7 Pleasant Reasons To Have A Home Birth Versus A Hospital Birth

As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I looked up the closest home-birthing midwife in my area. I knew that I wanted to do things as naturally as possible and, for me, the reasons to have a home birth far outweighed a hospital birth.

Although my labor ended up not resulting in the home birth of my dreams, but instead a c-section at a hospital, I was so glad I had taken the time to educate myself on home birth and be in my midwife’s care.

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While I had a wonderful hospital experience, which I cannot say for most women, I still desire to attempt a home birth again in the future, Lord-willing, because of the seven reasons below.

Before you decide if home birth or hospital birth is right for you, take the time to educate yourself about the process of labor and delivery. Your body is designed to give birth! It is a natural process designed by God and not a medical emergency.

Women have been giving birth long before hospitals existed. Today, we are told that the hospital is the safest place to birth your baby. However, one of the reasons to have a planned home birth is that it is actually safer for low-risk, healthy, pregnant women.

The more educated you become the more confident you will be at questioning the medical “norms.” In fact, I highly recommend this book before you make any decision. It will provide you with behind-the-scenes information on hospitals.

Also, before you consider home birth, it is important to note that not everyone is an eligible candidate. To be eligible for a home birth with a midwife you have to be low risk. They do not typically take patients expecting multiples, over the age of 35, or with previous c-section births. Things like high blood pressure, a breech baby, and diabetes would also risk you out of the care of a home birth midwife. Homebirth is also not legal in every state.

However, if you are low-risk and healthy, then you should consider these reasons to have a home birth.

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1. Less Intervention

This begins as soon as you arrive for your first prenatal appointment. One thing I absolutely loved about seeing a midwife throughout my pregnancy was how personalized the experience was.

In a hospital, you may only meet with an OBGYN for a few minutes before they move on to their many other patients. With my midwife, she knew my husband and me in great detail. During our appointments, we would discuss our hobbies, daily life, and even religion. We formed a friendship and I looked forward to her attending my birth because I felt so comfortable around her.

Another one of the reasons to have a home birth is that as a pregnant woman, you are not sick. You do not have a medical emergency when you go into labor naturally.

However, we are grateful hospitals are there when we need them. I am an example of someone that had to transfer to hospital care, and I am so thankful we have the medical advances we have today to deliver more healthy babies and keep healthy moms alive when needed.

But too often, healthy low-risk laboring mothers are given more interventions than necessary. (Check out this article for more details.)

One intervention at the hospital often leads to another. And as interventions pile up, like episiotomies, Pitocin, and epidurals, they often lead to further complications. That is one of the reasons the c-section rate is so high in the United States, currently around 35% of births!

One of the reasons to have a home birth is that you can avoid these interventions. Fewer interventions mean less that your body has to go through and a faster recovery.

2. Save Money

Did you know an average vaginal birth costs about 60% less in a homebirth than versus in a hospital?

A homebirth midwife can often bill your insurance as well, but if not, you can also pay cash. The average cost of home birth is right around $4,000. Plus, about $100 more for some supplies during the birth.

On the other hand, the hospital charges you for just about everything. A homebirth can save you so much money and be a cost-effective solution for you!

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3. Immediate Bonding With Baby

One of the reasons to have a home birth is that it is a private experience. There is not a constant flow of nurses and doctors walking in and out. You have a private space with just you and the family members you desire. Your homebirth midwife doesn’t even arrive at your house until closer to the end of your labor.

After your baby is born, you get to be with them immediately and they never leave your sight. Your baby isn’t taken away from you or even switched with another baby.

Thankfully now almost all hospitals respect the Golden Hour and do skin-to-skin with your baby as soon as it is born. However, the baby is then taken to do several tests and procedures. While you can elect to avoid some procedures, you can not avoid the testing that the hospital is legally required to do.

In the hospital, I was limited to who could be in the room with me. While at a home birth, you are surrounded by those you love. Also, in the hospital, I was constantly interrupted. There was often a nurse or doctor walking in during my concentration in labor, when I was trying to sleep, and while I was breastfeeding.

