in my future.

[mbhf]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

Those of you who were so "high" from your HBs, even years later, did you have hospital births prior to your home births?

I did. After my hospital birth I felt detached and defeated. And really it wasn't an awful hospital birth, I would say it was "better" (according to what my ideal birth would be) than is standard. But still, I felt useless and while I loved my baby it took quite a while to feel the extreme motherlove I instantly felt with my other kids. So, I don't know whether my homebirth high was solely due to being home, but I do feel that it was because my birth process wasn't interrupted by going to the hospital and being outside of my own space, not to mention the "hospital ride" in general.

[corwin]

My homebirth was only 3 weeks ago, and I had a horrible hospital induction with DS in 08 that included almost everything except the c/s so my homebirth really helped me to heal from that. I'm glad to hear that years later it still brings many women strength because it really gave me a boost of confidence when it comes to my body and it's ability to birth.

[ExuberantDaffodil]

I had an induced hospital birth for my first, and my homebirth was 12 weeks ago. I'm still on my homebirth high!

[opera mom]

That was something I missed out on. I am hoping my next birth will give me that "high" I had heard of. I just felt tired and sore. Instead of feeling like super woman, I was just glad it was over and thought,"I can't do this again"
I did have a lot of fear of pain which made the pain probably worse so maybe next time since I know what to expect, it won't take as much out of me.

[cheeqz]

My "high" was more of a wonderfully contented feeling. I had an extremely long (and painful) labor, but the hormones did their job in making me feel great after.

The long term high - the excitement of telling people what a great birthing experience I had - is ongoing. It's what made me decide to get my doula certification so I have a reason to share with others.


I am sorry for those who had bad experiences with their home births in this thread. I think for many women, it IS an amazing experience, but there are exceptions. I hope, for those of you that didn't have these "high" feelings, that if you have another birth it is a positive experience for you, wherever you choose to have your child.

[sweetcheeks]

The immediate "super empowering, that was freakin' awesome!" feeling? It lasted about 3 days then the exhaustion from round the clock nursing set in. But like proudmamanow said, I still get a warm and fuzzy feeling whenever I talk about DS2's HB or smile like crazy when I think about it now, almost 2 years later. Even though we're not having anymore babies, I would love to have a HB again, it was such an amazing and empowering experience for me.

[corwin]

Just to clarify I was tired, surprised and hungry after my homebirth not really "high" at all. My high came afterwards when what I had done sunk in. I would say the next day I started to feel really elated about it all, but RIGHT after I was also just tired, happy to meet my baby and PISSED that I had a 2nd degree tear LOL