_edited.png)
After having my first baby in my living room I became hugely passionate about home birth. If you are looking to have a physiological birth with little to no intervention, home is by far and away the most likely place for that to happen. I have supported many home births in Nottingham and Derby, and all have been total magic in their own ways. Even a home birth that includes a transfer into hospital can be incredibly empowering and positive.
I attended Indy and Krishan's birth of their sweet baby last December. They had a gorgeous setup in their bedroom and after a long labour that ebbed and flowed she pushed her baby out into her and her partners arms. Not long after they were snuggled up in their own bed, in privacy and peace. The way it should be. You can read more about Indy's birth, and some other testimonials here.
This totally depends what the individual birth calls for. My default is to be hands off (I trust birth) but sometimes a birth calls for a more hands on approach in terms of physical support as well as advocacy and practical bits and bobs.
-
Pool management - I have two pools that I lend to my home birth clients. In a home birth I usually inflate and fill the pool and then help maintain the temperature and of course empty it and pack it all away afterwards!
-
Responsive Birth Support - Of course I am always offering the same gentle, encouraging, informed birth support that I would in any setting. This can include suggesting positions or biomechanics to aid labour progress, aromatherapy, massage, nourishment, advocacy and supporting your birth partner.
-
Practical Support- Sometimes a partner will be very involved and maybe in the pool (as above) in which case I am usually scurrying around in the background, providing drinks, snacks, towels, gentle support and anything else that is needed.
-
Advocacy - Even in a home birth, there are times where having an advocate is incredibly helpful. Having someone in your corner (in any setting) to help give you space and time to make informed decisions is so important. I work closely with the Nottingham Home Birth team, and am very confident working alongside them in harmony.
-
Transfer support - Occasionally a home birth with end up transferring into hospital (although it is worth mentioning that this is rarely for emergency reasons.) In this scenario I join my clients at hospital and continue support there until after the baby is born. I am along for the ride, whatever direction it takes!
-
The clean up - A lot of people are worried about the mess of a home birth, but let me tell you it's nothing that a few towels and inco sheets can't take care of! Once baby is born I stay to drain and pack away the pool, and get the space looking back to normal, so my clients can settle into their new phase without a mess to deal with.
Yes, for many families home birth is a safe and sensible choice.
Of course there is no totally risk free setting, but choosing to birth at home lowers your risk of many interventions that can have both long and short term effects on both you and your baby. Even if you don't fit in the perfect 'low risk' category it is still very possible to choose a home birth if you would like one.
2019 Lancet study of half a million women low risk women who planned home births showed they were:
-
40% less likely to have caesarean
-
50% less likely to have an instrumental delivery
-
55% less likely to have an episiotomy
-
40% less likely to have a 3rd or 4th degree tear
-
75% less likely to have in infection
-
And that is AS safe for first time parents as for second and onwards.
Read whole study here
If you are under the care of NUH in Nottingham you are lucky to have access to the amazing continuity of care Home Birth Team. They provide all their antenatal and postnatal care at your home as well as supporting you through labour. I have worked closely with this team and have had such great feedback about them from everyone who has encountered them.
.png)
