Benefits homebirth
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 and who do you want present.
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)Problem here is though that as a general rule, once you start intervening with the natural process, it is hard to stop.
(find out about negative effects induction, medication, breaking water)
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. No strangers walking in and out of your room. It is also much easier to discuss possible complications or intervention on your own turf.
It is more relaxed and less stressful in your own home
You can set the setting. Dim the lights, put your favorite album on. Create a special and relaxing atmosphere. This will enable you to be even more relaxed, which will very likely speed up your labour. When you get tense, you will feel the pain more. And you don't want that!
Lots of distractions at home
As you are in your own surroundings, there are lots of distractions. 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. 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 tranquility in your own home. Peace and quit. 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 creaming 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 the busy maternity wards, there are not always enough resources to clean properly. Women not having a shower because there was still blood from the person before her in the shower, are not unheard of. 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. You can move from room to room, climb the stairs (if you have any) to speed things up. You will not be strapped to a bed for unnecessary monitoring of any kind. You can choose any position you feel comfortable in, may it be squatting, standing up or lying on your side. You name it, it's your day!
A quiet home after birth
The midwifes 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 a strange and noisy place with strangers?
Your partner can stay and be an active part of your labour
It happens very often that a partner is send out of the room for a coffee 'as it will take hours before the baby is there'. And many men will find themselves feeling out of control 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. It could be that you choose for a waterbirth, well someone has to fill the pool up! Otherwise, sheets and towels will need 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 cuppa for the midwives! Gosh.... talking about hard work!
What I see as another benefit of your partner staying with you is that you are not left to your own devises 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 husband) can restrict you in who is present in your home.
(Although I have to note, 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 (possible) other children. Where else than in your own home. An intimate moment for everyone to get to know each other and to celebrate this special moment. Running after older children during visiting hours. Or your children waking up finding mum 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 where NOT born in hospital! As giving birth is rather natural, and not a decease 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!
Why is lying on your back during delivery so bad?
