Home births are irresponsible

[LadyShapes]

Did anyone see the start of Lorraine at about 8.30? They were talking about what's in the news and one of the stories was about how more women should have home births. The delighful guest they had on to talk about it said that she thought home births were irresponsible and dangerous. She also said she thought natural births were a load of rubbish and she just wanted to be in hospital and have medical intervention (paraphrasing). Oh and she wouldn't have a home birth because she has cream carpets. The other guest just agreed with her, so the that was the extent of the discussion.

Is it me? AIBU to think they shouldn't discuss news stories unless the guests have some kind of informed opinion (I mean, all the infomation I have had from my midwife tells me about the benefits of home births and a natural birth as well as the risks), or they should have read more than just the headline. Or AIBU to be watching Lorraine and hoping for some kind of balanced discussion.

Ok, to whoever it was

Butterbur, you are misguided.

I predict home births will ne the norm within 15-20 years easy.

I've had 3HBs and according to all the midwives I have seen have saved the NHS thousands

Didn't see the discussion and wouldn't go as far as to say home births are irresponsible but I do think its a legitimate question, given the restrictions being placed on NHS resources, as to whether all women should be offered them as a matter of course. Someone mentioned ELCS being more expensive, that may be the case but women aren't ever offered them for a first birth on the NHS (apart from on cases of high blood pressure/extreme tokophobia etc. I'd like to see the figures involved. But people expecting a broadsheet discussion on a tabloid news program are kidding themselves anyway...

In Wales they're trying to increase the number of home births to 10%. I got a leaflet telling me what a brilliant idea it is, so it seems like it must financially beneficial or at least not detrimental for the NHS. Plus it must be pretty safe for them to be recommending it?!

I just thought the silly woman on Lorraine was far too opinionated and negative about something she clearly hadn't even considered and looked into for herself. She came across as very ignorant.

apparently a HB costs 60% less than a hospital birth (will try and find link)

Laweasley - that's right, homebirths are cheaper for the the NHS. So YABU to those who say its a drain on resources.

Irresponsible? in case of emergency I would call 999.... doesn't mean I have to go and labour in hospital just incase something awful happens.

Grr.

(Am booked in for a homebirth... 39+1 today... hurrah!)

I was never offered a h/b. I had to put it in writing both times, to say that I wanted to have them.

However, they were granted without resistance, as they were/are trying to encourage more women to have them.

I don't think home births are irresponsible, like everything else with pregnancy and childbirth etc. it is personal choice.
I wish my birth had been different, (EMCS) but if I had had a HB my baby boy would definitely not have survived. five min drive to the hospital or a wait for an ambulance would have been too late for us.
I think a balance of views from diff sides of the argument would be great, but rarely happens on TV.
My best friend had four HB's all fine, healthy babies, so I know it works great for some.

My midwife has urged me to have a homebirth this time round because I laboured very quickly with DS1 and DS2. She thinks the greater risk is to plan for a hospital birth and not get there in time, which would tie up far more NHS resource with blue-light ambulances.

I would quite happily have given birth in a birthing centre that was situated 2mins walk at the top of my road. NHS shut it down a few months ago leaving me to pay for a £50/70 taxi (each way and more with bad/rush hr traffic) to the nearest hospital out of town. Only one local taxi firm will take women in labour due to cleaning costs. Obviously you cannot confirm they will have a car free. The hospital in question turned away a woman recently because she was not dilated enough and they had a bed shortage. She had to return to our town where she promptly gave birth on the waiting area at the MW's antenatal clinic as she didn't know where else to go. Is that safer?
ELCS you have at least 10 people in a room and the reason for delays are because doctors are very pressured for time and are usually trying to save lives - same with epidurals. That IMO is more damaging to the NHS as it is usually not a matter of life or death, but comfort. But I don't begrudge the choice of having them. We are lucky to live in a country where you can choose to be as drugged up as you desire or as comfortable in your own home if the NHS has failed to provide a suitable nearby environment for birth, which is what I feel they have done to me.

Saving £1.5mil with a rising birth rate isn't going to happen. Trying to force it on women just restricts choice and endangers lives of both mothers and babies who have to travel further only to be turned away due to bed shortage.

