A Home Birthing Resource Guide
For centuries, women all over the world have given birth at home. Beginning in the mid twentieth century, hospital labor and delivery became the norm in industrialized countries, causing home birth to fall out of favor. There has been a resurgence of women choosing to give birth at home in recent years. Whether because of a previous negative birth experience, to avoid unnecessary medical intervention, financial considerations, or simply the desire to give birth in a comfortable, familiar environment, each woman’s reasons for choosing home birth are personal.
This article will introduce you to the various types of home birth, the possible risks and benefits of home birth, midwifery, and resources on home birth.
Quick Facts - What is It? - Benefits - Safety Considerations
General Resources - Midwife Resources - Water Birth Resources
Quick Facts
- A study by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine estimates that Americans could save $13 Billion to $20 Billion in healthcare annually by developing a network of midwifery care and de-medicalizing childbirth. (CHOICE)
- According to a 2000 study, approximately 2.1% of home births required episiotomy, compared to 33% of hospital births. (BMJ Group)
- In the United States, approximately 5% of births are attended primarily by midwives, compared to 75% of births in Europe. (CHOICE)
- According to a 2000 study, approximately 3.7% of home deliveries resulted in Caesarian section, compared to 19% of hospital births. (BMJ Group)
- Approximately 99% of births in the United States take place in hospitals. (Lamaze International)
What is Home Birth?
Most women who choose homebirth work with a midwife who acts as an advocate, birth coach, and, in some cases, a woman’s primary health care provider during and after pregnancy. Midwives are specially trained in women’s health and have spent months or years apprenticing with another experienced midwife. Some women choose to “free birth”, delivering their babies without any outside assistance, having only their partners and family with them during labor and delivery.
There are as many types of home birth as there are women. Many women implement yoga, meditation and massage as ways to relax and alleviate stress during delivery. Water births are also increasing in popularity as a way to reduce pain and discomfort for mothers and reduce trauma for newborns.
What are the Benefits?
Proponents of home birth tout many possible benefits, including:
- The option labor for a prolonged period (as long as both mother and baby are safe) without being induced or pressured to have a caesarian.
- Having one caregiver throughout the labor and delivery, rather than nurses and doctors that may change shifts during your hospital stay.
- Freedom to choose the body position—standing, kneeling, birthing stool, etc— and location—in bed, in water, even outdoors—that is most comfortable for you.
- The ability to refuse medical interventions, including episiotomy, fetal monitoring, epidural, medications, etc., in favor of completely natural birth.
- The authority to choose who will be present for your labor and delivery.
- The privacy to wear what you want, listen to music, make noise, and do anything else you feel during your labor and delivery.
What are the Safety Considerations?
There are also many valid safety considerations and risks associated with home birth, including:
- Women faced with a potentially life-threatening complication who need to be transported to the hospital by ambulance may wait 20 minutes or more for treatment.
- Postpartum hemorrhaging could be more harmful, as there is no immediate access to blood plasma and other treatments.
- Shoulder dystocia, in which the baby’s shoulders become stuck in the mother’s pelvis, could be potentially life threatening without medical intervention.
- Women giving birth at home may not immediately recognize complications and delay seeking medical attention. This risk is reduced when a trained midwife is present for labor and delivery.
- Women with certain chronic health problems and pregnancy complications have an increased risk during pregnancy and may not be able to safely give birth at home.
General Resources
- AABC: American Association of Birth Centers offers information about birth centers as an alternative to hospital labor and delivery. The site presents legislative updates, a directory of birth centers, job listings, conferences and other resources on birth centers.
- About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth: This About.com site is a comprehensive resource on pregnancy and childbirth, presenting information on conception, childbirth options, postpartum recovery and more.
- American Pregnancy Association: American Pregnancy Association’s home birth page presents information on benefits and risks of home birth, midwives, links to resources and more.
- Giving Birth Naturally: Giving Birth Naturally educates women about natural birthing options to help them make informed decisions about pregnancy and delivery.
- Home Birth Guide: This site presents information on natural and home birth, as well as birth in hospitals and birthing centers.
- Homebirth Reference Site: This is a UK based website that includes information on homebirth, including risks and contra-indications, homebirth stories, research, planning advice, and other resources on home birth.
- Love to know Pregnancy: This Love to Know site presents information on all aspects of pregnancy and childbirth, including fertility and conception, pregnancy, birth, legal and employment issues, and related topics.
- Natural Birth and Baby Care: Natural Birth and Baby Care is a comprehensive site about natural parenting, with sections on natural pregnancy, natural childbirth and home birth.
- Radiant Belly: Radiant Belly offers home birth supplies, breastfeeding supplies, vitamins and supplements, children’s toys and other pregnancy and birth resources.
- Raising Twins: Raising Twins is a comprehensive resource about pregnancy, child birth and parenting with twins. The site presents informative articles, advice, product reviews and reader stories about twins.
- Unassisted Homebirth: This site is written by the author of the book of the same title, and presents a comprehensive resource on unassisted home child birth. The site includes articles, reader stories, advice for fathers, and more.
Midwife Resources
- ACNM: The American College of Nurse Midwives is the national organization that represents certified nurse midwives in the United States and is the oldest women’s healthcare organization in the U.S. It is a comprehensive resource on midwifery, home birth and related topics.
- Allied Health World: Allied Health World’s midwifery site provides information on midwifery education, jobs, salaries and more.
- Citizens for Midwifery: Citizens for Midwifery is a national consumer-based group focused on midwifery care, locally and nationally.
- MANA: The Midwives Alliance of North America is a professional organization for midwives, which seeks to strengthen and unify the profession of midwifery.
- Midwife Info: Midwife Info presents informative articles on midwifery, pregnancy, and related topics.
- Midwife USA: Midwife USA is a comprehensive collection of resources, including directories of providers and schools and general information on midwifery.
- Midwifery Today: Midwifery Today is a magazine and resource for midwives, birth advisors and the general public, seeking to promote midwifery and make midwife care the norm throughout the world.
- The Midwife’s Mercantile: The Midwife’s Mercantile offers natural, organic products for pregnancy, delivery and baby care.
Water Birth Resources
- American Pregnancy Association: American Pregnancy Association’s waterbirth page provides information on waterbirth, including benefits and risks, equipment, preparation, books and other resources.
- Birth Balance: Birth Balance is a resource on waterbirth and doula support. The site includes articles, personal birth stories and links to other resources on water birth and labor support.
- Birth Buddies: Birth Buddies is a waterbirthing services based in Capetown, South Africa, presenting a variety of articles and resources on waterbirth.
- Pregnancy Today Home & Water Birth: Pregnancy Today’s home and water birth site presents information on home birth and water birth, as well as general information on pregnancy.
- Waterbirth Info: Waterbirth Info provides information on water as used for pregnancy, labor, birth and early childhood development.
- Waterbirth International: Waterbirth International seeks to make waterbirth an available option for all women. They offer information, education, referrals, and other resources on water birth.
- Waterbirth Solutions: Waterbirth Solutions provides information on waterbirth, waterbirth supplies, a provider directory, and more.
- YourWaterBirth.com: Your Water Birth offers water birthing equipment and supplies, home birth kits, books and videos. The site also presents general information on water birth and home labor and delivery.