why would ppl give birth at home?

Question

I know it's natural, but don't you need some kind of doctor around?

Answer 1

Most people who have homebirths have a midwife present for the birth. Midwives are highly skilled at assisting in low risk births. If mom and baby are healthy, homebirth is a completely safe option.

In many ways, homebirth is safer. Mom is likely to be more relaxed, which makes things easier. There is less exposure to foreign germs/less chance of infection than in a hospital (where sick people are!). Midwives are less likely to intervene "just because" like many docs and hospitals will do.

Some studies show:
In the hospital, 3.7 times as many babies required resuscitation.
Infection rates of newborns were 4 times higher in the hospital.
There was 2.5 times as many cases of meconium aspiration pneumonia in the hospital group.
There were 6 cases of neonatal lungwater syndrome in the hospital and none at home.
There were 30 birth injuries (mostly due to forceps) in the hospital group, and none at home.
The incidence of respiratory distress among newborns was 17 times greater in the hospital than in the home.
While neonatal and perinatal death rates were statistically the same for both groups, Apgar scores (a measure of physical well being of the newborn) were significantly worse in the hospital.

I had one hospital birth, one waterbirth in a freestanding birth center and one home waterbirth. If I could go back and do it all again, I'd have all 3 at home. I didn't have to go anywhere in labor. (Which was really nice since my second went pretty fast! Transition in the car STINKS.) I was able to move around and eat and drink as I wanted. I had the comforts of home. We listened to music and talked. We had a fire in the fireplace. Hubby and baby and I cuddled on the sofabed in front of the fire afterwards.

Answer 2

The answer is because its more relaxing and comforting to be in your home surroundings. You dont need a doctor but you do need a midwife or two around. I had my third child at home, after two hospitals births, and providing there are no complications, I would recommend to anyone. My mother did the same with all of her children (as they did in those days) and when she had a complication, the midwife called out a doctor.

I think youll find that doctors are coming round to realising that this is more of an option now compared to when I had my first one (in 1979), when it was not offered.

In fact, I would definately recommend having a home birth every time.

Answer 3

Depends on health of the mother and baby, if she is going to give birth to twins, and if she is a first time mother. If the mother and baby are in good health, and she is having only one child then everything should be fine for her to give birth at home with a midwifes help. The definition of a midwife depends on the state you live in, and in general, when talking about a midwife, one is referring to a highly skilled nurse. A Nurse Midwife is higher in education/classification than an RN, and in emergencies or absence of a MD, are allowed to deliver a baby.

There has been some studies and opinions of midwives that giving birth at home is less stressful, and easier for the mother since she is in an environment she is used to and comfortable with. However, if any complications arise, the mother needs to go to the hospital.

Answer 4

People that birth at home have a midwife there with them that are very highly trained. Also they get a lot of test during the pregnancy to make sure that everything looks good. The reason for it is its relaxing your not in a unfamiliar place strapped down on a bed hocked up to lots of monitors.

Answer 5

You really do need a midwife, who has some medical training and who will be willing to get you to the hospital in case of an emergency.

Most births do not actually require medical intervention, and women like the familiarity and peacefulness of their own homes over the noisy, stressful atmospheres of hospitals.

Answer 6

When we had our daughter in the hospital, the nurses did 99% of the work. The doctor seemed to do very little. Even after she came out, it was the nurses who looked after her, not the doctor. So I can see why women do it at home, especially after the first one. We had thought about it for this one (number 2) because of the convenience of home. But we chose the hospital because I like my doc and I didn't feel like buying special sheets and stuff for the bed. :)

Answer 7

Yes but there are midwives that are also very good and some people do not like hospitals and are afraid that doctors will try to give them the drugs or encourage c-sections instead of natural birth, but if you talk to your doctor and tell them what you want then it does not matter where you have your baby.

Answer 8

Some women really don't choose to deliver at home. I have a friend that had her second son at home, but she didn't realize she was in labor. She went to the hospital after-wards though. One of my fiances friends went through the same thing as well.

Answer 9

It's all up to the parents. I watched an episode of a baby story where a woman gave birth to a breech baby on her bathroom rug alone. It was quite something, not my preference, but live and let live... ya know?

Answer 10

You have a midwife present.
Some peolple have home births because of bad past experiences w/hospitals. Some people do it because they wnat a different birthing experience. It's all about your level of comfort.