Is home birth safe?
“Birth is as safe as life gets” said birth photographer Harriette Hartigan. Most of the time life is safe. Birth, in the context of a well nourished, healthy woman, is incredibly safe. It is even more safe when attended by an experienced and trained midwife. In study after study (after study), midwives delivering out of hospital have similar rates of adverse perinatal outcomes as those found with a similar population in the hospital. In addition, midwives have lower rates of intervention, inductions, episiotomies, and Cesarean sections then practitioners who deliver in hospital. Our Cesarean rate last year was less than 5%.
Birth becomes risky with intervention in a natural physiological process. The natural, and hormonal needs of birth require privacy, warmth, intimacy and trust. If we left well enough alone, birth would unfold as easily as a cloud releases rain. Home birth by its nature, with no anesthesiologist, no cold rooms and bright lights, no strangers, is the perfect stage for a safe and healthy birth for mom and baby.
Have you asked your OB if hospital birth is safe? Hospital interventions are associated with all kinds of risk and adverse outcome. Take for example the latest findings that induced labor increased the risk of autism by a whopping 23%! Cesarean sections increase maternal mortality by six times over vaginal birth. Cesarean sections (2nd most performed surgery in the United States) have also been associated with infection, hysterectomy, subsequent complications of pregnancy, infertility, and still birth.
What happens in an emergency? What if we need to go the hospital?
Midwives are trained and skilled to deal with emergencies. Midwives are trained to handle certain complications at home, and to recognize complications that indicate a hospital birth is advisable. In those circumstances, we transfer to the nearest or preferred hospital depending on the circumstance. We keep our certification in neonatal resuscitation up to date.
Midwives in California are legally licensed to carry equipment and medications to safely manage normal deliveries at home. Some of the equipment we bring includes:
Resuscitation equipment for baby and mother: a bag and mask resuscitator and oxygen.
Antihemorrhagic drugs to stop excessive postpartum bleeding.
Monitoring equipment for you and your baby, including a doppler, blood pressure cuff and stethoscope, and infant stethoscope.
Supplies for the newborn exam and any newborn procedures that you choose, including a scale, measuring tape, erythromycin ointment, and vitamin K.
Suturing equipment to do repairs if any tearing occurred, and lidocaine for pain relief when suturing.
IVs for hydration and if necessary, bleeding.
We will go through the emergency plan at the 36 week visit. Should a complication occur during the labor, we call the emergency medical professionals and transport immediately to the hospital.
Our transfer rate is less than 10% but there are eventualities. It is a common concern amongst home birth parents, and we are always happy to allay fears and provide facts.
What are the payment arrangements? Will my insurance cover it?
Home birth is at least half the price of an unmedicated vaginal birth, and it only goes up with intervention, so for many families and insurance companies, home birth is the most affordable option.
Typically we accept cash or check up front. Our rates and financial agreements will be discussed and agreed upon in our initial visit. We are able to work with our clients to support payment plans and options for payment, so please be forthcoming about your needs.
Some insurances do cover home birth. Namely PPO’s. HMO’s, Kaiser and Medicaid do not cover out of hospital birth. We work with an amazing insurance biller! Her name is Kashuna, and she will assist you in finding out if your insurance will cover our services. Here is the link to verify your insurance coverage. Please look for ‘Midwives Bay Area’ to see what will be covered.
Is it legal? Can I get a birth certificate?
We are proud to say that California was one of the first states to legalize midwifery! If you are outside of California, each state has different requirements for home birth, although it is legal in all 50 states.
In order to receive the birth certificate, we fill out some paperwork, and you take it to the Department of Vital Statistics, and a couple of weeks later, the birth certificate is in your mailbox.
Is home birth messy?
Before we leave, we make sure the place is neat and tidy. A load of laundry is started, dishes washed, and the trash is taken out. You would never know we were there, if not for maybe the birth tub and the bundle of cuteness in your bed! Mess is not an issue. Everything that comes in our birth kit is there to keep your home clean and surfaces protected. The combination is all that is needed to keep surfaces clean, dry and bak to the way we found them.
Placentas can be handled according to your personal preference. We find that all clients have a different idea of what they would like to do with it. Please ask if you have any further questions.