To be fed up of the "home birth is risky" misinformation?

[everychildmatters]

Because clearly evidence says otherwise!!

@ainsleysanob I'm sure most women "put their babies first" - as I did. Hence why I opted for a home birth after doing the research and being aware of my individual circumstances and level of risk. Ridiculous ro think is it simply to do with comfort! I am also a recurrent miscarriage sufferer with one fallopian tube following emergency surgery for a ruptured ectopic. Each to their own, but it is incorrect on every level that home birth is inherently risky.

Yes, we are agreeing sorry! 🤩 but also I don’t really get why ‘on balance’ even if safe home births would be considered better anyway. Maybe infection risk I suppose?

This. I actually did want a homebirth but decided against it in the end. Thinking of it now, I liked having the midwives near me to assist me/ clean up the bed etc. I also liked having them there assisting me with breastfeeding/ showing my husband how to change a nappy etc. I felt completely overwhelmed and even missed my baby’s feeding ques which the midwife pointed out to me.

And if something terrible goes wrong with baby, are you safer in hospital, or at home?

When you birth at home, you have two midwives with you the entire time. In a hospital they are having to manage more women and will pop in and out.

@ainsleysanob The midwife ratio upthread explains this.

I’m not sure if this has already been said, but in most cases something goes wrong because of being in hospital and the natural interventions that brings.

I’m sorry but your circumstances for home birth were quite specific and in Covid times and that isn’t the situation now. Also you are referring to issues with vaginal examination for example which are obviously specific to you (most women I imagine find this an uncomfortable but necessary part of women’s healthcare throughout their life).

What other people are saying is that there are very few reasons that they would opt for a home birth that would be worth the risk of something going wrong.

Your reasons are very specific and personal so I can see why this isn’t going to be a balanced argument as these aren’t issues for the majority of people now.

But they’re not there with you over night after baby is born or the next morning for example, the first 12 hours were a blur to me, I felt completely out of my depths, I didn’t have family apart from dh though so may be different for me.

@CremeBruhlee VEs are not a necessary part of labour; I didn't have any.

My friend didn't. Did it by herself. Didn't turn up until baby was born and was one of them

Well that’s a funny observation because women don’t always stay in hospital overnight after having a baby?

My midwife was there the next morning and every few days for 2 weeks after the birth

Many home births are completely safe but you cannot predict when problems will occur, and with births it can escalate very quickly. I personally chose non intervention hospital births for mine, no drugs etc but knowing there was a red button in emergency is reassuring

Sorry I should have put a caveat; unless you choose to free birth*

Exactly.

It’s like a lot of us don’t even realise we have a choice.

Watching Channel 4 Despatches
ambulance delays

Mine too

I believe home births are riskier because if something goes wrong, medical help may not arrive in time. In a hospital, you're surrounded by doctors, nurses, medical equipment, and medications that are readily available if needed. I had all three of my children in a hospital and had a very positive experience. Personally, I would never choose to give birth at home, but everyone has to make the decision that's right for them.

This is what a lot of doctors think - 'If you want your child to be able to pass GCSE Maths, don't have a home birth'.

See our hospital shower was grim. Filthy grouting no changing the temp. Felt I was cleaner going in than coming out.

Where as my shower at home after giving birth the midwifes came checking on me because I was in so long. Just enjoying a nice piping hot shower.

Come now, I think doctors should be more intelligent than that

My friends hospital birth at 8am she was discharged by 2pm no overnight with midwife’s checking in. If you give birth early enough you are in and out same day.

As a HCP I genuinely cannot fathom why in this day and age you’d want to risk your and your baby’s life to have a home birth. Well equipped maternity hospital for me (with theatres available for any potential c-section, on call anaesthetist for pain control & NICU should the worst happen) or nothing!

Fair enough. I don't doubt more people prefer the idea of being at home and finding that comforting. But it's not universal. I like hospitals! I liked the whole process of being booked in and checked and seeing how it all worked. Much more exciting than being at home!

I don’t get why someone would rather be in a place where sick people go, with a bunch of strangers rather than at home? Each to their own I guess