As followers of Christ we are taught to obey the laws of the land in which we live unless it goes against what we believe the Lord would have us do, right? i have no trouble smuggling Bibles and illegally sharing the Gospel in lands where that is illegal, but I'm not sure what to think about some of the laws of America.
I'm expecting a child this summer and i would really like to have a homebirth. I think that's the most God honoring way to have a child, but that's where i'm having some conflict in my soul. I live in a state where it's illegal to have a midwife assist at a homebirth. It is however completely legal to have a child at home with no assistance.
I've looked into the other obstetric practices in my area and because we could only afford to see those who would accept our insurance, i would have to see men or maybe a lesbian doctor at some point. i am so not o.k. with that.
so i guess my question is...How do you know if it's a law that can be disobeyed in good consiounse (like sharing the Gospel) or if it's a law that we should submit to (like paying taxes)?
to obey or disobey?
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to obey or disobey?
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_Anonymous
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Hi Jessie. Congratulations on the new baby! I think you raised an interesting question and while we wait for an answer I have a question for you. Why do you think homebirth is the most God-honoring way to give birth? I'm only asking because I've never given it much thought. Is it because of the male/lesbian doctor thing? Is there something else?
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I may come back and say more about this later. I have to run to a meeting in a few minutes.
My wife and I had four babies at home. Only once did a midwife turn out to be needed, though we had midwives at three of the births. The one exception was a case where we had hired a midwife, but the baby came so quickly, the midwife didn't arrive until an hour after the birth (we lived in a remote place).
I am told that 97% of births will happen naturally without complications with or without a midwife. If your husband knows something about emergency childbirth (there are inexpensive books on the subject) you probably won't need a midwife—but I would have a car and some friends handy, just in case you need to be taken to the hospital. This has been the case for some of our friends who ended up delivering in the hospital.
The greatest advantages of homebirth, as see it, would be the lower amount of stress on mother and child giving birth in a familiar environment, the lack of intrusive doctors and nurses trying to get ahead of God—even pressuring for a C-section, if labor goes longer than they want to wait around. Also the baby already shares the mother's immunities to the germs of the home, whereas many contract staph or other foreign diseases by going to a hospital where unfamiliar diseases lurk.
As for honoring God, I can see how some might feel God is more honored by trusting Him to do what most people would rather trust medical professionals for. Once in the hospital, it is hard to refuse any treatments suggested by doctors, sometimes at the risk of them threatening to call social services in, if they don't appreciate your decisions about post-natal care. At home, you have much more privacy and sovereignty over matters that are private and family matters.
I am not against hospital births (my oldest was born in a hospital two months premature, and had to spend a month in an incubator), but I think that home births, on balance, are usually preferable. I am not advising you, but only passing along information. I am no expert, though, and don't know medical risk statistics, so do your own research.
As for obeying laws, I think the government is granted authority by God to punish evildoers (Rom.13:4/ 1 Pet.2:13-14)—and no more. If rulers make laws that intrude into the family's sovereignty and do not have anything to do with immoral or criminal behavior, in my opinion, their laws are illegitimate. The midwives of the children of Israel disregarded the intrusive and evil laws of Pharaoh—and God blessed them for it (Exodus 1).
My wife and I had four babies at home. Only once did a midwife turn out to be needed, though we had midwives at three of the births. The one exception was a case where we had hired a midwife, but the baby came so quickly, the midwife didn't arrive until an hour after the birth (we lived in a remote place).
I am told that 97% of births will happen naturally without complications with or without a midwife. If your husband knows something about emergency childbirth (there are inexpensive books on the subject) you probably won't need a midwife—but I would have a car and some friends handy, just in case you need to be taken to the hospital. This has been the case for some of our friends who ended up delivering in the hospital.
The greatest advantages of homebirth, as see it, would be the lower amount of stress on mother and child giving birth in a familiar environment, the lack of intrusive doctors and nurses trying to get ahead of God—even pressuring for a C-section, if labor goes longer than they want to wait around. Also the baby already shares the mother's immunities to the germs of the home, whereas many contract staph or other foreign diseases by going to a hospital where unfamiliar diseases lurk.
As for honoring God, I can see how some might feel God is more honored by trusting Him to do what most people would rather trust medical professionals for. Once in the hospital, it is hard to refuse any treatments suggested by doctors, sometimes at the risk of them threatening to call social services in, if they don't appreciate your decisions about post-natal care. At home, you have much more privacy and sovereignty over matters that are private and family matters.
I am not against hospital births (my oldest was born in a hospital two months premature, and had to spend a month in an incubator), but I think that home births, on balance, are usually preferable. I am not advising you, but only passing along information. I am no expert, though, and don't know medical risk statistics, so do your own research.
As for obeying laws, I think the government is granted authority by God to punish evildoers (Rom.13:4/ 1 Pet.2:13-14)—and no more. If rulers make laws that intrude into the family's sovereignty and do not have anything to do with immoral or criminal behavior, in my opinion, their laws are illegitimate. The midwives of the children of Israel disregarded the intrusive and evil laws of Pharaoh—and God blessed them for it (Exodus 1).
