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Home Birth: Is It Right For You?
Home birth is nothing new. In fact, 100 years ago most babies were born at home. It's only been within the last 50 to 60 years that hospital births have been on the rise. While it may seem odd to some that women are choosing to birth outside of a medical facility, there are plenty of good reasons to home birth.
Natural drug-free home births are safer for the mother and the baby. Eliminating drugs from the birthing process actually decreases the need for medical intervention. Childbirth drugs interrupt the body's natural responses to pain. With the right combination of relaxation and assistance from a midwife, drug-free birth is actually less painful than a medically drugged birth.
There is no better place to reach the level of relaxation needed to birth naturally than home. Birthing and delivering in your own home allows you to be comfortable and nurtured. You are in control of your environment and can include the things in your birthing experience that will make you relax. It's much easier to get into a relaxed frame of mind when you are in your own home.
Birthing at home means there isn't a "schedule" to keep up with. At the hospital, if you don't dilate a centimeter per hour then you may be pressured to take drugs or have other interventions. Birth, like all bodily functions, doesn't follow a set pattern for everyone. Some women may dilate more rapidly or more slowly. At home, you are allowed to follow your own natural rhythm.
When you have a home birth you also have options in your birthing positions, which will help with pain management. You can sit, stand and walk through contractions to help with the pain. You can use water, music or aromatherapy to help relax your body and mind.
Home birth also allows your partner to be an active part of the labor and delivery process. It's true that these days husbands and significant others are let into delivery rooms. But most home birth fathers would agree that there's something extra special about "catching" the baby. The bonding time after delivery isn't interrupted by medical tests. Your midwife will respect your time together as a new family, granted there aren't any issues that need to be dealt with immediately.
Modern home birth is a truly unique experience. If you'd like to have a relaxed and natural birth, consider doing it at home with the assistance of a home birth midwife.
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