Home birth for baby #1

[Newlywed2012]

Hey guys,

TTC soon but I have been researching the safety of home birth for baby #1. Part of me really wants a home birth but I know there is an increase of risk with baby number one. For me the positives outweigh the negatives at this point of time, but would love to hear your stories or opinions???

Thanks
Xx

 

[Kittycat155]

Between what the midwives know/carry I would not fear it much unless you were quite far from a hospital or are high risk. For a healthy pregnancy the risks are quite low at home.

 

[solitaire89]

I had a fantastic home birth with my first. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

There is no difference in risk between a first baby and say a second/third. In fact, as you have more babies, they tend to prefer you to not have a home birth.

In terms of the risks, the NHS are brill at not telling people that a home birth actually reduces risk in a number of cases. For example, there is a reduced risk of maternal death, of PPH, of retained placenta, of analgesic use (use of drugs for pain relief), of shoulder dystocia, (to name a few) as well as an increased chance of a spontaneous natural delivery... Given that info, it was home birth all the way here!!

 

[Feronia]

I had an amazing home birth for my first. After doing that, I wouldn't have it any other way! Best experience of my life! I even had something go slightly wrong -- I had a postpartum hemorrhage -- but the midwives handled it brilliantly. In fact, it would have been handled in the same way if I were in the hospital, so my location made no difference.

 

[MindUtopia]

I had my first at home (you can read my birth story below if you want) and it was great. There are some issues with the research that's been done showing home births with #1 are less safe (though even still that research shows they are pretty safe, the risk of anything going wrong is very, very, very small). And there's a new study that came out recently showing that even for first babies home births can be as safe or more safe than hospital births. Realistically though, you should have your baby where you feel safest and most comfortable. For me, that was at home. I don't see any reason to have a bad first birth experience just because some study says so as long as it's what you feel comfortable. I always knew I'd birth my babies at home and I'm glad I didn't wait until #2.

 

[Feronia]

Here's a new article about home birth safety. https://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2013/06/16/study-home-births-may-be-safer-than-hospital-births/

It's interesting seeing this posted on a mainstream media outlet!

 

[sue_88]

There is no increased risk for a first baby born at home.

I'm planning just that!

I'm low risk and it's safer for me to be at home than in an unfamiliar hospital. Birth to me is not a medical procedure so I don't need to be in a hospital for it!

I live 50mins from hospital too (27 mins on blue lights) and this is also no big issue.