I would have much preferred to be laboring at home where I had almost complete control of my environment.

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4. Create Your Environment

I hate the environment of the hospital. From the constant disinfectant smells to the bright lights and myriad of people popping into your room, I would gladly labor at home first.

Your home is where you feel most yourself. You can feel completely comfortable and create an environment exactly as you desire when you are laboring at home. You can create mood lighting, labor in the water, and labor in your own bed. In fact, your environment can have a big effect on how your labor goes.

Additionally, you don’t need to get in the car and drive when you are having contractions. And after the birth of your baby, you don’t need to get in the car and drive home.

Being in control of your own space is such a pleasant reason to have a home birth!

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5. More Control

Let’s be real, at a hospital you don’t have much say on anything. But, at a home birth, you are the boss.

You know where your supplies are. You know what you need to feel comfortable and relaxed. And, you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want. I can’t say the same for my hospital experience.

You also have the ability to move around however you choose and go wherever you please. Basically, if you want to do something, you can do it! It’s your home, your space, and your birth. Your midwife will be there to support you and help you feel as comfortable as possible.

Your midwife will even clean up after your birth and hopefully, do the laundry! You’ll feel right at home.

As a laboring woman, I want to feel empowered, respected, and that my choices are heard. At the hospital, it felt like a constant fight to avoid interventions, procedures, and do things the way I desired.

The fact is that at a hospital birth there is only so much you can change and so much you can do. They are more limitations and that can make you feel less comfortable during labor and delivery.

6. Less Fear

Ok, I have no science to back this one up but for me, it seems like one of the most valid reasons to have a home birth that I cannot deny.

Home birthing women seem to take a great deal of time in educating themselves. Their partners as well, seem to know more about the birthing and laboring process. And as a result, from educating themselves, they have a great deal less fear entering into labor.

Perhaps this is because homebirth midwives require more education from their clients. My midwife required my husband and me to read Natural Childbirth The Bradley Way together and also attend a Bradley Class. We learned so much through these experiences and at so thankful so were informed through them.

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Or perhaps, when you are giving birth at home, you take it upon yourself to become more informed because interventions are not immediately available. In case they are necessary during an emergency, you want to know your options.

Whatever it is, I found that I lacked a fear in childbirth after I became informed during my pregnancy. I have found other homebirth mothers seem to be the same way. Because when it comes to the fear of pain or fear of the unknown in childbirth, there really is nothing to fear when you realize how natural of a process childbirth really is.

7. Home Birth Is Safer

You may have heard, or just subconsciously believe, that the hospital is the safest place to give birth. But, what if I told you it wasn’t?

In fact, one of the reasons to have a home birth is that it can actually be argued as safer than a hospital birth when the birth is planned and low-risk, healthy mothers are involved.

Here is a link to several studies that confirm these findings. But please, do your own research.

Ultimately, you should give birth wherever you feel most safe. If that is at home, then give birth at home. If that is at a hospital, then please give birth in a hospital. I only ask that you become educated first and know the pros and cons to all your options.

Overall, a home birth would give you a great deal of confidence as a laboring mom. You are in charge and you make the shots. And ultimately, you get that rewarding experience in the end.

I can’t say I have the experience of giving birth at home (yet, Lord-willing!) but I can say I have done my research. From everyone I have heard share their experience, there is just something magical about home birth.

The feelings women have of empowerment, confidence, and just plain old pride in the experience cannot be denied.

But, if you attempt a home birth and it doesn’t end as planned, like my birth story, what matters most is that you were informed of your choices, that you were respected and that your voice was heard.

Have you had a home birth before? What are your reasons to have a home birth? Let me know in the comments below!

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Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma

Hey there, I'm Kelsey! I'm so glad you are here. I'm a 20-something helping you live your most fulfilling life. I hope you'll join me in this old-fashioned & simple lifestyle!

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