Births outside of maternity can present risks for both the baby and the mother. It is therefore important that it be carried out by a home health professional, taking into account the level of risk determined by pregnancy monitoring.
"Scheduled delivery at home in France affects approximately 2,000 women each year out of 800,000 births per year, or 0.2% of births", according to Mpedia. Delivering at home, in complete privacy with your loved ones and the midwife who followed you throughout your pregnancy is much more reassuring than in a hospital.
The excessive medicalization of childbirth has indeed led women to choose to have their baby in the comfort of their own home. Often, home birth takes place in water, because birth in water has many benefits for mom and baby. But what are the advantages and risks of this choice? What are the home needs and costs of such a birth?
When can you give birth at home?
Birth at home should be carefully planned with awareness of all the risks. First of all, the expectant mother must be considered to be at low risk during childbirth, that is to say that she must have a certain margin of safety so as not to have problems during labor. Also, home birth is only possible when it is a natural birth, which does not involve a surgical intervention such as an episiotomy or a caesarean.
After establishing that the birth could be done naturally, without complications, the gynecologist can then give the green light to the mother who wishes a home birth. The main thing is to be accompanied by a trusted midwife with experience. However, certain conditions must be met if a woman wishes to give birth at her home:
- "Her state of health before pregnancy is normal (no diabetes, hypertension, obesity … and without regular medical treatment),
- Her possible previous deliveries went well,
- She is expecting an only child who does not show up for a seat "
The benefits
Home birth has several advantages. Once the first checks have been made, delivery is relatively safe, provided there is a team of trained obstetricians. The specialist midwife Odette Abououf, to whom we spoke, assures us that "Home birth brings many advantages, in particular the relaxation and tranquility of the mother, who feels in a family environment, where she finds the complicity of her partner and the comfort of specialists ready for any eventuality".
We reassure you, all midwives are equipped with first aid tools to stabilize mothers if they finally have to go to the hospital. The important thing is to be well informed and to know that there is always a certain risk, even if it is low.
Risks to keep in mind if you give birth at home
Although they are low, the risks are there. First of all, natural home birth does not imply an epidural, because this practice requires the presence of an anesthesiologist and a resuscitator. And that's a big drawback, especially if you want to relieve the pain. This is why many pregnant women prefer to give birth at home in water: the liquid relieves pain and facilitates the different stages of labor.
In addition to the risk of discomfort during childbirth, for the mother or the baby, it is necessary to think of intense pains. The electro-transcutaneous nerve stimulator, another alternative to the epidural, cannot be used. Indeed, the NEST placed in the lower back at the start of work helps stimulate the body's natural endorphins, to relieve pain. For home births, you should favor homeopathic remedies or the use of natural remedies such as arnica.
Birth at home: what do you need?
If you have to give birth at home, here are a few things to have at home:
- many towels
- shower mats to protect the floor if you don't give birth in the water
- an inflatable pool specialized for water features (if you choose this)
- pillows
- elements to help you focus like paintings, photographs …
- natural remedies for pain
Home birth: the costs to bear
The cost of a home birth is lower than a maternity birth. Count on average 312 euros (Social Security package) against around 3,000 euros if the outing of the mother and baby is prolonged for three days.
What happens after birth?
Everything in the hospital is very regulated and fast, while at home you and your baby can relax more. There is no hurry to cut the umbilical cord, which is very beneficial for the baby: a third of the baby's blood volume and stem cells are transferred by the cord and if you drain it properly, it helps the baby a lot. The midwife will help you for a few hours until the cord is cut and will make sure that you and your baby are well. Then the midwife herself can follow the puerperium, which is the time it takes for the female reproductive system to return to normal after a birth. Usually the puerperium goes from the first minutes after birth (the postpartum phase) to the return of the menstrual cycle, the signal that everything has returned to normal.