Home Birth: A Mother’s Right

Of late, there are a number of expectant mothers who are divulging their desires to have their baby at home. With more celebrities than ever sharing their experiences of home birth, such as actress Demi Moore who had all three of her children at home, more mothers than ever are fighting for their right to give birth as they desire. It is believed that home birth provides the mother with a number of benefits, one in particular being an increased level of comfort and relaxation during the most strenuous parts of labour but as popstar and TV presenter Dannii Minogue has recently revealed, it is not always possible to follow your dream birthing plan.

As many mothers will know, childbirth can be incredibly unpredictable which Minogue found out last year when she gave birth to her son, Ethan. Wanting a home birth in order to benefit from a more relaxing atmosphere, Dannii’s plans were quashed when 20 hours in labour, she discovered Ethan was not in a suitable position for an easy birth and she was sent to hospital. So, it this an indication that home birth is not as safe as it may seem?

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence believes that all women should be offered a choice in regards to where they give birth although for some medical reasons, this cannot always be possible. However, in the instance that it is possible, home birth gives the mother a whole new experience and statistics show that last year, over 18,000 women in the UK gave birth to their baby at home, without the need for medical intervention. Of course, home birthing was of the norm in the 1960’s, with 1 in 3 births in England and Wales occurring at home but over the past 15 years, just 3% of births equates to home births. However, across Europe it is a different story, with a third of women within the Netherlands opting for home births and there are many who believe that women within the UK should look to follow suit.

One of the main benefits of giving birth at home is that there is a sense of familiarity with your own possessions which can help to provide comfort and help calm panicky mothers. In addition, there is no risk of acquiring hospital related illnesses for mother or baby. Over the past few decades, modern medicine has allowed for midwives and obstetricians to develop a series of guidelines that help to identify mothers who can safely give birth at home and those who cannot in order to make this birthing plan safer. Any expectant mother who has experienced high blood pressure, or pre-eclampsia throughout her pregnancy or any mothers whose baby is in the incorrect position in the womb; will not be able to safely give birth at home. However, should you be given the all clear by your obstetrician, there is no reason why you should not plan towards having your baby in an environment which is most suited to you. Nevertheless, in some cases it may be more beneficial to give birth at home due to the staff requirements and shortages that often occur within the NHS. When giving birth in a hospital, two midwives will be required- one for the mother, one for the baby but due to staff shortages this cannot always be guaranteed and in some cases, mothers will be expected to travel to their designated hospital in order to see a midwife.

Being pregnant, whether it is your first child or a new addition to a growing brood, as a mother you should have the right to choose what is best for your child- even before he or she is born. If women feel more comfortable giving birth at home and it is completely safe to do so, then so be it. By allowing women to make the decision over where they give birth, they are not only guaranteed to have a more pleasurable and memorable experience, but this in effect, could also free up medical staff who are needed in order to help babies and mothers in great medical distress.

For more information on home birth and pregnancy, visit Babies Base