What About the Rights of a Live Birth?

I was talking with a friend the other day. She is expecting a baby, has recently moved to a new state, and so she was researching her options for childbirth (no, this is not me! I promise! It's really a friend). She called a nearby birthing center next to a reputable hospital and asked about it. Everything was going well until they found out she had a cesarean section with her first child. They then refused to let her give birth in their center.

Never mind that she's had two healthy, normal vaginal births since then. They won't take her. They can't due to laws and liability and... whatever. 

So, she's searching other options. She is considering home birth because she does not want a hospital environment anymore --the birthing center was her favorite choice. But since that's out of the picture, home birth seems to be the best option. Sadly, however, there are some very wishy-washy state laws that are not friendly toward home birth midwives, and the neighboring state actually outlaws home birth. 

It's frustrating for her, infuriating in a way, and she made this comment to me: 

"If I wanted to kill this fetus, not only could I do it in any state and in any place, but the government would pay for it. Instead, I'm trying to bring a LIVE baby into this world, and my options are severely limited, and even punished. That's so messed up!"

Yes. Yes, it is. 

I find it so depressing and sad that women in our society are so far removed from their biology and spirituality that they clamor for the right to kill their unborn children, but don't fight for midwife rights. I am disheartened that the government will provide birth control and abortions, but they won't support nor insure (since it's all run by Obamacare now. Don't believe me?! My insurance stinks, now! Doesn't yours?) unmedicated home birth. Millions of children are aborted in this country every year --more than are born alive. Don't believe me? 

The stats are this:

41.6 million babies are aborted in the United States each year. 

4 million babies are born alive.

**UPDATE** If you see in the comments below, Julie P found the correct stats about how many babies are aborted in the US each year... I must have found the worldwide stat... ****

[Please stop if you're about to tell me how we're better off that we don't have 41.6 million new people each year. Abortions could be prevented simply by people being educated about sex and practicing some self-control and chastity. No, I'm not kidding. If people could act like the adults they claim they are, then they wouldn't have gotten pregnant in the first place. If they had the education and charity to do it, they would carry their child and give him/her to someone who has been praying for children. There are better ways. And don't tell me about "for the life of the mother" or "rape" because I know two women who fell into those categories that chose to have the babies (the link is to the life of the mother story). And they have no regrets. If you've had an abortion, then I am sorry. I imagine it wasn't very awesome, and I promise I don't judge you over what was probably a horrible situation. I judge our society's acceptance and normalcy of abortion, as well as the grossly inadequate sexual education kids receive (hint: teaching them how to use a condom isn't working, people!).]

Why isn't this country in the business of saving babies? The replacement level in this country has fallen so low that if it were to continue, we won't have the ability to sustain our population. We won't have enough people to populate our country, let alone take care of the elderly among us. Other countries have realized how dangerous this is and have actually started paying people to have children! Why aren't we doing this? Why are we funding abortions instead of home births? Why are we funding abortions instead of giving women the birthing options that could actually *help* babies? 

[If you think home birth is evil, then keep it to yourself. I have so many statistics backing me up proving how much safer it is to give birth at home with a competent midwife --for safe, healthy pregnancies --than in a hospital. My research is long.]

So, women have the right to do whatever they want to their bodies --if they want to kill another human being in their womb. Not if they want to give birth to it.

THIS IS SO WRONG. 

And truth be told, it's making me nervous for myself. What are my options in my new state? When we are blessed with another baby, what will my situation be? Will I be able to give birth at home like I'd want? 

It made me think about this 

 20 ¶Woe unto them that call ^aevil ^bgood, and good evil; that put^cdarkness for ^dlight, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

(that's Isaiah 5:20)

I have loads of thoughts in my head about why children are a blessing. I have loads of scripture and research and societal commentary about why they are, too. I don't have time or space to share all of those thoughts. But you know what I'm saying, dear reader, don't you? 

I'm just so sad for my friend. I'm sad for me. I'm sad for all women who are trying to righteously bring children into this world alive, into loving families, into a world that would rather see them dead. It's disheartening and has given me the resolve to stand up for my rights. 

I hope I'll still have some by the time I have more children. (sigh!!)