All about Home Births and its Complications

A home birth is a method of childbirth in a non-clinical setting. It is either attended or an unattended childbirth, carried out using natural childbirth technique. Taking place in a residence, home birth is usually attended by a midwife or lay attendant with specialisation in managing home births. Some women chose home birth over birth in a technology equipped medical setting due to family-centred experience or avoiding surgical experience.

Who should consider a home birth?

• If you've been following pregnancy lifestyle and are a healthy expectant mother, you can consider medical or obstetrical risk factors or a birth at home.
• A healthy expectant mother with a desire to share the experience of childbirth with family members or friends shall consider home birth. The experience of childbirth in privacy of your home also saves from interruptions of hospital staff.
• Medical conditions should be accounted before choosing birth at home. Expectant mothers who are highly likely to have complications such as high blood pressure or diabetes during childbirth should give birth in a hospital.
• Home birth isn't an option if woman encounters pregnancy complications, such as premature labour, preeclampsia, twins (or more), or a baby in the breech position at 37 weeks.
• It is important for expectant mothers to understand that if complications arise, she has to transfer maternal care to another provider or shift to clinical setting for delivery a baby.
• One of the benefits of home birth is that it allows you to labour and give birth in comfortable and familiar surroundings. In this manner, mother has more control over birth experience than she has in a hospital. But, expectant mother should make sure that someone remains close to her around her due date.
• When woman is preparing to give birth without medication, making changes at home for the birth (as advised by mid-wife) and family support are essential.
• Experts attending home births could be certified midwives, doulas or obstetricians. If expectant mother is not sure about capability of professionals administering childbirth at home, institutional birth should be preferred.
• A situation may arise that demands for emergency home birth. In that case, don't get traumatised by excessive labour you're encountering. The labour will be much more and prolonged. But, if you are prepared for an emergency home birth, go ahead with home birth by getting everything in place of your due date.