Home Birth is as Safe as Hospital Births

Chances are if you are a common reader here that you already know this from your own research and experience. Sometimes I forget that this is not common knowledge anymore. When I read yet another article about more studies proving that home births can be as safe as hospital births I found it the same old thing…  http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-birth-hospital.html Birth is no reason to go to hospital, review says.

It goes on to show some numbers I did not know however, like how home births reduce interventions by 20-60% and reduce complications by 10 -30%.

In my personal experience

#1 Hospital Birth – 6 interventions – Baby in NICU for mystery breathing issues for a week.

#2 Hospital Birth – 6 interventions

#3 Hospital Birth – 6 interventions

# 4 Hospital Birth Natural – 3 interventions – traumatic experience – Both got sick from hospital

#5 Home Birth – 0 Interventions

#6 Home Birth – 0 Interventions

By far the best births have been the home births and I felt so much better physically and emotionally after them than I did with the hospital births. Babies nursed better, didn’t get sick because of the hospital.

Certainly not all home births end well just as not hospital births do and no one is saying one should not birth at a hospital. I think many are however saying that we should be supported in home birthing and it should be covered by more insurance in this country.

I am not a super Mom for birthing at home. My choice was not a political statement. My choice was not to prove anything. I wanted a safe birth for my baby and I and after doing the research and after experienced hospital births I choose to birth at home with midwives. I had far less fear, the labors went more smoothly when labor did start and faster as well, there was less pain, and baby was exposed to less germs and possible infection or medication complication. Baby and I experienced less stress and it showed. Someone else though may have more stress at home. It really depends on you and your experiences and beliefs.

I think we owe it to our daughters though to make sure they know Home Birthing is a healthy option for many women and not something to needlessly fear more than a hospital birth.