I do think that the primary motivation for homebirths is cost and not safety. Having had a straightforward birth first time around and being in none of the risk groups my mw was heavily pushing for a homebirth for ds. She told me that in low risk groups they are as safe as hospital births. What she didn't explain was that I would be rushed to hospital at the first sign of anything going wrong and then the mother/child mortality/morbidity statistics are recorded as being from a hospital birth and NOT at home - even if the delay in treatment was the cause of harm. If the method of recording was fair it would become apparent that homebirths are not safer - just cheaper.

not as safe that should say.

I gave birth to my 4th baby at home. He weighed 11lbs. A bit of a scary moment when his shoulders wouldn't budge, but he was born safely, without pain relief and I suffered a tiny graze. My Midwives were amazing and it was the best experience of my life. Of course it might not have gone well, but I made an informed decision and I knew the risks.

If the hospital wasn't so filthy, unwelcoming and rigid with their policies then I may have considered having my baby there. I had already had 3 straightforward births, all at the same hospital. Everything they did went against my instincts. I was strapped to a monitor, not allowed to move, told to hurry up, told to push, told I needed pain relief, told I needed waters broken, told when I could eat, told told told told TOLD!!!! Luckily I'm strong willed and ignored most of it, but it felt like bullying. I assume because they are under such pressure on labour ward, but that is no excuse.

I hated the postnatal ward. Actually hated it.

After giving birth at home, within an hour I was in clean pj's in my own bed breastfeeding, drinking tea, watching the morning news. It was great. Until maternity wards improve, women don't have a 'real' choice.

Women who have home births, and in fact those who labour longer at home, are less likely to have interventions which is where the money comes in. Apparently lowering the rate of CS's by just 1% (I think it is currently around 23% in this country) would save the NHS £5m.
Of course everyone should have a choice but I do think it's a shame women are not necessarily having informed choices. It's definitely worth reading up about home births and the difference labouring in a relaxing, familiar environment can make to your outcomes.
(disclosure - I had two ELCS!).

There is always somebody who mentions a drain on resources.In my area hbs are attended by community mws not hospital ones, so it actually eases pressure on the hospital.

HBs are the norm in Holland - I can't imagine the entire country are BU?

I have chatted to various aunts and older relatives about this, most of them had their babies at home up until the early 1970',s , then the trend began to have them in a sort of 'maternity' home, by the late 70's it was the norm to go into hospital. I honestly believe that the strain on the nhs will mean it will go back to more home births.

at happy's 11 pounder!

Not sure if this is linked to the RCOG story but it seems that, finally, even the specialists are saying that there are too many hospital births. Hallelulia.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14145862

I love the idea of a home birth,but have been swayed entirely by my SIL (an obstetrician) who tells me that none of her colleagues would consider a home birth,and certainly never for a first child.A colleague of hers had a home birth for her first child,and in the same of 2-3 minutes,things went wrong,and the baby suffered hypoxia,with subsequent global developmental delay.Thus even close proximity to a hospital might not help in the vital minutes when the situation can deteriorate.
I worry that when home births were the norm,mobidity and mortality was so much higher,and to me I don`t think I could forgive myself if things did go wrong,because of a decision that I made.
I think the way forward are the hospital birthing units,which aim to replicate a home experience as much as possible,but with help and expertise on-site in a minute of two if there is an emergency.
I had my first child in one,and it was lovely,my husband and I were mainly left to ourselves,we walked around the garden ,got into the bath,and then ,when in pushing phase ,she was becoming stuck,and the midwife was getting very worried,someone was there in a minute to help,and all was fine.My second child was twins so the situation was slightly different then!
That said,I do believe it is the choice of the individual,and I think everyone must come to terms with their own risk/benefit ratio.

Hairy frotter - if you plan a home birth then child mortality/morbidity stats are listed under home birth, even if you transfer partway through.

WildSwan - that view is the norm for obstetricians who only see complicated births as a rule and thus have a warped perception/over-focus on the risks of labour.

All the midwives I know (lots - maybe 10?) who attend the full range of normal and problem births favour home births and were having them with each others help long before it became de rigeur again.