HOMEBIRTH SAFETY
The biggest question for most people when thinking about home birth is ‘is it safe’?
Generally birth is safe in this country, especially if you’re low-risk in pregnancy.
Up until now home birth was considered a safe option for low-risk pregnancies but with a statistically significant increase in risk for first time mothers. However, a very recent study, published in August 2019 by McMaster examines the risk of death either at birth or within the first 4 weeks after birth and has found no statistically significant difference between hospital or home. The study looked at over 500,000 intended home births to come to the conclusion.
Transfer rates for first-time mothers from home are around 45% which is a significant number, *however* the transfer rate from an along-side maternity unit (like the one at Stepping Hill) is 40% so really, the numbers are quite similar when looking at the right comparator. It’s worth mentioning that, again, we’re likely looking at a significant number of women who haven’t prepared for birth and perhaps might not understand the physiological changes the body goes through while giving birth which can affect the way a person births.
Transfer rates for women who already have a baby are much lower at 12%, which again is a similar figure to those from an AMU.
While producing very similar statistics for the most serious outcomes, birthing at home significantly reduces the need for an emergency caesarean, forceps or ventouse delivery, episiotomy or epidural – all of which have their own risk factors and health consequences.
ADVANTAGES OF BEING AT HOME
Apart from the different ways that being at home can affect the health and wellbeing of you and your baby there are other significant advantages to giving birth at home.
Your own space: Being in your own space is immeasurably beneficial. You’re not confined to one room or area of the hospital, you have everything you own on hand in case you need it (without dragging 3 suitcases to hospital with you in labour), you feel safe and secure which aids the labour process, you can dress the birthing area however you want to (laminated affirmations a-go-go!). There’s also a fundamental difference in attitude as well. When you walk over the threshold of the hospital you take on the role of patient, no matter how person-centred the unit tries to be. Your attitude changes as subconsciously you hand over some of the responsibility of your labour – and for some people that’s exactly what they need but for most people your subconscious needs to fully own that autocratic decision-making. When you welcome midwives into your home they’re on your turf not you on theirs, and it makes a difference.
You labour where you birth: It’s so common for contractions to drop off a bit during that journey to hospital and the settling in session when you get there. It’s no wonder, because your oxytocin vibe is disrupted. Without that journey you can stay inside your birth bubble doing your wondrous labouring. And there’s no need to worry about petrol in the car, change for the car park or accidentally giving birth on the A6!
You’re not in hospital: Well duh. But actually it’s a really huge one, this! Tokophobia is rising, birth anxiety is rising, birth trauma is rising as well as the non-birth related fear of hospitals and doctors that some people have. For some people being in a hospital is triggering, and removing the medical element can reduce anxiety levels which helps people give birth.
Childcare is sorted: Now some families won’t want to have their children at home while they give birth regardless, but for others it solves a childcare issue or means that the whole family is around ready to welcome its new member to the household.
Your own bed: I cannot emphasise enough just how amazing this is after giving birth. Your own shower. Your own toilet. Your own bed. With only the people you choose to be there; no noisy ward neighbours, midwives or babies (apart from your own). Literally worth a million pounds.
WHAT DO I NEED AT A HOMEBIRTH?
Really you need very little. A pregnant body and that’s about it. Realistically you’ll probably want to plan to have a little bit more than that!
- Something to cover the floor, whether that’s old towels, cheap shower curtains or tarps
- Something comfortable for the floor; old bedding or towels
- Something easy to slip on and off if you get cold and hot, like a dressing gown
- Something to keep baby warm, like a towel or blanket to go over you both
- A birth pool if you want a water birth (and if you do, get a sieve)
- A head lamp or torch (although there’s some controversy over this one! The idea is that the midwife may need extra lighting to check you over afterwards but in reality I know some midwives who have never needed a miner’s lamp to do post-birth checks so…)
- Bin bags to clear up after.
The midwifery team will either bring a homebirth kit prior to you going into labour, or on the day itself, with everything they need.
And that’s pretty much it! Everything else you’ll have handy anyway, like food and drink, music, hypnobirthing tracks, more food…
WHAT ABOUT THE MESS?
Genuinely one of the most frequent questions I get about home birth is about the mess.
IT’S FINE!
Honestly. What comes out is mostly contained to one area or the pool (the previously mentioned sieve serves its purpose here!) and because you’ve protected the area it can all be wrapped up and binned or washed.
By the time your own post-birth checks have been done and you’ve had a shower, got into clean PJs and into bed your house is back to its normal state. The only evidence that a birth has happened recently is that tiny mewling little human in your arms.
LOCAL HOMEBIRTH RESOURCES
There are regular home birth meetings across Greater Manchester run by Greater Manchester Homebirth
To find out about their upcoming planned events follow this link.
They also run the Manchester Community Birth Pool Hire Scheme and the Cheshire Community Birth Pool Hire Scheme, as well as the group Greater Manchester Homebirth Support Group. You can find all of them on Facebook.
Edit: This blog post was updated followed the publication of the McMaster study August 2019
