Every year a small percentage of women give birth in the comfort of their own homes. According to the Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health, "approximately 1 percent of American women give birth at home." The Department of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark states that for some pregnant women, "home birth is an acceptable alternative to hospital confinement." Regular prenatal care and proper home birth preparations are essential for the safety of both mother and child.
Preparation
Step 1
Discuss your home birth plans with your obstetrician. Find out from your obstetrician if you have any pregnancy complications or risks that could bring the safety of a home birth in question. Generally home births are only recommended for low risk pregnancies.
Step 2
Keep regular medical appointments with your obstetrician to make sure that your pregnancy is going smoothly with no complications.
Step 3
Find a certified nurse midwife or a certified midwife as soon as you decide that you want to have a home birth. A midwife will keep track of your medical condition through physical exams and by exchanging information with your obstetrician. The midwife will also assist in your home delivery. A certified midwife is trained to assist in childbirth delivery, to recognize childbirth complications that warrant a trip to the hospital and to provide emergency care.
Step 4
Purchase any items the midwife recommends that you have.
Step 5
Create a backup plan in case childbirth complications arise. Know where the nearest hospital is located. Have a car and driver ready in case an emergency trip to the hospital is necessary.
Step 6
Enlist the help of family, friends or hired nurse assistants to stay with you the for one or two days after your baby is born. You will probably find it extremely helpful to have someone around to help you take care of your newborn while you recuperate.
Delivery Day
Step 1
Call the midwife as soon as contractions begin or when your water breaks. Call your doctor or go to the hospital if you go into labor prematurely (more than two weeks before your due date).
Step 2
Contact family and friends who you want to be present at the birth.
Step 3
Prepare the birthing area in your home according to your midwife's instructions. The home birthing area should be clean and warm. If you intend to deliver on your bed, cover the mattress with a plastic sheet. If you intend to deliver in a birthing pool, ask the midwife when you should begin setting up the pool. Have clean towels, sheets and blankets in the birthing area and heat the room to a comfortable temperature.
Step 4
Set out items that you will need once your baby is delivered. Your baby will need diapers, baby clothes and baby blankets and bottles and formula if you are not breastfeeding. You will need sanitary pads.
Step 5
Make yourself comfortable while you wait for your cervix to dilate. Some women find that walking around, sitting in a warm bath or getting a back massage, helps to relieve contraction pain. Your midwife will regularly examine you to determine how far your cervix has dilated. Once you have reached the second stage of labor (when your cervix is fully dilated), it is time to move to your prepared home birthing area to deliver your baby.
Tips and Warnings
- Each woman has a different birthing style. Some women choose to lie down during the whole delivery. Other women frequently change body positions and move around to different areas during the second stage of labor. Different positions include, but are not limited to, kneeling down, laying down in bed or sitting in a birthing pool.
- Talk to your doctor about the possible risks associated with home births so that you can make an informed choice.
References
- Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health Volume 54, Issue 2, Pages 119-126; Staying Home to Give Birth: Why Women in the United States Choose Home Birth; Debora Boucher, CNM, Catherine Bennett, RNC, BSN, Barbara McFarlin, CNM, PhD, RDMS, Rixa Freeze, PhD, MA; March 2009
- Birth Berkeley, Calif. 24(1):4-13; discussion 14-6;Meta-Analysis of the Safety of Home Birth; Department of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Olsen O.; Mar. 24, 1997
- Baby Center - Planned Home Birth
