Parents choose home birth for a variety
of reasons. Many complications in birth are the direct result of
hospital intervention. For instance, the leading reason doctors
perform a Cesarean section is because induced labor does not succeed.
Labor is being induced earlier and earlier. Twenty years ago, a
baby had to be three weeks past due before labor was induced. Now it
is induced only a few days past the due date.
Home birth is also cheaper. Saving
money in itself would never be a reason to jeopardize the life of a
new baby. Still, one has to wonder if all the common medical
interventions, with the huge bills they carry, don't happen partly
because there is money to be made when the physician intervenes. In
other words, isn't it possible that doctors are tempted to intervene because it increases their own paycheck? Hopefully not, but new
parents sometimes wonder.
After all, women have been having
babies since the dawn of time. It is completely natural to expect
that the baby you're expecting can be born just fine either with a
midwife or without any help at all, just as billions of babies have
been before. There is also much you can do to ensure a healthier
birth, such as good prenatal nutrition, moderate exercise, quitting
smoking, and natural childbirth classes.
When choosing any type of birth,
though, there are risks to be considered, and especially when the
baby is the first for a mother. While most midwives would agree that
home birth is safe for a first time mother, some
would wonder about the wisdom of planning an
unassisted home birth
for the first baby. The purpose of this article is not to persuade
you to choose not to have that first baby at home unassisted, but to
examine the pros and cons so you can make an informed decision.
The risk of complications in a first
birth is estimated to be about 15-20%. Many risks can be reduced by
healthy habits, but some complications are completely unforeseen.
Without an attendant, you will not be aware of various things that are
happening, such as how high your blood pressure is or if the baby is
presenting breech instead of head first. You might not even be aware
that you are carrying twins!
First-time labor tends to be longer than
labor with later births. It is not uncommon for the first labor to
take over 24 hours. A first-time mother can prepare by
reading every book about birth she can get her hands on. She can honestly feel no
fear about birth. She can faithfully practice her breathing exercises, until she knows them inside and out. Yet when the baby comes, she
will still probably face something she didn't expect.
For instance, she may have every
intention of walking around during labor and changing positions to
relieve the pain. Yet when the pain is actually happening, she might
find herself overwhelmed and unable to move, frozen with fear that
moving will make it worse. A well-prepared, supportive husband can
make a big difference, but he, too, is likely to be confronted with
surprises he doesn't quite know how to handle.
A couple who seriously want to try it
on their own for the first baby should ask themselves these
questions.
1. Is mom-to-be in excellent health?
Has she been following an excellent prenatal diet and exercising
moderately? Does she feel good and have no preexisting medical
problems? Is she of moderate height? (Sometimes very small women
have pelvises that are too small for easy delivery.) Was her own
mother able to give birth without any problems?
2. Is the home no more than 15 or 20
minutes away from a hospital with a decent emergency room? Do you
have reliable transportation and at least a few supportive,
non-judgmental friends you could call on for help in the event of an
emergency?
3. Are both mom and dad-to-be willing
to read, read, read to get prepared for possible complications that
come their way at the last minute? Is the relationship secure enough
to handle a possible tragedy?
If you still think you are a candidate
for having an unassisted home birth with your first baby, here are a
few suggestions.
Make sure you have everything prepared
ahead of time, including a good book of birth information
(well-studied!) and an emergency transportation plan. If at all
possible, talk to other couples who have had home births and
especially unattended births. Get their feedback and really listen
to any cautions they might have, as well as their encouraging
remarks.
It is very easy to convince yourself
that you can handle something like the rare emergency that could
happen in an unassisted home birth. Really listen to your heart and
be sure. And remember this one thing. It is wonderful to have a
couple-centered, private home birth experience. It is one of the
most exciting and life-changing events any couple or individual ever
goes through. But it is only an event. The baby is a person, who
will hopefully be part of your life for many years.
Therefore, the most important
consideration when facing a decision like whether or not to have an
unattended home birth for your first birth is the well-being of the
baby. An unpleasant experience in a hospital is just that - an
experience. It doesn't mean you are a failure as a parent and it
doesn't have to affect your life with the baby. But if having a
home birth without an attendant leads to the loss of the baby, you
will have lost a lot more than a warm fuzzy experience. So choose
carefully!
