There are many benefits to having a homebirth. .....
Probably too many to mention.
The ones that seem to come up over and over again in conversations with women who have had a homebirth are listed on this page.
Please read through this page and decide for yourself what is important to you. How do you visualize the birth of your baby, what sort of atmoshphere do you want, do you want music, who do you want present to support you, do you want continuous care from the midwife, do you really need a doctor present and what sort of pain relief do you think would want. Many questions, but worth thinking about.
Benefits of home birth:
No unnecessary medical intervention
In hospital they will allow you a certain amount of time per stage of labour. Should you for whatever reason take longer (maybe you find it hard to relax in a hospital surrounding?) intervention will follow.
(The problem with intervention is that once you start intervening with the natural process, it is very difficult to stop) Generally speaking, once you start intervening with the natural process, it is hard to stop.
You are completely in control
At home there is no option to intervene other than breaking your water. This means that your body is allowed to go through the birth process without a time limit put on it. You can ask the midwife to take a step back so you can relax and deal with the contractions without unnecessary interruption. There is no chance of strangers walking in and out of rooms in your own home. It is also much easier to discuss possible complications or intervention on your own territory.
It is more relaxed and less stressful in your own home
You can set the setting. Dim the lights, put your music on. The only limits on creating as special and relaxing atmosphere is your own imagination. This will enable you to be even more relaxed, which will very likely speed up your labour. It's a fact that when you get tense, you will feel the pain more, and you don't want that! So the more relaxing you can make your birth room, the better.
Lots of distractions at home
As you are in your own surroundings, there are lots of distractions. Pleasant distractions. These could be shimmering candles, flowers, music or the view of the garden. Some women manage to bake a cake during their contractions!! Whatever you can manage, it will be easier to have something to do, to keep your mind of the pain. In a hospital setting, with just white walls to look at, it is rather hard to focus on anything else than pain!
No strangers walking in and out
A hospital is a busy place. Imagine the tranquillity in your own home. Peace and quite. No strangers (midwives, doctors, trainees and whoever else might pop by) walking in on you while you are at your most vulnerable..... Oh and definitely no screaming women down the hall to frighten the live out of you!
One-to-one midwife
When you are in labour and the midwife comes to your house, she will normally stay there until you have delivered your baby. This means that you will have the same person attending to your needs. This is more likely to make you feel more at ease. The midwife will call a second midwife during the later stages of labour. This is so there will be a midwife to attend to the mother and one to attend to the baby.
You don't need to move half way through your contractions
Study has shown in some animals that interruption during labour can postpone labour or increase the rate of complications in labour. There is suggestion that this is the same in humans.
Many women arrive in hospital and labour stops or slows down. This is partly due to the interruption because of moving to hospital and partly because it is hard for most women to relax in a hospital. Especially when in pain and in an unfamiliar situation.
Use of your own (clean) facilities
Once upon a time hospitals would be spotless. Unfortunately those times are gone. With busy maternity wards, there aren't always enough resources to clean properly. It's not uncommon to hear of women not having a shower because there was still blood from the person before her in the shower. You will not have this problem at home. You can use your own toilet and have a shower whenever you want. (What about a nice bath with your baby after birth?)
(Did I mention MRSA anywhere?)
You can move freely and choose your birth position
Moving during labour speeds up the process. And being at home enables you to do so. To speed things up you might move from room to room, climb the stairs (if you have any) or walk around the garden. You will not be strapped to a bed for unnecessary monitoring of any kind. You can choose any position you feel comfortable in, that might be squatting, standing up or lying on your side. Remember you choose, it's your day!
A quiet home after birth
The midwives will not leave your home before you are tucked up in bed. What can be nicer that lying in your own bed after birth rather that in a busy maternity ward? Your partner can stay with you and you have a lovely chance to bond - together - with your new baby! This is one of the most important days of your life, so why out of choice spend it separated from each other and in an unfamiliar place, with all the noise and strangers?
Your partner can stay and be an active part of your labour
Often a partner is sent out of the room for a coffee, as it will take 'hours before the baby is there'. And many men will find themselves feeling left out and somehow helpless while they are waiting for the big moment. There are many ways in which a man can be involved however, which makes the birth of his son or daughter all the more special! There are many 'jobs' to be done at home. If you choose a waterbirth, someone has to fill up the pool! Sheets and towels will have to be brought to the chosen birth room. Baby's bed needs making and a first outfit needs choosing. As the situation is more intimate, he will probably feel more at ease with giving you a back or feet massage, comfort you during contractions and whisper sweet nothing in your ear.... Or he can just boil the kettle for a nice cup of tea for the midwives.... talk about hard work!
What I see as another benefit of your partner staying with you is that you are not left to your own devices during your contractions. When you are vulnerable and in pain, it can be very scary for some women to be left with strangers, rather than with their partner. I am sure you have heard the stories where women scream and shout at their partners during labour, but there are many more women that just need their partner there for support. They are just less interesting stories at a birthday party I suppose!
You can eat and drink during labour
Not all hospitals let you eat and drink freely while in labour. And research has shown the importance of eating during labour to keep your strength.
You can have as many birth partners as you like
Well as long as they fit in your home of course! It is very likely though that you will only want to have a handful of people present at the birth (if any of course). But it can make all the difference to you if your mum could be present, or your sister or best friend.Or maybe you have older children who you would like to have present at this special moment. Whatever you choose, it will be possible in your own home because no-one (except maybe your partner) can restrict you in who are present in your home.
(It should be noted however, that the midwife will probably ask the dog to leave the room at the last stage of labour!)
Older children can be introduced in a homely surrounding.
One fantastic moment after birth is introducing the new born to your other children (If you have any) in your own home. An intimate moment for everyone to get to know each other and to celebrate this special moment. It's hardly relaxing running after older children during visiting hours, or your children waking up finding mum has gone to have the baby.... There is nothing better than having that intimate moment when, where and how you want!
Giving birth will be a natural process
Giving birth is actually quite a normal process if you think about it. Why else would there be so many people in the world? And most of those people were NOT born in hospital! Giving birth is a wonderful natural process, and not a disease that needs to be treated. So at home, your body can do the natural thing of bringing your child into the world. And there is nothing more special than that!
benefits home birth
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