The Comfort of Home Births

Home births are on the rise as more parents wish to deliver their babies without drugs and in a familiar setting. Even as technology improves the efficiency of our lives, advocates of home births believe childbirth is a normal physiological process, not a medical emergency.

What is a Home Birth?

Home births allow a mother to deliver her child in the comfort of her own home with benefits not afforded by hospital deliveries. Home births give expectant parents more control over the environment, including who may attend the birth: children, family members, and friends are all welcome to join the process. Most importantly, home births are an organic process instead of a medical procedure.

If you and your partner are considering a home birth (similar to birthing centers) experts recommend using a certified nurse-midwife with qualified obstetricians present during the birth. Home births are safe for mothers who are having low-risk pregnancies and have not had a c-section in the past. If you have any medical or pregnancy complications such as high blood pressure, excessive amniotic fluid, multiple gestation, or any other compromising conditions, a home birth may not be an ideal option for you.

Why Women Opt for a Home Birth:

• Mothers feel a sense of autonomy giving birth in their own home rather than a foreign environment. Having her birth at home also allows her to play an active role in the process such as choosing the most comfortable position to deliver the baby.
• Comfort reigns supreme in the list of reasons for having a baby at home. Mothers can avoid the hustle and bustle of shuffling doctors, other laboring mothers, and buzzing machines. Moreover, during childbirth, mothers are not strapped to a hospital bed with various IVs and intravenous fluids being injected to her; she is free to eat and walk around.
• Some mothers see their pregnancy as a natural function of the body that doesn't necessarily require the attention of a surgeon, obstetricians or other professionals who are hardly at your laboring side. Often times, obstetricians or doctors rely on their colleagues (such as nurses) for updates and information regarding your condition, while midwives attend you personally and remain by your side throughout labor and delivery. Mothers reported a better rapport with a licensed midwife than doctors.

Disadvantages of Home Birth

Home birth disadvantages are similar to those associated with free-standing birthing centers: complications or any other emergency that may arise during the delivery can be life threatening without the proper medical attention. Should such an event occur, you will need the expertise of hospital personnel. Be sure to have a hospital within 20 minutes, reliable transportation, and directions of the fastest route. Also review the plan before delivery to confirm everyone is prepared. Home births are also only covered by some insurance companies and vary in cost from place to place.

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