By Elizabeth Lowe
Staff writer

Hadley Twp. – For Melissa and Gary Hansz, reasons to celebrate are as plentiful as their newly-expanded family.
On July 8, Melissa gave birth to healthy-sized babies, the couple’s second set of twins, giving them a total of five sons.
Weighing 7 pounds, 12 ounces, first-born Sawyer Avery was 21 3/4 inches long at birth. His brother Griffin Aiden weighed 9 pounds, 4 ounces, measuring 22 inches long.
Sawyer and Griffin were born without medication, without surgery.
At home.
Intentionally.
‘We didn’t announce our plan to many people because they treat you like you’re being irresponsible,? said Melissa, 37.
She and Gary, 48, of Hadley Township, had thoroughly researched the idea of a home birth before making the decision. They hired a certified midwife and a professional doula, who supports and assists the family and mother from pregnancy through postpartum.
They lined up friends to help with birth preparations as well as watch their older children, purchased their own supplies, sterilized bedding, learned how a breach birth would be handled, took a Caesarean-section class, decided who the back-up doctor would be, and checked into the length of time it would take to get to the closest hospital, as well as into hiring a private ambulance to stand by, just in case of emergency.
‘It’s possible to give birth at home,? said Melissa, who wanted a calm’rather than traumatic’experience for babies. ‘You have to be willing to read and research, assume responsibility, and take care of yourself.?
A blue ‘It’s a Boy? balloon floats in the dining room when Sawyer wakes from his afternoon nap. Beneath a row of five framed photos over the sofa, he calmly nurses, looking up at his mom beneath long blonde eyelashes.
Sawyer is slim-featured and fair. Melissa wonders if his eyes will be blue, like 3-year-old Joshua’s.
Griffin wakes a little later, loudly announcing he’s hungry. Griffin is darker, with round features. Maybe he’ll end up with eyes the same shade of brown as Joshua’s twin, Noah, thinks his mom.
Joshua and Noah were born’also without surgery’at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Mich.
The door opens, and in tumble two excited boys, followed by one sleepy one. Older brother Hunter, 7, who was born at Providence? freestanding birth center, returns with his middle brothers from day camp as the babies nurse.
He can’t wait to teach them to walk, he says, and likes helping, as long as diaper changes aren’t involved. Having already been through this, he knows both sides of big-brotherhood.
‘It’s kinda hard when you have four to look out for,? but ‘just holding ’em? makes it worth it, says Hunter.
Melissa is inclined to agree. She saw evidence of their individual personalities even before birth, and they’re becoming more individualistic every day.
‘Sawyer looks at you like ‘Why am I here??? she says with a little laugh. ‘Griffin looks at you like ‘I’ve got lots of stuff to tell you.??
When Melissa realized she was pregnancy last fall, she suspected she was having twins again.
‘I was getting bigger quicker, just like with Joshua and Noah,? she said.
Melissa and Gary’s first set of twins were born on a hospital surgical table. Although pleased with the obstetrician and the fact that Joshua and Noah–who were positioned head-down–didn’t have to be delivered by Caesarean section, they weren’t so sure they could avoid surgery again with their second twins.
‘It’s kind of sad, the natural way is becoming the odd way,? Melissa said.
Her water broke about 10 p.m. Thursday evening, after a day spent cleaning carpeting and the garage.
Although the pressure in her lower abdomen was intense, Melissa laughed as her husband and friend Brooke Seffens of Ortonville heated water to fill a special tub.
‘I was thinking of old movies where they boil water, and here they are boiling water, even in this day and age.?
Sawyer was born at 5:24 a.m., while Melissa was in the water.
Suddenly alone in the womb, Griffin turned feet-first. For a moment, the midwife couldn’t hear his heartbeat. He was delivered on a birthing stool at 5:55 a.m., 21 minutes after his brother.
‘People say (21 minutes) is a long time compared to a C-section, where the babies are minutes apart, but you’ve got to give your body time to start having contractions again,? Melissa said.
Both babies have been pronounced healthy and beautiful, as evidenced by professional photographs captured that morning.
Friends Melissa’s met through the Mothers of Multiples group have been very supportive, she says, bringing meals and bearing practical gifts.
‘When Mothers of Multiples came after Joshua and Noah were born, they brought a plant. When they came this time, they brought diapers,? she says with a laugh.
These days, when Melissa is changing more than 100 diapers a week and juggling the needs of five children, she’s thankful to have avoided surgery.
‘One mom came over to bring us a meal. She said, ‘Wow, you’re up and dressed and have your laundry done? I haven’t even done my laundry at home yet.??
Some days, the mother of five just needs a hug or to chat, which supportive friends are happy to give. Her most exciting outing was a trip to the BP station to buy a Hostess cherry pie, she says with a laugh.
Their biggest problem now is figuring out how the family of seven can make the long drive to visit grandmothers in one vehicle, since most won’t accomodate four car seats and a booster seat.
Melissa realizes having twins naturally at home may not be the method all moms will choose, but the Hansz family feels they made the right decision overall.
‘It is something I wish more moms had the opportunity to do,? she says, ‘and I wish medical professionals would back up the midwives, so more people would feel comfortable with it.
‘If the doctors did back up the midwifes, it would take more of the fear out of it.?