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does anyone else get called a hippy because of their choice to homebirth? - Page 2

post #21 of 51
Quote:
Originally Posted by Funny Face View Post
In context with other crunchy habits I have, yes, hippy gets thrown out in reference to my homebirthing practices. It doesn't bother me a bit.

People have said far ruder things.


Most of the time people comment on how "brave" or "crazy" I am for birthing in an environment where an epidural isn't available.
post #22 of 51
I don't take issue with "hippy." I take issue with "selfish," as in I'm a selfish woman because I care about a luxurious, spa-like birthing experience more than I care about my baby's life. Bull$%#$%#. That's a line thrown out by the anti-homebirth community because they don't want to know or admit to the real reason we birth at home--to avoid anti-evidence hospital practices. It's out of concern for me AND my baby that I birth at home.
post #23 of 51
Not yet. I announced my intentions on facebook yesterday and got 10 likes, one doula recommendation and 2 "I wish I could too."

But most of my friends are fairly crunchy, and my family knows better than to make too much noise!

The most 'offensive' comment was from my cousin, who I am not close with. "Interesting". What on earth does that mean?
post #24 of 51
Quote:
Originally Posted by Banana731 View Post
Usually when the term homebirth comes up, I get "brave" or "crazy."
This, so far in the two months since my hb. One of my husband's aunts left a voicemail for us w/congrats on the birth, and she paused in it, very obviously looking for a word other than "crazy," before using "brave." When people don't get it, they use these words. We just laugh about it.
post #25 of 51
I call myself a hippy! I think I probably do it as a defense since I KNOW what people are thinking when they hear about certain things that I do. It goes kinda like this...

"Where are you giving birth?"

"OH, Im planning to have a homebirth"

Stunned, sometimes disgusted look...

"Yeah, I know, Its the hippy in me!"

Lol. I play it off so people know I realize they are not going to agree with me and they dont have to, I am me and will do what I feel is right!
post #26 of 51
I have gotten "Oh, so you are one of those" a couple of times. And more recently several people have said to me "I don't need to be a hero" when telling me they are giving birth in a hospital.
post #27 of 51
I'm not often called a "hippie", but "crunchy". I can't bear being called crunchy. It crawls right under my skin. It's generally by well-meaning people, though. I gratefully haven't received negativity in regards to homebirth.
post #28 of 51
Lol, yup. I'm also a hippie for cloth diapering, extended breastfeeding, baby wearing and basically anything AP-ish. It's kind of annoying because I'm not a hippie really but I usually just laugh it off.
post #29 of 51
The people in my life have a really low hippy-tolerance. I got called a hippy when I put up a clothesline and got a composting bin. Not in a mean or insulting way, though. I also get teased whenever I show up for playgroup with a styrofoam cup of coffee. I'm slightly on the hippy side of my group of friends, I guess.
post #30 of 51
Hippy, brave, crazy, weird, old-fashioned, luddite, martyr, selfish, stubborn...I've been called lots of things for my birthing and mothering choices. They don't bother me in the slightest anymore. Nowadays, given how unnatural I find most modern parenting choices to be, I take it as a compliment.

I believe Mark Twain said it best: "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."

post #31 of 51
Erika, I do that, too. I think it helps set things up so that I'm saying, I love the choices I'm making, I'm happy with not fitting in, and nothing you say can hurt me! But I almost always get positive reactions. I also say this when chatting with my teen students, b/c I want to be honest and expose them to all the choices out there, just a bit, but not try to lecture them about it all. They are the ones that always say that it's cool and they love hippes But I have cool students.
post #32 of 51
Quote:
Originally Posted by BeanyMama View Post
I'm not often called a "hippie", but "crunchy". I can't bear being called crunchy. It crawls right under my skin. It's generally by well-meaning people, though. I gratefully haven't received negativity in regards to homebirth.
When I start teasing DH about having to put up with my "hippy" ways, he corrects me and tells me I'm crunchy, not "hippy". To him "hippy" is derogatory, "crunchy" is lovable.

(OT but DH commented once that he "Felt like a hippy". I had to just look at him and laugh because we were both wearing shorts and Birkenstocks - classic "hippy wear" in his eyes - I was carrying a cloth-diaper-clad DS in a sling and we were heading to the farmers market to get some organic produce. Um, yeah, DH. We ARE hippies! )
post #33 of 51
My family calls me a hippy... but not so much b.c we're hombirthers (not sure they know lol), mostly b/c we cloth diapers/mama cloth, no vax, no circ, eat organic/natural, don't shave, etc. not sure why the no vax/circ thing makes me a hippy but whatever... I don't mind I like being different.
post #34 of 51
I don't know if it's the birks, the skirts, the bumper stickers on my van, the homebirthing, the breastfeeding, the babywearing, the ec'ing / cloth diapering, the unschooling, the buying organic and local, or what, but I'm often called "hippie" ... not that I mind.

