Why Home Birth?

Pros of Home Birth

  • You are able to labor and deliver in the comfort of your
  • own home.
  • There are no restrictions on how many family members or friends that can be present.
  • You can eat or drink as you wish prior to delivery.
  • You are able to walk around freely without monitors or IVs.
  • When birthing at home, you are able to have a natural birth without intervention.
  • You know your birth team.
  • You can choose the delivery position that’s right for you.
  • There are little to no time constraints for labor and delivery.
  • You may be able to avoid unnecessary medical interventions common in hospital births.
  • There is a low risk of outside exposure to viruses or bacteria.
  • After delivery, you can rest in your own bed with your baby.
  • You have in-home follow-up care for yourself and your baby, as well as lactation support.
  • You will not be disturbed by doctors or nurses throughout the night.
  • Lower delivery costs.
Home birth in the U.S. is on the rise. But how do you figure out if a home birth is right for you?

Doing research on the subject, thinking about what kind of birth you want, and taking responsibility for your choices is important. For most healthy, low-risk mothers, home birth is a safe option.

A mother choosing a home birth must, above all else, deeply desire to give birth at home. The most successful home birthers are highly committed and trust their body’s natural ability to birth. They devote time and energy to finding the right birth practitioner, doing their own research and taking care of themselves.

There are certainly pros and cons to home birth, which must be evaluated prior to deciding if one is right for you.

Cons of Home Birth

  • Most insurance policies will not cover home birth expenses.
  • There is usually no pain relief or epidural available if birthing at home.
  • You are responsible for ordering a birth kit and purchasing supplies that your midwife requests for the
    birth.
  • There are potential risks if there is an emergency situation.
  • You may need to be transported to the hospital if you get too tired or want medication or an intervention that is not available at home.
  • In case of emergency, there will be a delay in you and your baby receiving care, while in transit to the
    nearest hospital.

Home Birth Facts

The latest research on planned home birth, released in 2014 by the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA), found that among 17,000 families:

  • Better outcomes for babies:
    97% of babies were carried to full-term, and weighed an average of eight pounds at birth. Only 1% of babies were transferred to the hospital after birth, most for non-urgent conditions.

  • Low rates of intervention:
    Only 4.5% of the 17,000 study participants required oxytocin augmentation and/or epidural analgesia. This is much lower than average for the United States, where 26% have oxytocin augmentation and 67% have epidurals.

  • Low rates of cesarean birth:
    The 2014 MANA study also found that of the 17,000 planned home births, only 5.7% ended up birthing their babies via cesarean. This is compared to the national average of approximately 31% for full-term pregnancies.

  • High VBAC success rate:
    ​For low-risk individuals, the chance of having a vaginal birth after cesarean is over 90% when birthing outside the hospital.

More Home Birth Resources

Kind Words

We love Jen! You can tell that she enjoys what she does. Her Bradley classes are very informative, but not overwhelming. She welcomes discussion and questions, making room for everyone to feel comfortable. By the last class, my husband and I felt safe in our decision and well prepared for our home birth.— Hannah​

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