Birth

Today I was elected chair of the Swedish association for Homebirth, Föreningen Föda Hemma. I have been thinking a lot about what our association is supposed to do. We used to have a newsletter or magazine published four times per year, but can't support that anymore since we don't have enough people working on it. So we are focusing the energy on a new website where people can meet and find one another.
It became easier to see what we should do once we decided what we ought not put our energy into. I have mixed feelings about one of the issues I wanted to push. At first, I thought - if the Swedish government can pay for all expenses for a hospital birth, even a Ceasarean section (which costs a lot more money than a normal, uncomplicated birth), how is it that if you choose to pay a private midwife to come to your home, you have to pay her with your already taxed money? Well, that depends on where you live in Sweden. If you live in the Stockholm region, or in Uppsala, you can apply for coverage by tax money to pay for your midwives - if you can fulfill a number of criteria.
The problem with tax money paying for your care or anything, is that you lose a bit of control. For example, one of the criteria for getting the coverage is that you hire two midwives, another that you live within a certain number of miles from a hospital, should a transfer become necessary. You also must not be expecting your first child.
Perhaps the criteria is good, perhaps it is flawed. The other side of the issue is that families who can't afford to pay their own midwives (in other parts of the country) might either birth unassisted because they really don't want to be a patient at a hospital, or be forced to go to the hospital, and perhaps be scared and have an unpleasant experience. Don't get me wrong, some people choose to birth unassisted because that is their firm belief it will be best for them. I admire the courage and strength these families must have. I appreciated having a midwife present at our daughter's birth, and I think I would like to have one at subsequent births if I am blessed with more children.
It was such a wonderful experience to give birth to Esther at home. I feel that I could own the process. I was so happy to be at home. I was so happy to not have strangers looking at me and my baby immediately. I was happy to go into the kitchen and get my own food afterwards. It was such a private, sacred time, I didn't want to share it with hospital staff. If people are not giving birth at home just because they don't think you can do it, I want to encourage them.

I think it is a good thing that people don't have to pay for maternity care in Sweden. I also think we have gotten so used to so many things being covered, that it is easy to think - I ought to get this covered - when in fact it is better to forego some other things and pay for it yourself to be able to keep control over it. Tell me your thoughts.