The hospital is no place for a low risk woman to give birth. It seems that an increasing number of women are figuring this out and spreading the word as the number of home births in the United States skyrocketed 29% in the past 5 years.
For non-hispanic white women, the rate increased 36%.
Home births are most common in white women over the age of 35 who have other children.
Marian McDorman, a statistician with the Center for Disease Control (CDC), said that although it isn’t entirely clear why the rate is increasing so rapidly, it might be because “a lot of women really like the idea of home birth because they want a lower-intervention birth. A lot of women are worried about higher C-section rates and other types of intervention that happen once you go to the hospital”.
Saraswathi Vedam, Chair of Standards and Practice for the Home birth Section of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, sees out of hospital births going mainstream. She said:
“Women and families have started to question the widespread use of obstetric interventions and want to control the environment they give birth in.”
Bingo!
It would be interesting to see what these numbers would look like if out of hospital births at freestanding birth centers were included along with home births. My guess is that the numbers would be at least double.
There is no doubt that an increasing number of women are consciously rejecting the overmedicalization of birth. Doctors and nurses in a hospital environment, while nice people who are no doubt fully competent, have to abide by draconian procedures and rules when it comes to the process of birth. These rigid limitations cause many women to have induced labor, C-sections and other interventions that would never happen at a birth center or at home.
In my case, my first child would have definitely been an emergency C-section had I given birth in the hospital. Fortunately, I chose to stay away and have my baby at a birth center instead. The steps my midwife took to assist me are not permitted in the hospital and yet are simple and very safe.
The issue was simply pushing back a small flap of cervical tissue manually while I was pushing so the baby’s head could get through.
Another woman I know who experienced the exact same, minor problem wasn’t so lucky. She was wheeled in for a C-Section that was completely unnecessary, as the intervention was “required by hospital protocol”. She would have almost certainly birthed vaginally at a birth center or at home.
If you are a low risk woman who is pregnant or considering becoming so in the near future, do yourself a favor and investigate an out of hospital birth either at a birth center or at home.
You just might save yourself major surgery like I did not just once, but probably 3 times! Each of my children’s births had a similar problem that was easily rectified in about 30 seconds by a skilled midwife.
To learn more about out of hospital birth and the many reasons to consider doing so, see this article on the benefits of having a baby at a birth center.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Source: CDC: Home Births Rise Nearly 30% in the United States
Here in the states I got shot down constantly about a home birth by family and friends too. With my first we used a free standing birth center. I got individualized care including nutrition and fitness at every appointment. Instead of just managing the pregnancy the midwives focused on creating the best possible health and wellness for both the baby and me. Unfortunately a vaginal birth just wasn’t possible due to an undiagnosed deformity. You know the cool thing? When the midwives found that there was nothing in their power that could be done to deliver the baby vaginally we went to the hospital where the c-section was performed. Everyone’s “what happens if there is a problem?” was answered without the end of the world scenarios they had imagined. Instead of drama I had a ride to the hospital. After the deformity was diagnosed we attempted a VBAC with the same result.
Conversely a friend went to a conventional OB for her pregnancy (in another state, not midwife friendly as mine). They gave her no nutritional advice besides how much weight should gain and she wound up developing gestational diabetes. GD made them decide she shouldn’t carry the baby to 40 weeks and they induced at 38. After 20 hours of non-productive labor they delivered the baby by c-section. Now she can’t find a conventional OB who will even entertain the thought of a VBAC despite not having any risks this pregnancy other than the previous c-section. Same results as me but with a lot more pain and stress and nowhere near as much nurturing and support as I received from my midwives.
Dr Meyer Eisenstein has written that hospital birth is one of the greatest medical mistakes of all time. His clinic, Homefirst Health Services, has delivered thousands of babies at home. Dr Eisenstein is one of the few doctors who tries to persuade parents NOT to vaccinate their children. His practice is located in the Chicago area.
It is do beautiful and inspiring to read of the wonderful experiences described in these comments. Thank you so much for sharing.
My first was a hospital birth and was heavily “managed” for no reason other than because it was a hospital birth. I was literally told, when I questioned a procedure, “This is a hospital, we move things along here. If you don’t like it, you can go home.”
I did.
My second and third babies were born at home and everything went great. My second would have resulted in at least pitocin, probably a c-section, and probably a NICU stay, had I been in the hospital. I made no progress for 12 hours — but my skilled midwives decided to get me into the birthing tub and coach me to relax, which led to baby being born just an hour later. He was born with the cord tightly wrapped around his neck, but they handled that too (WITHOUT cutting it) and he never left my chest. He’s a happy, healthy, bright 2.5 YO now. A well-trained midwife is worth her weight in gold. 🙂
I had both of my boys at home. I loved the experience and wouldn’t have it any other way! I started out wanting a water birth and actually toured the hospital where they had them (about 30 min from my home). I still didn’t like the fact that I could labor in the tub but had to deliver outside (there was only one midwife who actually allowed delivery in the tub and if she wasn’t on call at that time, I was out of luck). After exploring homebirth more (boy, did I have a lot to learn) DH and I decided to go for it. I was 27 when pregnant with my first, healthy and had no risks. My labor was long (24 hours) with slow progress and my BP was steadily going up but my midwives worked with me and I was able to have a healthy baby boy!!! The simple acts of touching his head while he crowned, having him put on my tummy immediately, having my mom cut the cord (after a period of time), nursing within 30 minutes (he wasn’t interested for a while) – these moments are so precious and unforgettable! I was told afterwards that I would have had to have a C-section if I was in a hospital (my mom had 2 of those – no, thanks) so I was even more glad that I opted for homebirth. People cannot believe when I tell them I had my boys at home… they think me some sort of super-woman!! (I’m 5’3″ and 110 lbs soaking wet) No, I tell them, I was simply informed and made a conscious choice. I’m loving these stats!!
