Home Birth

The magic of home birth

For women who want an undisturbed birth, to be 100% in charge of their choices and to birth in their own time and in their own way, home birth is probably their best option. If you are healthy and well do consider giving birth in your own home- remember everyone used to give birth in the comfort of their own homes and usually with a midwife that they knew well. There are many positive elements to giving birth at home [for low-risk pregnancies ie for women and babies who are healthy and well] Birth is first and foremost a hormonal process, these essential hormones are produced when women feel SAFE, UNOBSERVED & UNDISTURBED. The birthing environment is totally under your control when it is your home, you can set it up exactly as you like it, soft lighting, warm, cosy, dark, private and secure and have people around you that you know and trust…

You are much more likely to know the midwife/midwives who will support your birth and it’s been proved time and time again that women who experience continuity of care have better outcomes for themselves and their babies.

When women are in a calm, quiet and dimly lit space where they feel safe and unobserved their bodies produce all the essential hormones of birth that help the birthing process to unfold. At home women are much less likely to produce lots of adrenaline [ designed to enable fight or flight]. Too much adrenaline can interrupt the flow of other hormones and slow the labour process down.

You will feel much more “in control” as you are in a familiar environment, have the comfort of your own belongings, your own bed and your own bathroom etc to move around during your labour, to eat what you want when you want, keep it dark to protect your privacy and have whoever you choose to support you…

You don’t need to think about “when” to transfer to your local birth centre or maternity unit, who can come with you or perhaps who will look after your other children while you are not there…

Some research on Perinatal & Maternal Outcomes in Planned Home Births & Obstetric Units in Women at "Higher Risk” of complications -https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25603762/

BIRTH for most women IS NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE A MEDICAL EVENT- it’s a normal physiological process of the body !

Read more about undisturbed birth here https://indiebirth.org/ and https://sarahbuckley.com/