by Laura Staley Hausman On Friday, June 26th, 1998 I wake up at 7:30 a.m. and discover bloody show. Steady, walk-through contractions begin and continue. It is a hot, humid, overcast day. After breakfast Herb, Julianna and I walk to the playground. I sit on a bench and notice the world through a bubble. I…

by Jen Asselstine Choice. It’s a right that we exercise each day. We choose what to wear in the morning and what to eat for breakfast. We choose the type of car to drive and what profession to pursue. We choose whether to make a good, moral decision or a bad one. We choose a…

by Lauren Banta My husband, Mark, and I were thrilled to see “positive pink” on my pregnancy test in June, 1997. My mind raced with hopeful thoughts concerning our first child. Was this tiny baby a boy or a girl? What would we name our little blessing? Regarding birth, I wanted to avoid an episiotomy…

by Mark Banta Had you asked me 5 years ago what I thought of home birth I would have told you, in no uncertain terms, that the risks far outweigh the rewards. Furthermore, I would have said that there is no reason to do such a thing given the excellent medical technology and gifted medical…