Someone asked me today (like almost everyday): “How often do you see complications arise in home births?”
I gave them the same answer I always give:”Rarely. I see complications happen WAY more frequently in hospitals. And the odd time a complication does arise, in my experience, they are handled in a MUCH more smooth and calm fashion in the home that at the hospital.”
It is unethical, irresponsible, and (and even financially) absurd that our government and health care system encourages women to birth in hospitals, when over and over again in the literature it is shown that home birth is a safer option with better outcomes. I am so frustrated with our culture that continues to enable the MYTH that hospital births are safer places to birth than the home and that doctors are the most qualified professionals to attend a birth.
Do you want to increase your risk of having a postpartum hemorrhage? Do you want to increase your baby’s risk of ending up in the intensive care unit? Do you want to increase your risk of having a vacuum, forceps, or cesarean birth? (all WITHOUT improving “healthy” birth outcomes for mothers and babies).
If the answer is no, stay home to have your babies. Seriously.
Planning a home birth and transferring to the hospital WHEN and IF something comes up that leads to wanting/requiring something the hospital offers is much different than planning to be there there purposely and specifically before or if you don’t need anything from there, and over and over again it is shown that it is not beneficial to do so.