Home Birth

What are the Pluses?

• You get to be in at home when you give birth! You can give birth in your bed, in your bathtub, in your backyard. You can have a Water Birth without worrying about hospital policies. You will be more comfortable in your home environment than in a hospital and consequently, your labor will be easier, shorter and less painful.
• Your children can be as present as they want to be, without being intimidated by hospital or medical personnel. You won’t have to worry about childcare. Your children can watch you give birth, or be in another room, close to you and other family members. Additionally, you can have as many people there as you want without worrying about hospital guidelines.
• You don’t have to worry about when to go the hospital, your midwife comes to you when you’re ready. You can continue to distract yourself with cooking, watching movies, listening to music, cleaning, or chatting with friends for as long as you want. You can participate in any birthing rituals you want including drumming, candles, incense, art, and other rituals that might not be acceptable in a hospital.
• You will have a Natural Childbirth at home. Your midwife will perform some interventions on you, such as blood pressure readings, fetal heart rate checks, vaginal checks and possibly other interventions as she feels necessary. However, you will have far fewer interventions than in a hospital.
• When the baby’s born, you get to stay home! You don’t have to be moved to a non-private postpartum room with a roommate who has just given birth. You don’t have to be separated from your family and partner at night. You don’t have to worry about your baby going to a nursery and getting interventions you don’t want. There are no concerns about driving home in questionable weather, or if the car seat is installed right. After you give birth, you can curl up in your bed and enjoy your baby!

What are the Drawbacks?

• You are not in a hospital, so if something goes wrong you will have to be transported to a hospital. But most midwives will not accept clients that are not within a prearranged mileage of a hospital she feels confident in. And she will perform interventions as you labor such as blood pressure readings, temperature readings, vaginal checks and fetal heart rate monitoring to make sure you and your baby stay healthy.

• You cannot get pain medicine in a home birth. For many women, this is a deal-breaker. They know they want an epidural and in that case, a hospital is the best place for them to give birth. However, most midwives will give you tips to get through your labor without the need for pain medicine. With enough support, and knowledge about comfort measures, you can have a Natural Childbirth. You can also hire a Doula to assist you.

Midwives

To have a home birth, you must have a midwife. A midwife will meet with you before your birth to discuss her birthing philosophy, your wishes, tips on how to get through labor without pain medicine and answer questions. She will talk about her plans in case you have to be transported to a hospital. You will have to seek, interview and hire this woman yourself. You might have to hunt for a midwife that meets your qualifications, but it’s worth it when you find her.

Are Home Births Safe?

Yes! Home births are very safe, with some guidelines and precautions.

• You need to find a competent midwife that you trust, no matter what happens. You should check her references and talk to previous clients. You should be able to talk to her about anything -- including what she would do if something goes wrong and you need to be transported to a hospital.
• Your pregnancy needs to be low risk and there should be no foreseeable risks to your birth. If your midwife feels you cannot have a safe home birth, you need to listen to her!

In Conclusion

Home births can be safe with a competent midwife. They can be a wonderful experience and a wonderful uplifting way to start your new family.