Considering a home birth but not sure if it is the right decision for you? Here is some insight from two moms- one home birth and two planned for this year! Here’s what you need to know….
Who Should Not Consider Home Birth
There are very few cases where a home birth should not be at all considered. However, we always seek to view things in a very balanced way. For this reason I think it is important to note that home birth is not for everyone.
Personal comfort, preferences, home environment, etc. can all be a factor, but as far as reasons you should absolutely not consider homebirth would be if you have a medical condition that makes homebirth extremely unsafe for yourself or your baby and could be served better by the hospital environment.
After all, the reason we chose homebirth is because we feel it is the safest place to deliver our babies. If we didn’t feel that way and have the research to back it, we wouldn’t consider it. However, not everyone is in the same circumstances. We don’t all have the same health. There are cases where a hospital is a safer choice. Do your own research because these cases are less than what is typically presented to you.
For instance, wanting a VBAC doesn’t completely exclude you from homebirth, but the risks are different for you, so weigh them for your circumstance. However, in cases of preeclampsia of preterm labor, going into the hospital setting would serve you and baby much better and safer and homebirth shouldnt be considered.
When Home Birth is No Longer an Option
You may desire, even long for a peaceful, quiet home birth but you have a medical condition that makes you or a healthcare provider alarmed. This is definitely a valid reason to give pause to the thought of pursuing a home birth. You may find exploring more options (like a birthing center) is best for you.
It is also important to realize that at any point in pregnancy a condition may arise that would put you or baby at too much risk for a safe home birth experience. That is hard to embrace but should be taken into consideration. For this reason I prefer to say, “We are hoping to have a home birth- if all goes well throughout the pregnancy.” This takes the pressure off myself and places the expectations for a happy, healthy home birth at a realistic level.
Don’t be so set on your plan that you accidentally put baby or yourself at risk. Be balanced in your mind and understand which case calls for which environment or intervention. While birthing at home is a wonderful experience it is so important to trust your provider and your gut when it comes to baby’s safety and best interest.
Who Should Consider Home Birth
Any mama of a healthy pregnancy who desires an unmedicated birth with little or no interventions should consider a home birth! Birth is a natural, in most cases, safe part of life. It is not an illness that requires treatment.
While there is definitely a place for modern medicine and we are so thankful for its availability, a healthy pregnancy should not warrant cause for a hospital stay. Home birth, under midwife supervision, has been safely practiced since ancient times. Yes, there are risks involved in any birth and we are not saying that there are not benefits to a hospital birth that some might find to be more comfortable.
And that is okay! It is a free, personal choice in today’s world. Since you are here we assume you are at least entertaining the idea. So here are some indicators home birth might just be a good option for you…
- you truly want a natural birth experience.
- you want a very personal model of care.
- you want a peaceful, quiet birth
- you do not want any unnecessary interventions during birth
- you want immediate and uninterrupted bonding time with your baby
- you have a good support system (not absolutely necessary but very helpful!)
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Following Your Intuition
As stated before it is very important that you listen to your intuition when it comes to the decision of having a home or hospital birth. We don’t mean to sound “woo-woo” but we both believe that gut feelings as a mom can often be a means of God guiding us and the decisions we make. It is so important to never ignore that inward tugging.
Confidence in Your Care Team
As you decide if home birth is the best decision for your family make sure you consider options you feel confident in. This is especially true when it comes to selecting your care team. This will include a midwife, often an assistant or two, and perhaps a doula if you prefer one.
Finding the perfect for you midwife can and should be a somewhat daunting task. You are in complete control of choosing who will help guide you through the important decisions of bringing your baby into the world! (We will dive more into this process of selecting a great midwife in a later post so make sure to subscribe to the email list so you do not miss it.)
If you do not have complete confidence in midwifery care in general I highly suggest researching the statistics on midwifery vs OB care. Study the differences in a Certified Practicing Midwife (CPM) and a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM). Choose according to your personal comfort level. Many midwives will have additional training and certification in things like breech birth, infant care, lactation consultation, etc.
Another key thing to note when it comes to having confidence in your care is that many states in the U.S. have differing laws when it comes to who may practice home birth. North Caroline, for instance, does not allow midwives to attend breech birth, the mother must be in active labor by 41 weeks, 6 days for a midwife to legally attend the birth, and minimum gestation length for attending midwife to comply with state law is 37 weeks. Research on your state laws regarding home birth is highly recommended as you consider if home birth is best for you.
Prayer
We prayed a lot about where to deliver Jackson and the Lord led us to a further away hospital that had a NICU to establish care with from the beginning. Not only did they meet most of the desires I (Anna) had for our birth, but Jackson ended up coming early. Had we not had established care with a facility already having an in-house NICU, it would’ve been much more stressful when I went into unexpected labor. The Lord knew and guided us in that direction from the beginning.
With this pregnancy, we were led to homebirth. Previously, while I greatly supported homebirth, I had no interest in it for myself. The Lord led differently this time, and I trust His guidance.
As mothers and parents in general, we always want what’s best for our babies. Only the Lord truly knows what is best, so be sure to involve Him in this very weighted decision.
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