Practices... - Midwifery - Home Birth

One option, when choosing to have a midwife, is to have your baby at home. There are many reasons why you may choose this option, including issues of control, safety, intimacy, freedom and normalcy. Childbirth is a normal, healthy, life-changing event in a woman's life. For some women, the hospital represents illness and helplessness. Simply entering the building may strip away her confidence and feelings of control over what is happening to her body in labour. Emergency equipment in the hallway and delivery rooms is a constant reminder that she may not be capable of giving birth, while continuous checking of her "progress" puts her under pressure to perform quickly. On the other hand, these procedures may be very reassuring to other women and are necessary in certain circumstances.

It is important to feel comfortable and safe in the place you choose to give birth. If your home is not a positive environment, then giving birth at home may not be the best option for you. One valuable aspect of having a home birth is the freedom you receive. The midwife is considered a guest in your home; you set the atmosphere, eat food when you feel hungry, spend time in different rooms or outdoors, and no one may enter unless invited. The period of time after your birth is given to you, as a family, and should not be disrupted by unnecessary procedures.

Research has shown that women who experience both home and hospital deliveries have a strong preference for home birth. Home birth safety has been questioned over the years, but it is now understood that the home is as safe a place to give birth as the hospital, provided your pregnancy is healthy and a skilled midwife is in attendance. It has been shown that women receiving care in a home-like setting used less pain killers, had fewer problems with the unborn baby's heart rate, were more mobile, and were more satisfied with their care.

Your midwife will openly discuss any relevant issues with you to help you decide the best place to give birth. Nancy Stewart of the Association for Improvements in Maternity Services summarizes: "All of living involves some risk, and this applies to giving birth and being born, wherever the birth takes place...It is important to go beyond the statistics, to consider the real influences on safety for you and your baby...Where to give birth is not a matter of physical safety versus feelings. They are inextricably wrapped up together and you can trust the wisdom of your feelings in choosing where your baby is to be born."