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Hi Martha, 

As I wrote in another comment below, "If your baby is born at home, and you get a doctor to issue the certificates for the birth, then you may be outside the radar of the caja/local health care workers.  It's a bit vague what the certificates from the doctor must say, but basically verifies the date and time of the birth.  You'll need many copies of this letter to apply for the birth certificate and also to apply for citizenships of your home country.   If you want to be out of the radar, never go to the local health clinic.  Just bring your certificates directly to the public registry in the appropriate city."

Unfortunately, for all the nice things about Costa Rica, IMHO for better or worse, right now the US has more liberties culturally and legally about the choices you can make with regards to your own children.  You or your husband or one of your friends who is most comfortable with white lies should prepare well for your birth by interviewing doctors and finding one who will help you get the exact required paperwork indicating that a baby was born, because that is the easiest.  You can also get 2 witnesses who are either C.R. citizens or residents if you fail to find a doctor BUT then there is a good chance the registrar will insist on seeing your vaccination records (which they don't insist on if you have a doctor's letter).  Plus you'll have fewer problems at the embassy later if you have an actual doctor's letter.  

I personally detest white lies and had a hard time with all this, and if it weren't for the excessive comfort of the Ticos who helped me, with this way of doing things, I wouldn't have been able to pull it off and we'd still be in Costa Rica with no papers.

These details aside, however, we applaud your plan as it was the same as ours and worked out; what a beautiful place and way to be born.  I don't know if this is your first or not but one thing I would say as an aside is that if you are able to have someone local who can come help out the first few days or weeks, even just to make some food and wash sheets or sit with you while your husband goes for a walk, that can be a big help; I found myself quite drained also by the experience, going immediately from having my wife taking care of me to me taking care of two people neither of whom was in a mood to express appreciation for the help, quite understandably.

Peter