Home Births: Have You Considered One?

The British Medical Journal recently released research from a large Dutch study that said planned home births in the Netherlands are now less risky than planned hospital births, particularly for second time mums. The study also revealed the risk of severe complications to be one in 1,000 for home births and 2.3 in 1,000 hospital births. So would this encourage you to have your baby at home, or does the thought of being away from the facilities and expertise of a hospital seem too scary?

This research, however, is dependent on many factors such as a good risk selection system, well-trained midwives and reliable transport in case of an emergency. Would this work so well in Britain? Well, a 2011 BMJ study of 65,000 British women found that home births carried a higher risk for the babies of first-time mothers but carried no greater risk for the second.

In the 1960s, a third of women had their babies at home but today the percentage is significantly lower at 2.5%. In an article published by the BBC in June, Dr Tony Falconer, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists claimed that this was largely due to the UK not offering the same facilities for home births as other countries such as the Netherlands. He urged women to consider the amenities of their local services in order to decide whether it was the right choice for them.

New mum, Eleanor Hufton gave birth to a baby girl in Nottingham City hospital in July this year. “I didn’t consider a home birth because I didn’t know what to expect as it was a whole new experience for me – I wasn’t sure if I’d need pain relief which you can’t have at home. Also, the thought of having to travel to hospital half way through if something went wrong didn’t appeal. I would rather be at hospital where everything is ready if needed. The clinical setting of a hospital isn’t very appealing though, so I can see how being at home would be more relaxing”.

This relaxing and comfortable environment was a factor that mum of two, Sara Welch found appealing. After having two very quick labours with her first two children she decided on a home birth for her third baby. “I liked the idea of a home birth from the beginning of my third pregnancy, but my husband wasn’t keen at all,” says Sara. “I think he was worried about the mess, but I was fully prepared with sheets, shower curtains etc. I felt more relaxed than I ever have at hospital as I wasn’t worrying about the rest of my children at home. My hubby agreed it was amazing and we both wished that we had had a home delivery with our other children. It was nice to be in my own bed so soon after having the baby – I recommend it to everyone”.

But how does a home birth feel for the father? Ben Wilson-Mawer and his partner Kat chose to stay at home for the labour of both of their babies. “My partner Kat has always been wary about hospitals, whether it is the smell, the food or the association with being ill and death, I’m not quite sure, but when Kat fell pregnant for the first time a home birth was the obvious choice,” says Ben. “We read up on the pros and cons of home births and the conclusion we came to was that if your pregnancy was normal, then it’s really nothing to worry about. We expected a battle with the midwife as it was Kat’s first pregnancy, but she was actually quite excited for us, and surprisingly gave us the go ahead, saying she wished more couples would opt to stay at home, as we were a tiny minority. Three years later when Kat fell pregnant again, we knew that a home birth was the only way to go.”

When deciding whether a home birth is for you, there are a few factors that you need to consider:

• You don’t need your G.Ps permission but you will need to book a home birth in with your midwife. They can refuse your request if they think it is unsuitable for you and your baby.
• NHS guidelines say that two midwives must be present for a home delivery. If this isn’t available through your local services, you can hire a private midwife.
• Needing a caesarean doesn’t automatically mean you can’t have a home birth, but you will need to agree to go to the hospital at the first sign of a problem.
• You’ll need to be prepared with plastic sheets for the bed and floor as well as good lighting. Clean towels and blankets are also essential.
• Remember, you can’t have an epidural with a home birth but you can have gas, air and pethidine.
• Home births aren’t suitable if you’re having more than one baby, your baby is breech, or you’re less than 38 weeks pregnant when you go into labour.

So what are your thoughts on having a home birth? Does it seem crazy given all of the technology and medical facilities we have available at hospitals, or would you much prefer to be in a homely and calm environment with the support of your partner and midwife? We’d love to know your thoughts so please comment below.

This article is a feature from the MUM.com Trusted Bloggers Club.

About the author

Jessica Attinger

Passionate about all things related to health, beauty and wellbeing. I recently launched MindTheMunchies.com, and for me the key to a healthy and happy lifestyle comes from within. When I'm not researching and writing, you'll find me curled up next to my Great Dane, Brian.

Click here to read my full biography.

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