Homebirth - Health and Safety Requirements

[Vistana]

Hi!

I am planning a homebirth, on another thread someone said their midwife was getting funny and saying their bedroom wouldn't be suitable for a homebirth

Is there anything in particular I need to 'pass' a homebirth inspection and the health and safety requirements?

As I hadn't thought about the inside of my home as being unsuitable.
I've got easy parking, well lit area, outside light, directions prepared for midwives.
I assumed as long as the space I plan to give birth in has easy access and space for two midwives, me and birthing partners it would be ok??
But I am now worried!

My midwives didn't inspect my bedroom prior to the birth! Why would they?

I'd planned a water birth in the pool in the conservatory but never made it downstairs

You get to choose, that's the beauty of a HB. As long as it's clean, accessible and with enough space for everyone to do a good job, you've covered your bases.

Things my midwife wanted to check out;
Easy access up stairs (as planned to have baby in bedroom - just in case of emergency transfer.
Enough light
A clear surface which they could put a changing mat on in case they needed to work on the baby at all (top of a chest of drawers in our case)
Plenty of light
Warm
Easy access to bathroom.

I guess they would also look for potential hazards to themselves - if there were loads of loose floorboards, or no water or something like that then it might be a problem!

I didn't have a homebirth inspection. Our area is too short staffed to do inspections. You do not have to "pass" an inspection, you have a right to homebirth.

People have given birth in all sorts of places include high rise flats and canal boats.

Unless your house is a drug infested pit, I doult you will have problems. AIMS can help you if you do have problems.

When I had my homebirth, I had no off road parking and quite a long walk to the road as there is a green infront of my house. My house was a small ex council terrace house without a lot of room. There is no way that access to my house could be described as easy.

My midwife really only checked they would be able to park and get in and out of the building safely. I think they could see that our flat was averagely clean and normal and that was enough for them! Will be fine, enjoy your birth :)

Crikey! Had 3 hb's and never had any kind of checks! I never know where at home exactly I will end up giving birth anyway..

FWIW, my 1st hb was on a 45ft narrowboat on the canal; no previous checks, no toilet per se, not much room and two mw's rocking the boat literally, every time they stepped on and off the gangplank, but managed alright.

Planning on 4th hb any day now, and all I can remember being handy to have are a few towels and a good anglepoise lamp, for potential stitching afterwards.

Wow, I know the MWs like to check beforehand for access for the ambulance if needed, but saying no to a normal bedroom sounds ridiculous. In our area, the CMWs are actually quite proud of the number of home births they do on canal boats! Our smallish house was definitely not an issue in any way when we discussed homebirth - the only thing that came up as a possible concern was that if it snows again (baby due December), the ambulance won't be able to get down our road as it's a steep hill that doesn't get gritted. But even then, the MW said they had 4x4s they could use!

I'm planning a home birth and have midwives delivering "stuff" in a couple of weeks (eeekkkk soooo excited!!!)and they have been to my house inn teh past but just for check-up but didn't do any sort of "inspection"...one thing though, what about pets? we have two cats and although the midwife that visited saw them and didn't make comment, I was wondering if anybody had any tips re pets? I'm planning on just kicking them out (not literally!!) when everything kicks off!

in our area home birth visits are offered - to discuss realities etc and check things like access etc in order for midwives to know where to go. Only "health and safety" issues I have hear discussed are
if planning water birth (?upstairs) can floor take weight of full pool and not having entonox cylinders near open flame ( ie roaring fire)

As a community midwife I check the access for emergency services and also how easy it would be to transfer a collapsed woman downstairs. If the stairs are very narrow, steep or have a sharp turn in them then I advise that labour and birth downstairs would be safest downstairs. Homebirth is fantastic BUT there is an extremely small chance that an emergency, requiring urgent transfer, may arise. Imagine attempting to manoevre a narrow stairwell if the midwife were having to stay in such a position that she could keep a baby's head away from a cord that was coming first.
Re. the snow issue. Please remember that not all Trusts have a 4x4 provision!

re snow issue: if the midwives cannot get in then it is quite feasible that the labouring woman will have even more difficulty getting out. I'd recommmend that anyone who could potentially find themselves in this position to prepare mentally and logistically for a home birth.

OP: no one (mw, hospital, consultants) has to OK your home birth. the RCM guidelines state that a woman has a right to labour and deliver where ever she chooses and that midwives have a duty of care to attend her irregardless of location.

I think it is wise to consider the information which midwives et al can provide but keep your wits around you because some trusts and midwives and obs will only provide information which will put you off a home birth.

now off to read the posts inbetween the first and last ones.

Thanks everyone for the replies and advice!

I've got my homebirth kit being delievered on monday eek! so hopefully all will be ok and there aren't any issues re my home for the homebirth.

foxytocin : Thanks for the advice I have definatly found that even though my area is meant to be home birth friendly, they are always quick to talk about the negatives and stay on them longer than the positives. Suppose its to protect themselves but does kinda get to me at times.

Can I just re-iterate Foxy's point about no-one being able to 'OK' your homebirth?

MWs might look for things that make their lives easier (and things like ease of access for paramedics etc) but they cannot say that your home is unsuitable and therefore you CAN'T give birth there.