I deliver at a free standing birth center and have had two GREAT experiences. For my last pregnancy, I considered a home birth but ended up deciding against it for several reasons 1) I live 20 minutes from the nearest hospital 2) my insurance will only cover CNM’s and not CPM’s 3) I am a bit nervous about free working midwives because of the experiences of several friends. It appears to me that , because of the prejudice of the AMA against midwifery in this country, there is a lack of regulation of midwifery in the US as compared to Denmark and other countries where home birth is accepted and embraced. One should not have to ask if the midwife carries oxygen or knows the signs of post partum hemorrhaging…but you often do. Don’t take me wrong, I think midwifery is wonderful and probably the best choice for a healthy woman, but healthy women are getting rarer and rarer. One of my friends just had a home birth where she delivered a 10 pound baby after a difficult labor. She showed many signs of gestational diabetes, but the midwife did not believe in testing for it. Later, she started hemorrhaging severely and had to be rushed to the hospital in an ambulance and have a DNC. This friend has had several children very close together (14 months apart or less), eats the standard American diet, and exhibits numerous ‘minor” health issues. She flies under the “high risk pregnancy” radar and her midwife’s only advice for good nutrition was to eat more greens, fruits, and veggies. My point is that you have to be very careful about choosing a midwife (as with any health care professional) and I think there are many women these days who are considered “low risk” even though they have terrible nutrition and may potentially have serious complications. I’m sure that doesn’t include any of the savy women who read this blog (-:
I agree with you A.B. I just had my fourth child at a birth center. I had an awesome experience, but at my six-week follow-up my midwife (who is very skilled and competent) started to tell me how “scary” the out-of-hospital care is in our state. She said that she cannot recommend many of her midwife “friends” because they are lax on testing/procedures and put babies and moms at risk. In fact, she tries to distinguish herself within the medical communities and at the hospitals so people will know she is different than the midwife norm in our community.
When I tell people about the great experience I had out-of-hospital, I make sure they know they need to find a competent and skilled midwife that makes safety a priority.
I’m glad to hear other midwives are noticing too? I just wish our country would realize that women are TIRED of hospital tactics and treat home births as a viable option and regulate them accordingly. I suppose they could never do anything that doesn’t line their pocket books like the procedures at a regular hospital birth!
Looking forward to my second homebirth and fourth non-hospital birth with a midwife! I am from a medical family and though they disagreed with my choices, and have probably been terrified that something would go wrong, I wouldn’t change a thing. There is nothing more peaceful and calming than being at home to have your baby. So glad to see that women are opting to have the beautiful experience of birth at home. We were MEANT to have babies!!!
Thank you so much for your article!
My first one was a c-section, because of so many interventions. Having a skilled midwife (or a skilled, open-minded doctor would have prevented it).
The one after that was a VBAC. I had to fight really hard to be able to do the VBAC. We lived in a small town where there was no birth center and it would have been too expensive for us at the time to do a home birth. Our local hospital didn’t do VBACs and I had to deliver my son at a larger hospital that was two hours away.
There was “scare tactic” after “scare tactic.” A few doctors and nurses told me that my old c-section scar would rupture and I they told me I was putting my son’s life in danger. The hospital I birthed at had me listed as a high-risk pregnancy, simply because I was doing a VBAC. I was healthy, eating well, gaining an optimal amount of weight, and there were no problems with my health that should have made me “high risk.”
I am fortunate that I lived in Italy during the beginning of my pregnancy and my OB there gave me good, truthful information about doing a VBAC. I am grateful to her! 🙂 When I came to the United States, I was already armed with with good information that allowed me to birth my son my way. However, there were still a lot of interventions that could have made it impossible to have to have VBAC. I had a doula with me at the hospital. And I was insistent that I have my son my way.
My second VBAC with my daughter went a lot better. I had an older doctor who was supportive of it, and only had a few glitches with another doctor who really, really wanted to have me schedule a c-section because I was 10 days late with my doctor. Ha! When she was ready, my daughter came in two hours and surprised that same doctor. 😉
I will have my next one at home, because hospital interventions aren’t helpful for women who want to have vaginal birth.
Thank you again for your article. I am passionate about VBACs and birth. 🙂
We’re planning our third homebirth for this upcoming August! I had my first in the hospital and because of all the protocols, I was indeed forced to have a pitocin drip and an epidural to avoid the c-section. The epidural left me with an incredibly painful spinal headache and I could. not. move. I was also left with severe leg pain from it for MONTHS! My last two pregnancies and births were fantastic and smooth as puddin’! 🙂
This is so exciting!
Our oldest daughter, 38, just gave birth 2 weeks ago at home. Her first baby (3 years ago), our granddaughter Trena, was a most difficult labor and delivery at the hospital, and she did not want a repeat performance. Everything went beautifully, and she would not trade this experience for anything in the world. Her midwife is awesome, and the one on one personal touch cannot be replicated with a traditional obgyn.