Home birth

Deciding to have your baby at home isn’t just about where he will be born, but also what kind of care you will receive.

Having your baby at home will mean that you won’t be able to call on many of the hi-tech resources of modern medicine, but you will probably get more personalised and supportive care from the one or two midwives who will look after you in labour. They will use traditional midwifery skills as far as possible to help you through labour and birth; however, if problems arise during pregnancy or the birth, they will transfer you to specialist care in hospital.

• Why women choose home birth
• How to arrange a home birth
• Your rights
• Is your home suitable?
• Just how messy is home birth?
• Practical preparations
• Home birth and the third stage of labour
• Pain relief
• What about the risks?
• Why you may need to be transferred to hospital
• Home births and Group B Streptococcus
• Home birth plan
• Unplanned home birth - what you need to know
• Celebrity home births
• Hurrah! for home births - babyworld recognises mums and midwives in the first ever Home Birth Awards
• Useful contacts Find out more about hiring and buying birthing pools