After reading endless literature about childbirth and fantasizing about my son's entrance into the world, I made a firm commitment to have a natural birth.

It was empowering to express what I hoped to achieve during what would be the most profound experience of my life, to-date. I armed myself with natural methods of coping with pain and completed a labor series class with my husband that prepared me to stick with my birth plan-but diverge when in the interest of my health or that of my baby.

And that's exactly what I did.

The number of women choosing to have natural births in the hospital and at home is on the rise.

Women are choosing to forego epidurals and unnecessary medical intervention for a variety of reasons that range from health to economics. "Up here it's more about healthy living," said Natanya Champney, a Certified Professional Midwife who serves expecting mothers in northern NH.

Champney said as women who receive federal assistance through Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) begin to explore breastfeeding and learn the significant benefits of feeding their baby naturally, they become interested in the health benefits of a natural birth.

Coös County has the highest percentage of residents living in poverty in the state-and breastfeeding rates are lower among the population of mothers living in low income households, according to the 2011 NH State Health Profile. But improved food packages and support for lactating mothers provided by WIC have helped increase the rate of breastfeeding among children born in low income households by more than 25 percent over the last decade.

"We certainly do work here to promote breastfeeding. It's one of best things a woman can do for her baby," said Lisa Bujno of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Maternal and Child Health. "It provides immunity and prevents obesity later in life."

Coös County has the third highest percentage of third graders who are overweight or obese in the state, followed by Carroll and Grafton Counties, according to the state's health profile.

In addition to being inspired by the health benefits of a natural delivery, which include a shorter labor, a decreased risk of fever for baby, a faster recovery time, and generally an easier time establishing breastfeeding; Champney said she serves women in northern NH who choose to have a natural, home birth because they are uninsured.

"The poverty level up here is very high," Champney said. "Women choose home birth absolutely because it's less expensive. A basic hospital birth can cost anywhere between $5,000 and $10,000 with no medication. I charge around $3,500 for all nine months of care, plus the birth and postpartum care."

Convenience is another factor. With the closure of maternity wards at Weeks Medical Center in Lancaster and Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook, pregnant women who would have been served at those medical centers now face long commutes to Littleton Regional Hospital or Androscoggin Valley Hospital (AVH) - even longer in poor, winter weather conditions.

When weighing a long drive to the hospital while in labor against a trip up the stairs to a cozy, familiar bedroom or warm tub, it's easy to understand why women would choose home birth.

And area hospitals are working to adapt-renovating their rooms to offer women that home-like, cozy environment.

"We have realized the expectations for the birthing experience are more than what they used to be, so we have renovated our rooms to include full baths to accommodate birthing there," said James Patry, the director of communications for AVH. On the hospital's website, the renovated, private birthing rooms are described as "home-like," and women are promised "family-centered care in which mother and baby can stay in the same room," as well as support breastfeeding and bottle-feeding baby.

Although women's reasons for choosing natural and home births vary, the benefits are the same.

Taking control over your own birth experience and letting your body work as nature intended is empowering. It's generally healthier for mother and baby, and it's less costly.

The trend towards natural and home births also shows society's increased comfort with the birthing process. It wasn't too long ago that men weren't even allowed in the birthing room. Now, expecting fathers attend breastfeeding and labor series classes. And when the time comes, dad is not only encouraged, but expected to coach his partner through labor.

A hot trend made possible by increased comfort with the birthing process is professional photography in the delivery room. It's not a service common enough to have heard about in your labor series class. I could only find one photographer up north who has been hired to capture a birth - and it will be his first one. "I have a lot of friends who are professional photographers, but I have never heard of any of them doing this," said Paul Anderson of Piermont, who owns Camera's Eye. The woman Anderson will photograph is ten weeks pregnant and lives in Vermont. Is he apprehensive? Somewhat. It's his first time photographing a live birth. But, Anderson said he is "very open minded. "I photograph everything," he said.

I asked Anderson what he thinks the new trend of women seeking photographers to document such an intimate experience can be attributed to. "I think it's about the individual person," he said.

And ultimately, that's the best things about natural and home births - women have the power to take control over their individual birthing experiences and the environments in which they welcome their children into the world.