Planning a home birth

Home births: If you have a straightforward pregnancy and both you and the baby are well, you might choose to give birth at home. In England, approximately 1 in 50 babies is born at home.

If you give birth at home, you will be supported by a midwife, who will support you while you are in labor. If you need any help or your labor is not progressing as well as it should, your midwife will make arrangements for you to be transferred to hospital.

The advantages of giving birth at home include the following:

• You can give birth in familiar surroundings where you may feel more relaxed and able to cope.

• You don’t have to interrupt your labor to go into hospital.

• You will not need to leave your other children.

• You will not have to be separated from your partner after the birth.

• You are more likely to be looked after by a midwife who you have got to know during your pregnancy.

The things you should consider include the following:

• You may need to transfer to a hospital if there are any complications.

• Epidurals are not available at home.

• Your doctor or midwife may recommend that you give birth in hospital, for example if you are expecting twins or if your baby is breech. Your midwife or doctor will explain why they think hospital is safer for you and your baby.

Planning a home birth   

Ask your midwife whether or not a home birth is suitable for you and your baby or available to you. If it is, your midwife will arrange for members of the midwifery team to support and help you.

Here are some of the questions that you might want to ask:

• How long would it take if you needed to be transferred to hospital?

• Which hospital would you be transferred to?

• Would a midwife be with you all the time?

• How do you obtain a birthing pool?