Who can have a homebirth?
The majority of women have a healthy pregnancy. And the majority of them should have an uncomplicated birth.
If you are one of them..... you can opt for a homebirth.
If you have a medical condition and the doctor or midwife advises you to give birth in hospital, than that is indeed the best place for you to be. Examples of medical conditions are if you have pre-clampsia or if you are HIV positive.
There are numerous other reasons though why you could be told that you have to give birth in hospital. I find this a very interesting point. You might opt for a homebirth for example and expect twins, or last minute your baby is breach. The midwife will tell you that you HAVE TO GIVE BIRTH in hospital.
There are however Independent Midwives that will take on your case. Many of them have supported women in those situations very successfully - at home. No- Independent Midwifes are not available through the NHS, so you will need to pay for their service. But it might well be worth your while should you feel more confident to giving birth at home. Although I have used NHS midwives during my two homebirths, and was very happy with their support and service, I would most definitely consider an independent midwife should the NHS tell me to have a hospital birth for anything else than a medical condition.
Don't be discouraged when your midwife tells you that you can't have a homebirth. Find out why and if there is anything you can do about it. A breech baby can still turn last minute for example, and there are positions you can sit in to encourage the baby to turn.
Should you be unlucky enough that you can not have your planned homebirth after all, then just make the most of your labour at home before you go into hospital. I am not suggesting waiting until the last stage of labour before you go in. But many women arrive when they are barely 3cm dilated. And that could mean an unnecessarily long stretch in hospital. (Also see: stages of labour and when to call the midwife)
