Congratulations on your safe arrival.
Unfortunately without trying to cause offence i do not understand why people would even consider unassited births. I understand that in the USA it is VERY medicalised and i can see the need for it, but here in the UK it is illegal to purposefully have a unassisted birth and also for a untrained person to act as a birth attendant.
As a trained professional i have seen many beautiful low risk births but also the other extreme where people are simply lucky to have the TRAINED professional there.
Yes there are many WHAT IF's and no it does not mean they will happen, but if they did i think it would be irresponsible to put yourself in a position to have to deal with them (or not) with what is basically no experience. Yes people who choose this option research these things and scenarios greatly, but if that were all were needed, ppl would not have to dedicated minimum 3yrs (hr in the UK) to have the privilege to assist women in their birth experience. I believe that no amount of research or "basic" medical training can prepare anyone for childbirth emergencies.
I know this sounds like a harsh post, (im sorry) i do respect womens rights and opinions and support women in these choices, but i would not be doing my job if women did not know EVERY possibility and risks involved. I do not believe that feeling a baby move tells you a baby is safe, - when babies are starved of oxygen it is not uncommon for them to have excessive movements as they fight for their life. This is why when we monitor fetal movement we look for changed and excessive as well as none or reduced.
ANyways, my rant over. Apologies if i have offended, it was not my intention but simply to express my opinion, and stress that free birthing is ILLEGAL in the UK. I would be very concerned for my ladies if i thought that a, they would intentionally go through with this, and b, they had that little trust in their midwives that they felt they could not let us support them in their birthing experience.
Again, Congratulations on your safe arrival. x
I have to correct the above.
As a lawyer I can tell you this is NOT true under the laws of England and Wales.
Firstly, you have ultimate freedom to birth in your own home or anywhere without any attendants - whether you do this intentionally or not. It would be a very strange state that would make a physiological function of the human race an illegal act. This right is also enshrined in Human rights law (it was also recently commented on and examined in the case of Ternovszky v Hungary 2010 "the right concerning the decision to become a parent includes the right of choosing the circumstances of becoming a parent. The court is satisfied that the circumstances of giving birth incontestably form part of one's private life")
Secondly, the only thing that is illegal is for a person to purport to act or intend to act as a midwife. This doesn't included OHs, doulas, your grandmother.. or even a kind bin man or anyone who is present at your birth.
It is an unfortunate common misconception (even among medical professionals)
Here is the Law:
Midwifery Order 2001, Paragraph 45
1) A person other than a registered midwife or a registered medical practitioner shall not attend a women in childbirth
2) Paragraph (1) does NOT apply -
a) where the attention is given in a case of sudden or urgent necessity; or
b) in the case of a person who, while undergoing training with a view to becoming a medical practitioner or to becoming a midwife, attends a women in childbirth as part of a course of practical instruction in midwifery recognised by the council or by the general medical council.
Had to clear that one up, as it could be very damaging to women's choices and freedoms
XXX
So are you saying that as long as your intend to become a midwife, professional etc that you are exempt from this law??
It is illegal for a not qualified person to purposefully act as a midwife etc. Even if it is OH/DOula etc. Obviously BBA's etc (born before arrivals) are very different cases but to act if i were "almost" qualified i would not have a leg to stand on as such if i were to act as that womens midwife and deliver her baby knowing that i have the "knowledge", just the same as i see "doctors" procedures all the time, i know the medical ins and outs, and could probably manage to deliver a baby etc, as such for a c-section but i would loose my job if i thought i could just perform this even in the case of a emergency.
I appreciate that this is not the same, but to say it is not illegal for a doula etc to act as the midwife , even if they intend to proceed to the career is wrong. (Apologies if i interpreted your comment wrongly)
As for no one knowing ALL the risks, i disagree that is why doctors trained for 7+yrs they are the experts and midwifes are the experts in "normal" childbirth.
Sorry, I think you have interpreted me wrong - Or I havent made it clear.
I'm not saying that any man and his dog whether they be a trainee MW or a doula are exempt and free from prosecution if they purposely intend to act as a midwife. It is illegal for anyone to do so. (I should have made that clearer when I mentioned the bin man etc)
This act was made to stop a lay-person from pretending to be a MW or a medical person with a women in childbirth. It is not to prosecute someone who is in the same room as a women in child birth offering support or encouragement and be in
attendance i.e present, but they can not
attend to the women. (there in lies the difference). So, if a person did something physical to the mother (attended her) or they were saying they intended to act or be a MW (which wasn't in an emergency) they would be liable to be prosecuted.
If it is an emergency, (imminent point of birth would count as an emergency) such as in paragraph 2.. paragraph 1 doesn't apply. Say there isn't a MW or medical professional available or even if there is a MW present an they need assistance with the mother, then ANY lay-person (the bin man, even a trainee MW OR trainee Doctor) could
attend to the mother. (with her consent - if possible)
You wouldn't loose your job if you attended a women in an emergency (anyone can). However if you are a trainee MW you cant touch a women (certainly not without consent anyway.. But neither can any registered MW) if it isnt an emergency unless it is part of your training and a registered MW is also in attendance.
However, if it was an emergency (no professionals available) and you were not with a women as part of your training, and you failed to act (unless asked not to by the women) you could certainly be sued, or worst case is, if the mother then died as a result of your negligence, you could be liable for murder by omission.
To summarise
- There is NO law against unassisted childbirth in England and Wales;
- Anyone can be present.. but they can't pretend to be a MW;
- Plus anyone can assist in an emergency and attend the mother.
It is very important everybody knows this; I would hate to think that any MW could be telling any pregnant women it is illegal to birth unassisted in the UK or to have there nearest, dearest or trusted with them, or for their nearest and dearest or bin man to help a women in child birth if needed.
I'll happily answer any questions, so it can be fully understood.
Xxx
). for the rest, you are expected to pay for the insurance or have none at all. We have to pay $12,000 per YEAR on our health insurance. I dont know about you but we are struggling to find that cash....so we are probably not going to be able to renew our insurance. We only have an offer through DHs job....and thats the price we have to pay which isn't affordable 
so now what? We dont qualify for the government insurance. That leaves us without insurance, so we can either pay out of pocket for a homebirth...except around here a homebirth midwife costs $3500...i dont have that sitting around either...so what do you propose one is to do in this situation?? Its easy, for the financial aspects, to have an unassisted birth...(though this isnt always the reason, usually not) but in my case if very well could be! this isnt a matter of being selfish about money 
) If however, something were to go wrong and you do go to the hospital, the midwife cant go because she for sure will seek law penatlities as will you (becuase they would know about the assisted homebirth) BUT if you go in and lie and say it was unassisted, no questions asked. No law cares.....nice, huh? ....midwifery has to stay underground because of the laws....sick and twisted? huh?
i will shut up 
I am expecting number 5 in four weeks and as my last labour was only 2 hours, my MIL will take an hour to arrive to look after the children and my hospital is an hour away, I may have to have an unassisted homebirth myself!