When I get told, "You're brave!" when I mention that I homebirth, I sometimes respond with, "Actually, I'd need to be brave to enter an atmosphere with tons of potentially deadly germs and complete strangers wanting to inject me with potentially harmful substances while trying to control what should be a natural process...you know, the hospital." And when I get the "but what if ..."s, I say that if a problem should arrive that makes it medically necessary for me to go to the hospital to birth, then that's what a hospital is there for. I just don't see hospitals as the safest environment in which to have a normal, natural birth.
post #35 of 51
Hippies R awesome. I'll take it.
post #36 of 51
Many of my acquaintances think that my desire to avoid "wonders of modern medicine", portrays me as non-progressive, even somewhat limited person.
Some of them just thought that I'm brave or so...
post #37 of 51
I had to laugh as I read these! My sister is a real estate agent and she was at a listing appointment. When she was touring the couples DD's room she saw cloth diapers. She then asked 'Do you know my sister Niki?' The women, who was in our playgroup, called crunchy natural mommas, said 'Oh you mean Hippy Niki!' I had to laugh then too. I have been called much worse and while for once in my life it would be nice not to have to explain every single decision I make, I like it. I go against the grain, but as my family has grown, both in age and in number, I just see it as a chance to educate! Of course people usually only want to talk to me at the grocery store when my baby is nursing loudly in the wrap, my toddler is pulling my daughters hair because he loves hair, and my older kids are drooling and asking why they never get 'normal' food or cereal for breakfast!! I can only say this, the more positive your attitude the less they can say to break you down. I wear skirts, I birth at home, I carry my babies(and toddlers, and some times big kids too), I bake bread(so does my artisan baker DH), I wear sandals(or barefoot), I compost, I garden, I knit socks, I use cloth diapers and napkins, I stay home and educate my kids myself, I love my husband, my earth and my God, and you know what I even tie-dye!! I even have owned a big ole' van that we were going to paint, we have made cob walls and earth ovens and we love almost every minute of it! I would rather have people call me crunchy or hippy, than the one I got when I was at a coffee shop with a friend after my 5th baby was born. When asking how old she was and admiring her, the women asked if she was my first, I replied no I have 4 more at home with daddy! She actually said 'My aren't you a baby factory!' Is this a compliment? It was almost as bad as being called a breeder!!! Anyway be a hippy be crunchy, be any label you want or as many as you want!!!!
post #38 of 51
Quote:
Originally Posted by mom2threenurslings View Post
"Actually, I'd need to be brave to enter an atmosphere with tons of potentially deadly germs and complete strangers wanting to inject me with potentially harmful substances while trying to control what should be a natural process...you know, the hospital."
LOVE THAT! Going to have to remember that.
post #39 of 51
When home birth is mentioned, I often get the brave, crazy, selfish crap too. One woman went as far as to say "you mean you had the baby at home on purpose?" Duh. Um.. Yeah, that's what a home birth is. I even had some minor risks going on that made us have to induce, but I believed in and trusted myself and my midwives. It was no "spa" experience--I just had her in a place where I was comfortable with people that I trusted and/or loved. We were very close to a transfer, but we stuck to our guns and I did what my body was made to do. I can see where the term hippy might seem annoying in a certain context, but not as annoying as crazy or selfish. But it's so dumb anyway, aren't real hippies in their 60s now? That would be a miracle if any of them were giving birth still!
You all are beautiful, responsible mamas. Enjoy your home birth!
post #40 of 51
Broke the news of my pregnancy to my Dad and Stepmom yesterday. When I mentioned a homebirth, the silence on the other end of the line said it all. Both were very[ judgemental of this option, and told me I needed to think of what was best for the baby. As though I wasn't.

However, kudos to tough, sassy old ladies! My grandma, who is the ruling matriarch of our family, told my father that she was born at home and so was her mother, and they were both just fine. My dad said that I was choosing a "less traditional" route, and that wasn't always the best, and my grandma snaps out this line-

"Two things, George. You are not a woman so I'm not sure why you're weighing in so heavily here. Second, if we're talking most of human history, the hospital is the unusual method."

God I love that woman.
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