I had both my 2 older children very safely and positively at the local midwive led unit. That was my original plan for DD2 as dh was worried about a homebirth (couldn't get him to realise there's nothing they can do at the mw led unit that they can't do at our home
). People at that point were saying "oh I wouldn't risk it." and "It's not worth it coz if something went wrong you'd never forgive yourself" etc. Blah blah blah, the usual crap.
Then at 36 weeks the mw led unit closed so our only options were homebirth or the main maternity unit - which I had FLATLY REFUSED point blank to go to with each pregnancy. There was NO WAY I was going there for my third delivery, so a homebirth was the only option now (which I was very pleased about as it had been what I wanted for DD1 as well but hubby was too anxious then as well, that's why we'd compromised on the mw led unit again).
Hubby also didn't want us to go to the main maternity unit so reluctantly agreed to a homebirth. I explained about safety stats, what the mw would bring with them to our house etc and how things would go. He obviously knew I was doing Natal Hypnotherapy as I'd done it every night at bedtime when he was there.
Once we told people we were now having a homebirth they upped the negative comments and for some reason everyone thought (still thinks actually) it was/is their god given right to put their opinions on us and tell us how irresponsible it is, how they could never put their baby at risk like that, blah blah blah.
The ILs weren't positive, but they know I do what I want anyway and I'd tell them exactly what I thought and throw stats at them if they said anything negative hehe
Friends were very negative but not as bad as aquaintances and strangers, they were appalling!
My Dad likes to think he's all new man so was totally on board (he was actually here when I gave birth, upstairs though
)
xx