To want a home birth?

[InMemoryOfSleep]

I’m not pregnant (yet), but chatting to my mum and some friends recently I mentioned I’d like a home birth next time. Their reactions weren’t positive, to say the least - despite me explaining that, for a 2nd baby, home birth is as safe as an MLU, and both are safer than a hospital. They’ve made me really doubt myself - having read the research and stats I was convinced it’s the best option, but am I missing something?!

VioletteValentia

Your choice. I don’t judge. You need to do what makes you feel comfortable happy and safe.

I’ll be sticking with dr when needed. And know that a midwife is best placed to deliver my baby and know when a dr / intervention is needed because that is her PROFESSION.

And just to be clear- I refer to me and = low risk!!!!! Not to someone who has a sick baby. Needs constant monitoring, an emergency section....

And just to be clear- I refer to me and = low risk!!!!! Not to someone who has a sick baby. Needs constant monitoring, an emergency section....

My point is you don’t always know who is low risk.

It’s individual choice, but I think a home birth is bloody risky.

The last thing a low risk woman having a normal labour needs is a doctor, though (to summarise, colloquially, what the research says). If you are having a normal low risk pregnancy and a spontaneous labour, the best thing for you is to keep doctors away from you, because once they get involved they are going to find things wrong/abnormal/worrying, because that's what they do. And I say that with massive respect to all the medical professionals involved in birth, who are all trying to do the right thing and help the mother and baby. You only want doctors involved when something has already started going wrong - and then yes, you want them on scene quickly. A HB doesn't necessarily rule this out.

The fact is that the research says for a second-time mother in the OP's position, you are taking more risk being on labour ward than being at home - risk of haemorrhage, infection, unnecessary surgery, need for resuscitation of baby. It's up to the woman to weigh up these factors with her own preferences, obstetric history, etc. But the idea that OP would be taking a huge risk by homebirthing is not supported by the data, rather the opposite. There is no greater risk of major complications, including neonatal death, at home than on the ward with her history.

Not risky when looking at it statistically (which is how you base risk)

If you are having a normal low risk pregnancy and a spontaneous labour, the best thing for you is to keep doctors away from you, because once they get involved they are going to find things wrong/abnormal/worrying, because that's what they do.

So go and live in a country with no medical care and die of influenza at 35, like nature intended.

Statistics are manipulated by the fact most women at home are low risk in the first place.

The Birthplace study found that, compared to women planning a hospital birth, those planning a home birth have:
•a lower risk of having a caesarean section,
•a lower risk of an assisted delivery, i.e. forceps or ventouse and
•less risk of haemorrhage.

For women having a second or subsequent baby, planned home births are as safe for the baby as planned birth in hospital and offer health and other benefits for the mother.

Birthplace results show 88% of planned home births were ‘normal births’ compared to fewer than 60% of planned obstetric unit births.

Mintychoc1- if I was a doctor i might (?) feel the same. You are made of your experiences.

I do know friends who are doctors and babies range from elective section to mlu pool to home birth.

Violette- apologies using normal is not intended to cause upset. I just believe that we shouldn’t loose the skills of a mw who can easily deliver a baby without the need of a doctor. I don’t think medical births being the “norm” is best.

I derailed the thread somewhat as the pp who said hb were watered down versions of medical care upset me as mw are amazing and skills needed.

Back to the original post!!

@VioletteValentia several people (including me) have already said this, but that’s not statistics being ‘manipulated’ - it’s just comparing like for like. So comparing outcomes for low risk women, having their second (or more) baby, giving birth at home or in hospital - which shows better outcomes for home birth/MLU.

VioletteValentia when completing a study, researchers MUST weight their results to consider for things like that, so they would have only looked at all low-risk pregnancies. You can read about how they weighted to consider that at start of the Birthplace Study

I don’t think medical births being the “norm” is best.

Out of interest, why?

Im booking a homebirth this time around. My first hospital birth was horrific. But the baby was born healthy and delivered naturally. Which means i am supported in having a homebirth this time around. I talked it through with the midwives and they did readily agree that a home birth would be best for me as many of my issues were caused by being in a hospital not actual medical problems with me or the baby.
They will not advise you to have a homebirth if they think they would be any serious medical problem with you or the baby. They will also not usually advise a home birth if this is your first as they wont be able to predict your health as well... meaning its more likely something could go wrong. If you have had a baby before and you managed to deliver vaginally and had no serious health problems then they can predict with more accuracy that you will probably be able to deliver vaginally again. If its a first birth they have no way of really knowing that you wont end up needing serious medical intervention so they wont be keen on promoting that.

Im going to certainly give it a go as I found being in hospital incredibly traumatic. It was overcrowded and understaffed and the drugs I was given made me feel vulnerable and out of control rather than helping with the pain. I suffered with PND due to my hospital birth and I want to avoid experiencing that again.

Obviously you dont ever really know for sure how your birth is going to go.... but if youve already given birth once and there were no serious medical problems then statistically there are unlikely to be second time around (unless they are picking up on some in blood tests and scans etc)
Its not 'woke' bullshit and is completely supported by the NHS in cases they deem to be low risk. It is actually cheaper for the NHS as well.
I think if you want to try homebirth then go for it. Still be prepared to maybe have to transfer into hospital and have everything ready.
But no medical professional would actively support your choice to home birth if they thought it was dangerous for you or the baby. So dont listen to random peoples prejudices about what they feel is safest... listen to your actual doctor and midwives.

