Having your baby at home
We are booking birth place assessments for all ‘low risk’ pregnant people who are more than 34 weeks. Please speak to your community midwife or call the birth centre to arrange a birth place assessment or discuss out of hospital birth options.
A planned birth at home means you can remain in your own familiar and comfortable surroundings during labour and after the arrival of your baby.
If you have had a baby before, research has shown that home birth is just as safe as having your baby in a birth centre or hospital.
There may be times when we need to transfer you to hospital (for additional pain relief or because labour isn’t progressing as it should) and this will be by ambulance. For first time mothers the chance of transfer to hospital and complications is slightly increased.
We currently achieve approximately 2.8% of women having a home-birth per year. The national average is 2.3%.
The NCT has more information about choosing a home birth.
Who can have a home birth?
Home births are usually offered to women who have had a straightforward pregnancy, cared for by a midwife.
There are many factors to deciding whether a home birth is right for you and you should discuss this with your midwife.
Some women require additional care from a doctor during their pregnancies. This may mean that you are not considered suitable for a home birth.
All of your options can be discussed with either your midwife or if it is more appropriate, your doctor.
Benefits of home birth
- Labour and birth in your own comfortable surroundings. You can also hire a birth pool to use
- Fewer medical interventions at home
- You are more likely to be looked after by a midwife you have met before.
Things to consider for home birth
- Limited pain relief options. Epidurals are not available at home
- The distance from your home to the hospital should you need to be transferred.
The NHS website has lots of information about choosing where to give birth. Please discuss any questions with your midwife.