Why did you choose Homebirth

**mizmiz** · 07-08-2008 17:52

I have been meaning to ask this for a while but didnt want it to turn into a debate. Now there is another thread i thought i would ask.

I have never heard of anyone choosing Homebirth over Hospital (except the accidental home or on the way births.) til i came on to BH and another forum.

So my question is - Why did you choose to have Homebirth

Also, how was your experience with it?

(im not sure if there is the same thread, but i thought i would go ahead with it any how)

**stellarella** · 07-08-2008 18:03

I am choosing one this time because of my negative experience in hospital last time. Although having said that, I had contemplated a HB first time around too, and I wish I went ahead with it, the last 2 years or trauma and heartache would have been avoided.

I choose HB because it's safer for me and my baby (a healthy woman with a healthy baby and a complication free pregnancy).

I choose HB because I make ALL the decisions. I don't have to jump through hoops and have certain tests and have people who don't know me telling me I need this or that.

I don't want pressure to be induced. I carry babies well past 40 weeks (my last was 42 weeks and 5 days).

I want to know that if my baby is breech, if I am carrying twins etc. they will still be born vaginally at home, safe and without drugs or intervention.

I want a natural birth in the truest sense. Absolutely no intervention, drugs or assistance unless required.

I want my baby to be born into his whole families arms....I don't want to leave my son who is two...I want to sleep in my own bed with my partner and toddler that very night.

I want to know the one midwife my entire pregnancy and receive one on one gold star midwifery care. I want to know that she works for me, she doesn't follow any regulations or rules from hospital bureacracy or OBs.

I know that childbirth is not pathological, that is normal and natural, that my body was made to birth and that I don't need medical care until I or my baby is sick.

Plus all the best research points to the midwifery model of care being the safest care for normal healthy pregnancies.

There are sooooooooo many more reasons...might add them later.

**mizmiz** · 07-08-2008 18:06

I want to know that if my baby is breech, if I am carrying twins etc. they will still be born vaginally at home, safe and without drugs or intervention.

When you say IF - does that mean you wont have an ultrasound?

Is that a requirement for Homebirth ?

Im new to the Homebirth side so just bare with me.

I like the idea of being home in my bed with my girls and DH and not away.

**stellarella** · 07-08-2008 18:09

I'm not carrying twins but IF I was I would still HB.

I did have a scan this pregnancy however it is neither a requirement that I do or don't. There are no requirements, which is what I mean about ME calling all the shots. And I do mean all

Feel free to learn more about HB. We all love chatting about it.

**Freya** · 07-08-2008 18:27

I am having a homebirth in March simply because I am not sick so I don't need a hospital. I trust my body to birth this baby (or maybe even babies) on it's own in the relaxed environment that my home provides me with and with my son and my partner by my side.

**Miriam** · 07-08-2008 18:53

I agree with everything Stellarella said

I chose to Homebirth my first baby as I genuinely felt that it was the safest option for me. I am also a very private person and knew that I wouldn't be comfortable in hospital with complete strangers coming in and out of the delivery room. I gave birth to my DD in my own time and felt very relaxed throughout my entire labour (16 hours in total).

I am so glad I chose a homebirth as it was everything and more than what I expected it to be. I could not imagine doing it any other way.

I really feel that my birth experience would have been completely different had I been in hospital.

I can't wait to do it all again...I loved it

**mizmiz** · 07-08-2008 19:13

Thanks ladies - how about the mess? during and after labour?

I must admit i dont like the Hospital isolation feeling but i keep thinking about what if something goes wrong.

**Freya** · 07-08-2008 19:17

Originally Posted by mizmiz

Thanks ladies - how about the mess? during and after labour?

I must admit i dont like the Hospital isolation feeling but i keep thinking about what if something goes wrong.

Well I won't be cleaning it lol it will all be cleaned by my family while I breastfeed bubby and rest.

**La Que Sabe** · 07-08-2008 19:18

hey! first of all, see my sig....
i chose homebirth because i trust in my body to know what to do, also because i knew i'd chosen the perfect midwife should anything go wrong. which, it did, so after about 2 days of labour we ended up in hospital and after 12 hours there we had a c-section, but we tried everything ther was no way that baby was coming out naturally, and i had a marvolous midwife.

and i will still with out a doubt choose a home birth and a free birth.
oh and with the mess, although i didn't birth at home in the end we had a lot of tiwels and i was in the bath most of the time so we just let the plug out!!
easy! =]

**stellarella** · 07-08-2008 19:27

If something goes wrong you transfer. But it is comforting to know that in the event of a true emergency your midwife is more than capable of handling the situation. Whether it be ressus on the baby, treating PPH in the mother or even delivering a babe with shoulder dystocia.

It sounds a bit odd if you don;t know much about HB but actually most fo the emergencies you encounter in hospital are created by being in hospital and by routine hospital procedures, so the incidence of emergencies in a HB is very very small.

Good independant midwives are just as skilled as OBs, in fact they are MORE skilled in natural normal birth than an OB. OBs are there to intervene when and if required and they are worth their weight in gold in that regard. I definitely wouldn't want an IM performing my c/sec