More women have been choosing to give birth at home in recent years. Approximately 25,000 American women choose to have a baby at home every year. If you are in good health, have no complications related to the pregnancy and have quality medical care, home birth can be a safe alternative to a hospital birth.
The most important thing to consider when planning a home birth is your health care practitioner. Although a few doctors do home births, this is very rare. In most cases, a midwife will provide prenatal care and be present for the birth of the baby. Make sure you choose an experienced and qualified midwife.
When interviewing midwives, ask about the education and training the midwife has received. How many births has she attended? Ideally, you want a midwife who has attended hundreds of deliveries. Ask about the complications she has encountered over the years and how she dealt with them. You can also ask for referrals from previous patients.
You need to decide who will be present at your birth. This could be your partner, friends, family members and other children. In general, you want to choose people who can help, such as offering child care for your other children. Choose supportive people to be present. If your mom is totally against home birth, you may not want her to be there. Surround yourself with supportive and positive people.
It’s important to prepare for your birth. A child birth class, such as the Bradley Method will help you prepare for the birth and learn natural pain relief techniques. Spend some time reading books about the natural birth process. Watch videos of home births to help you prepare. There are even videos made for children, if you plan to have them present at the birth of a sibling.
Ask your midwife what you need to do to prepare the house for a home birth. What supplies do you need to have ready? This may be plastic sheets for the bed a birthing ball and other things. If you want a water birth, you may have to purchase a tub. Ask about this. The midwife will likely bring all needed medical supplies and a Doppler to listen to the baby’s heartbeat during labor.
Who will back up the midwife? Many work with a doctor in the event a complication were to arise and you would need to be transferred to a hospital. Ask in advance about the back up doctor. Who is he? What is his philosophy of child birth? You may never see the doctor. If you feel more comfortable, you can request a visit or two during the pregnancy. This will allow you to get to know the back up doctor.
With good care and planning, many women have successful births at home each year. Take the time to investigate your options and choose a great midwife to help you deliver your baby in the comfort of your own home.