Not all parents are comfortable with delivery taking place in a hospital. It can be intimidating and uncomfortable. While a home birth doesn’t have the same precautions in place for emergencies, it can be simpler and more relaxing for normal pregnancies. Before you make any decisions, make sure you know what it takes to have a healthy, safe home birth.
Why Choose a Home Birth
Hospitals may provide a full-service, highly sterile environment, but they can be overwhelming. Many mothers feel like their delivery team pushed them into decisions they didn’t want. Parents who opt for a home birth are generally seeking a comfortable, close-knit occasion that allows loved ones to come together to welcome a new life into the world. Insurance plans generally don’t cover home birth expenses (or midwives), but it can be a much less expensive option—particularly if you have poor or no insurance coverage. Talk to other parents who have already given birth at home.
Birthing Basics
No matter how brave you are, you should absolutely plan for the presence of a midwife or an obstetrician who makes house calls. Your midwife likely has a list of items and supplies you’ll need to have handy during the delivery process. These lists often include not only the obvious essentials but some extra items virtually guaranteed to make the process smoother and simpler for the parents-to-be. Have everything ready well before the due date; babies don’t put much stock in a schedule and tend to appear on their own time. Sometimes that’s early.
When it comes to anesthetics, home options are more limited than conventional hospital births. If you haven’t experienced labor pains before, make sure talk to your midwife about alternative pain management before going through it.
Be Prepared for Anything
While most home birthing experiences are both safe and positive, not all deliveries are smooth. As a new parent, you have to be prepared for anything, and the delivery is just the beginning! This means carefully crafting a Plan B, C, D, and E—backup strategies so you’re ready for any of the many potential complications of birth. Talk with your midwife to prepare for a variety of scenarios. Know whom to contact in the event of various emergencies, and iron out any other details to make life easier in case of delivery-related wrinkles.
Stand Firm
Once you’ve made your choice, be prepared to get a lot of guff. Not everyone will understand or agree with your choice to give birth at home. You don’t have to defend yourself, but it can help if your loved ones know you’ve done your homework and are making the decision that is best and most comfortable for you and your family. Having the support of an extended network can make the experience much easier, but either way, the only one who needs to know why you’re doing it is you.