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
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In Jesus,
Steve
Steve
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Michelle
i guess one of the main issues that i have with the whole hospital birth system in the u.s. (and by the way, statistically the u.s. is not the safest place to give birth in) is that i do not believe birth to be a "medical" event. It wasn't until the 1900's that births were even welcomed in hospitals, so the logic that God designed women's bodies in such a faulty way that they are unable to give birth without intervention from dr.s just doesn't make sense. i believe that if left alone most women can give birth without drugs or pain killers which are so heavily pushed in hospital births. These drugs and pain killers lead to more drugs and interventions, etc. etc....
When God created Eve He created her to be able to multiply. There were no obstetricians then or after the fall and obviously the human race has managed to reproduce until this point. It seems like by placing the medical profession in such a position that we will do anything they say or suggest is denying that God in His infinite wisdom knew what He was doing.
i'm not against medical intervention in birth when it's necesarry (ruptured uterus, placenta previa, etc) but these are rare instances and not the norm.
i hope this sheds some light on to where i'm coming from.
i guess one of the main issues that i have with the whole hospital birth system in the u.s. (and by the way, statistically the u.s. is not the safest place to give birth in) is that i do not believe birth to be a "medical" event. It wasn't until the 1900's that births were even welcomed in hospitals, so the logic that God designed women's bodies in such a faulty way that they are unable to give birth without intervention from dr.s just doesn't make sense. i believe that if left alone most women can give birth without drugs or pain killers which are so heavily pushed in hospital births. These drugs and pain killers lead to more drugs and interventions, etc. etc....
When God created Eve He created her to be able to multiply. There were no obstetricians then or after the fall and obviously the human race has managed to reproduce until this point. It seems like by placing the medical profession in such a position that we will do anything they say or suggest is denying that God in His infinite wisdom knew what He was doing.
i'm not against medical intervention in birth when it's necesarry (ruptured uterus, placenta previa, etc) but these are rare instances and not the norm.
i hope this sheds some light on to where i'm coming from.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
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To me, and I'm just a guy here, no authority, I think the optimum phrase would be "when its necessary" stated by Jessie:
So let everyone who needs to make the decision be fully sure in their own heart that what they do is the best for the desired outcome.
back in the days when these types of complications could not be treated then the birth just went they way it came and the family lived with the results. Now we are so much more advanced that to not go to a hospital is more the risk then going. My opinion.i'm not against medical intervention in birth when it's necesarry (ruptured uterus, placenta previa, etc) but these are rare instances and not the norm.
So let everyone who needs to make the decision be fully sure in their own heart that what they do is the best for the desired outcome.
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Jessie,
All of the things you and Steve posted make sense, and I can see why homebirth is a very appealing idea. However, since you live in a state where midwifery is illegal, wouldn't you be asking the midwife to break the law? Would that be a good thing? Would you consider just having your husband and/or other family be in attendance?
I had both of my babies in the hospital. It was OK, I guess.
All of the things you and Steve posted make sense, and I can see why homebirth is a very appealing idea. However, since you live in a state where midwifery is illegal, wouldn't you be asking the midwife to break the law? Would that be a good thing? Would you consider just having your husband and/or other family be in attendance?
I had both of my babies in the hospital. It was OK, I guess.
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_Les Wright
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Hi Jessie,
We had our first baby in the hospital in Canada with a mid-wife! I figure its the best of both worlds.
I agree with what you say about birth not being a 'medical event' but I also found comfort with the idea that we were already in the hospital if anything should occur - which it did.
One thing that bugs me and my wife (we live in Canada) is that while our medical system is supposed to offer choices - it seems that a lot of Drs just do what they want with out informing the 'patient' or giving them a choice.
Maybe you could 'shop around' to see if you can find a Doctor/hospital that would sympathize with your intentions/views? I realize that this doesn't help with some of your concerns though... like having to 'see men or maybe a lesbian doctor'
Of course, unity in this decision with your husband is also very important. Does he share your views/concerns?
Les
We had our first baby in the hospital in Canada with a mid-wife! I figure its the best of both worlds.
I agree with what you say about birth not being a 'medical event' but I also found comfort with the idea that we were already in the hospital if anything should occur - which it did.
One thing that bugs me and my wife (we live in Canada) is that while our medical system is supposed to offer choices - it seems that a lot of Drs just do what they want with out informing the 'patient' or giving them a choice.
Maybe you could 'shop around' to see if you can find a Doctor/hospital that would sympathize with your intentions/views? I realize that this doesn't help with some of your concerns though... like having to 'see men or maybe a lesbian doctor'
Of course, unity in this decision with your husband is also very important. Does he share your views/concerns?
Les
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_Anonymous
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I wouldn't have a home birth if illegal as I dont have alot of trust in the
state/court system. I had a baby in the hospital all went great, I was
living in Nevada at that time but having a midwife was not illegal in that state.
state/court system. I had a baby in the hospital all went great, I was
living in Nevada at that time but having a midwife was not illegal in that state.
Last edited by Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
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