@VioletteValentia because it’s not necessary, evidence shows that women end up with more interventions and worse outcomes. It takes power and advocacy away from the labouring woman and puts it in the hands of the doctors- and if the woman needed this (ie needed medical support) then this would be fine, but it’s often not the case.

Statistics are manipulated by the fact most women at home are low risk in the first place.

As has been repeatedly explained on this thread, they aren't. They are case-matched to equivalent low risk women who intend to birth in hospital.

I'm also not sure why following the best quality research about midwife-led care means forgoing all medical care whatsoever. Midwife-led care is medical care and midwife-led care is firmly established as superior in mother and baby outcomes for low-risk pregnant women compared to doctor-led care. Set up false equivalencies all you like, but the NHS doesn't agree with you either. The gold standard for all low-risk women is consistent midwife-led care, with involvement by doctors only when risks or possible complications present.

@twittlebee sorry you’re suffering, I’m a good 6 years down the line. I’m a passionate believer in preparing women for all the things that can go wrong in childbirth and all the medical reactions to these things so women can make informed choices before these things happen, to make things so much easier. I can remember the only useful thing our NCT teacher said was make the decision now over who your partner will go with if you and baby get split up - it was so much easier we didn’t have to think about this when it happened. We are so busy sugar coating childbirth for fear of upsetting someone we don’t prepare mother’s and partners who are left in shock it’s not going well as they had been basically promised and are swept along with what’s happening leaving then feeling a total lack of control as they are in no state to question or make informed decisions or know what to expect.

@VioletteValentia What memory for sleepsaid.

But also because as we move towards antibiotic resistance we should try and keep birth away from being viewed as a “medical emergency” or even a normal
Medical procedure. Germs are real.

I think we need to agree to disagree.

I also want to note I would not have a Homebirth in the USA as they have gone so far away from natural that skills have really been lost. I am very much a woman’s choice advocate.

Yes of course my experience is skewed, but it's my experience, and therefore the only one I can comment on! I have clear memories of turning up for shifts on the labour ward and being told that the ward just had easy deliveries so I'd be having a quiet time. Then spending the next 10 hours pulling out blue babies and rushing to theatre.

Hence I would never have a home delivery myself.
You can have one if you like, it's not my place to advise you. But people are expressing their opinion on this thread, and that's my opinion!

Oh and Izzy24 there's no need for the sarky question. Of course I haven't attended any home deliveries, why would I? I never said I had. I just shared my experience of hospital obstetrics, and how nothing is predictable.

I would hazard a guess that most doctors would opt for hospital deliveries

@QueenAravisOfArchenland.

This is what I wanted to say - thank you for putting it so much better!! With facts and everything!!

Midwife-led care is medical care and midwife-led care is firmly established as superior in mother and baby outcomes for low-risk pregnant women compared to doctor-led care.

I found the Midwife led unit at hospital lovely and absolutely no pressure was put on me for medical Intervention of any kind and it would have only been offered if myself or more importantly baby was in danger. Despite me being induced and having an epidural I was still given the chance to give birth otherwise without intervention and in no way was any intervention pushed onto me.

I have experience of working in obstetrics and there is no way I'd give birth anywhere other than labour ward. Like minty choc my experience is obviously skewed, but one I cannot forget. The trouble is that when childbirth goes wrong, it goes very wrong.

It's true that ignorance is bliss.

Id also like to add to the people saying 'you can have a section immediately if you need one when in hospital' that that is in no way true.
You are in hospital with many other women who may also need sections... you are also in hospital with many many other people of both genders who will need the anaesthetist. At one point during my very long hospital labour they were talking about my needing a sections.... but there had been a big car accident and the anaesthetist was not available for a few hours...
In the end I delivered vaginally and there wasnt actually any problem.

So I really dont see the difference as I would have been in exactly the same situation at home re times to wait for a section.

OP, if you have done your research and are confident in your choice then go for it. But be ready to listen to HCP and change your plans if they recommend it. (My poor midwife on DC3 got cried at when she gentle and reasonably explained why my health meant a home birth probably wasn't the best choice)

Dipitydoda I was fully aware of everything that could happen, we also attended the NCT courses along with the MW run courses, including a hypnobirthing course. I just felt that no one listened to me and instead I was held down as they cut me open down below. I was even given a sweep without consent (they claimed they were only going to see how dilated I was, which I was pushed very aggressively into having!). My OH, bless him didn't know how to say no to the Drs or ask them what was happening because he didn't have the confidence to.

Of course I know that I could have had an equally distressing experience at home. Plus I am mindful that these MWs will most likely be same ones around with #2 and one of them might even be the one I get lumbered with during my homebirth (If I manage to make it to term this time)

Completely agree with @windchimesabotage they were reluctant to give me a section even after lengthy high alert labour and I managed to give birth vaginally in the end. They have me thirty minutes before they agreed if no progress they would have to do an emergency section but really should have given one before then (its amazing what they think you can’t hear from behind a curtain!).

gave*

After an horrible experience with the birth of DC1, I decided at 36 weeks to go for a (private) home birth with DC2. It was, without question the best day of my life. Despite a precipitous labour, which was a bit shocking I was looked after better than I could possible have been in hospital (had I even made it, which the midwife didn't think I would have). We did the same then for DC3, who was back to back, and took 18 hours to turn herself round and get on with it. I would have hated it in hospital for either, and cannot put a high enough value on having a dedicated midwife just taking care of me and the DC, and not having to worry about loads of other labouring mothers at the same time.

I actually don't understand those who advocate free birthing, but a home birth is a whole other thing. Especially if you live relatively close to a hospital should you eventually need one. I'm not sure I'd feel the same if the hospital was over an hour away.