Friday, July 15, 2011

Pros & Cons of Baby Birth At Home

In ancient times, all women gave baby birth in their own homes but from the last century, most of the women choose hospital birth due to the development of the medical science. When the time to give birth comes closer, it is very essential for women to think about where they want to give birth. In today’s world, women have many choices to give birth. Women can select between a birthing center, hospital and the comfort of their own home. It is a great idea to search about each option in advance and take an informed decision. Probably, you may have many questions if you are considering a planned home birth. It is interesting to note that around 16,000 women every year select to have their baby at home. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of home birthing that will help you to make your own personal choice and to decide whether this birthing method is right for you or not.

Baby Birth At Home : Pros & Cons

Pros of Baby Birth At Home


Environment Familiarity and Comfort

Baby birth at home in familiar surroundings can increase the confidence of one during labour as it makes you feel less inhibited and make you feel more in control if all is going well; all of these factors can help to ease labour. Also, it is more private and provides freedom to control your birth experience. Your surroundings can also be set and arrange in a way that you think most comfortable and relaxed. You can use alternative forms of pain control and relaxation which you like to help you through labour. Some women prefer listening to music, the use of aromatherapies or a water birth.

Lower rate of intervention

The incidence of medical interference at home births is lower whether it’s having your waters broken, prepping with shaving, medication, electronic fetal monitoring or episiotomies. This is essential as once medical intervention is started in a labour. It is more probable that further intervention will be required, so your chances of a fully natural birth are generally higher with a home birth.

For mothers, the incidence of postpartum haemorrhage increases following medical interventions like induction and assisted delivery, both of which are ordinary in hospital deliveries. Many women decide to have a home birth due to reduced rate of intervention at home.

Privacy

At home birth, the extent of privacy depends on your home but by a flimsily-walled flat, privacy can be offered more than a hospital delivery room. Only one or two midwives, with whom you have already developed a relationship and hopefully trust, will manage a baby birth at home. It is essential that you have trust on your midwive for a victorious and happy home birth. Therefore, particular care is required in selecting one. Over the situation, your sense of control can be increased more if someone is present who has the ability to manage the situation exactly.

Mobility

Nowadays, many hospitals allow for mobility during labour. However, labouring women are not always provided the opportunity to move around as much as they would like. Being capable to move around can help to control the pain and help you to find a more relaxed position, whether it is sitting on the loo or bending over the basin. Your movements may be restricted if you are connected to electronic fetal monitoring which is more probable in hospital. Also, roving around garden and your own house may be more preferable than the hospital corridors.

Recovery & Peaceful

After giving birth at home, you can directly start your recovery process in the comfort of your home. Also, the peaceful and quiet environment of home is a significant advantage of a home birth. Laboring women don’t have to listen to the hollering of the poor lady who is having a difficult birth, which is most likely take place at the hospital birth.

Lowest risk of infection

Hospitals do everything or their best to control cross-infection by maintaining clean wards but it is naturally far more probable that you or your baby may pick up an infection in hospital environment due to the moving in and out of number of people.

Cons of Baby Birth At Home


Unable to access to the hospital trappings

If something goes wrong while giving birth at home, it may take time to take you in a hospital for definitive solutions. Researches point out that with good health care, homebirth is safe and sound for most mothers, excluding those who have pregnancy history that rules them inappropriate for home birth. If you aren't relaxed yourself with the distance of hospital from your home then there is a little point in taking a decision for homebirth.

Complications in Baby Birth

Some complications may take place if your midwife or caregiver is not trained or experienced in birthing emergencies and birthing complication. So, it is important to choose for an experienced birthing team if you want to give birth at home.

Intervention rates differ

For considering a home birth, if the rate of intervention is key reason, then you might desire to check out the rate of intervention while selecting a hospital. The approach to using episiotomies, induction and caesarian sections can differ from doctor to doctor and hospital to hospital, so confirm that you know where your doctors and hospitals stand.

Ensuring rest

If you are giving birth at home, you are aware about your family's needs ongoing around you which may be tempted you to get up previous to you've had your recovery time. So, it is essential that you have family and friends at home to take care of the household and ensure that there is no pressure on you to retrieve into the fray ahead of recovery time.

Home Birth expenses

Maybe you have to manage all home birthing costs because some insurance companies will not pay for homebirth expenses.

Baby’s birth certificate

At hospital birth, you don’t have to worry about the filling of baby’s birth certificate but at home birth, it is parent's responsibility although some midwives do this.

When Baby Birth At Home is not Recommended?
Planned home birth can not be right for everyone. It is not recommended by health care provider if you:
  • Formerly had a C-section
  • Develop a pregnancy complication like preterm labor, preeclampsia or significant anemia
  • Have chronic hypertension, a seizure disorder, diabetes or any chronic medical condition
  • Are pregnant with multiple babies or your baby doesn't have a right position that lets for a headfirst delivery
  • Use illegal drugs or tobacco
  • Have pregnancy of less than 37 weeks or more than 41 weeks

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