At first I thought I would have a hospital birth – just like most everyone else. But, when a professor of mine described her homebirth, I gave it a second thought. What could be more ideal than facing one of life’s greatest challenges in the comfort of my own home? Labouring and giving birth in the clean, peaceful, relaxing surroundings that I have known for some time… with family and friends close at hand.
After discussing it with my husband, we knew it was a great choice for us. Of course, safety was an issue. My pregnancy was deemed to be lowrisk, and therefore I could opt for a homebirth. I knew that labour and delivery without medical intervention was more likely to remain without complications. And, no medical intervention – from IV to epidural – is more likely to happen at home. The midwives would come equipped with the standard gear and some emergency gear, and they suggested it’s a good idea to let the closest hospital know my plans for a homebirth.
During the final stages of my pregnancy, I didn’t pack a bag, but got my own home ready for the birth. We set up the birthing tub (as we had decided on a waterbirth), invited a few close friends to be with us, and even selected music and relaxing scents to assist me during the labour. We adjusted the lighting so that our new babies eyes wouldn’t be shocked by brightness, and upon the advice of midwives, we asked our guests to keep their voices down when the baby was born (and during contractions). We also made up a fresh bed (for those who give birth in bed, a plastic sheet is warranted), so that after the birth I could relax in my own bedroom and order up whatever foods met my fancy.
Homebirth doesn’t always work out. Out of the 8 who were in my prenatal class given by the midwives, only 3 ended up having homebirths. Some laboured at home and then wanted to go to the hospital for pain medication. Others had early complications and were no longer suitable for a homebirth.
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