title: Birth, simply.
abstract: In this column, a mother describes the home birth of her fourth child, which included the supportive presence of her husband, young children, and other family members, along with the help of a midwife. The mother's experience demonstrates the advantages of normal birth and its benefits to the entire family.
authors.affiliation: MARY GIBBONS is the mother of four girls: Nora (8 years old), Molly (6 years old), Maggie (4 years old), and Cate (18 months old). She lives in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, where she has recently begun teaching childbirth education classes.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gibbons