giving birth to first child at home

Jane10 I went to a birthing class (ran by an NHS midwife) a few weeks ago. She said that an epidural costs the NHS around £3000 each time, in terms of the time required by an anaesthetist in doing the relevant paperwork and administering it and then the cost of the medication and equipment itself.

The anaesthetist is there primarily for c-sections and instrumental deliveries requiring anaesthetic in theatre. They only go and give epidurals if they are available.

It costs the NHS less for a straightforward home birth, as it’s only midwife time required and the woman can choose to rent the birth pool etc herself. That being said, I’m opting for a midwife-les unit for birth. I want some pain relief options.

And I don’t think home births are a middle class fad, I’m in a working class area, the midwives encourage them and I know many women who’ve had them. To answer the OP, those women have had no issues, a couple were transferred for stitches after but mom and baby were both fine and well.

Not my first but I had a home birth 40 years ago. It was the best possible experience and we were within 30 mins of the maternity hospital.
Not so sure nowadays. That hospital is no longer and
DDiL gave birth to #2 in the carpark of the big hospital.
They didn't get there in time. Partly because when in labour with her first, she was sent home because she was too early.

Another relation gave birth prematurely in the ambulance .

Another friend was in hospital but had complications, needed an emergency section but there was no anaesthetist!

Oh dear you don't want horror stories but there's something still to be said for staying put.

Good luck to your DD and congratulations all round.

thank you all so much for taking the time to respond. I feel much assured, and, of course, you are right that, at the slightest hint of something being not quite right, she will go to hospital. When I was pregnant I found it a time of high anxiety, and I'm afraid impending grnadmotherhood makes me just as twitchy.

thank you again, all of you

Congratulations on the imminent arrival of your first grandchild!

Would the services of a doula be affordable to your family? They’re not medical attendants but are well-versed in supporting pregnant and postnatal woman. They will also accompany you to hospital, if required. doula.org.uk/

Your dd has made an informed decision - with the ok of her medical team.

That is all that counts

This is not really an area of my expertise but my daughter had all 3 children at home in a birthing pool. She was attended by mid-wives who were very well trained. My daughter was told that, if there were complications, an ambulance would get her to the local hospital fast; but it was not needed. My daughter could have had her children in hospital but made the choice to have them at home.

I booked a home birth for my middle daughter, but she was well overdue and l had to be induced in the local Maternity home. However, my Delivery was Community led, my Midwife who had been there for me throughout my previous pregnancies doing my anti-natal checkups and postnatal care came into the Maternity home to deliver me, and l went home 6 hours later. My last two babies though were both Breech babies, and born in a large consultant led Maternity unit by C-Section, l felt more like l had gone into hospital for an operation rather than to give birth, it was horrible, and l could not wait to return to the peace and quiet of.my own home.

The most expensive resource is staffing costs.
Chances are this expectant mother may change her mind once the reality sets in! We have 2 midwives in the family with 7 children between them. All born in hospital with discharge home after safe delivery.

I had my first baby at home in 1975. My choice, I felt perfectly safe. A midwife and a student had been allocated to me. They sat downstairs when not needed and absorbed the constant flow of tea my Dad provided. It had been made clear if there was any concern, no matter how small, an ambulance would be summoned. All went well. Number two arrived in hospital as we were way over the due date. It was disappointing but I saw the sense, we were home the next morning. My community midwife arrived soon after the birth, she had hoped to be there for the delivery but was busy elsewhere. I’ve no idea about relative costing of home vs hospital delivery, my sense was of using many more resources in hospital.

Your daughter has made her decision, don’t fall out with her before the baby is even born, support her and help, don’t even think about trying to change her mind.

Sadly there are plenty of births that go wrong in hospital.

Nope. They're there anyway. Other mothers can benefit from their time and presence as required. They might not even be needed but then again they might. I remain of the opinion that home births in 21st century are a middle class fad. Of course there's no reason why such preferences can't be met by employing a private midwife just as people can avoid NHS hospitals by going private.

Jane 10
^ I'd be embarrassed at the self indulgence of a home birth^

Would you also be embarrassed at the self indulgence of the services of an anaesthetist and the cost of an epidural anaesthetic for a normal spontaneous labour I wonder?

Not a first birth at home for me, as we were moving house at the time, but it was something I’d have preferred. The second time round with a supportive community midwife, my son was born at home although the consultant made a few noises about risks. (By then I was 39). I was free to move around, with the midwives using their skills to monitor me rather than machines, my partner, daughter, step daughter were comfortably downstairs as I wanted no one near me and there were absolutely no complications and plenty of cups of tea; I felt a sense of absolute peace afterwards. I think as long as your daughter trusts her maternity team and they do her, things will be fine.

My Mum had my four older siblings at home between 1940 and 1947 including a breach birth with no gas and air! Don't think that would be allowed now.

I wanted to have my second baby at home but because I'd had complications with the first it had to be hospital

Hmmmm. Given staffing issues can 2 midwives really be justified for however long a labour might be? I'd be embarrassed at the self indulgence of a home birth these days. Have the baby in hospital and be discharged home straight afterwards would seem to be a reasonable compromise.

Pinkhousegirl firstly congratulations on your forthcoming grandchild, how exciting for you! And good for your daughter on choosing to birth her first baby at home. As Egalantine21 quite rightly says the mortality rates you have read include unplanned and concealed births where there is no medical or midwifery input. Read a little more widely - anything by the lovely midwife/academic Sara Wickham is excellent and grounded in firm evidence. Also remember that all planned home births will be attended by two midwives, so the care ratio is significantly better than in hospital. My babies were born at home, my daughters chose to have their babies at home and I have delivered many, many babies at home. But I DO remember when the first two of my grandchildren were due, I had a real wobble of confidence just praying that everything would be okay for them. It passed, and they did beautifully. I hope this helps

My daughter had first baby in hospital, but next two at home. Her treatment was first class.both times she had to go to hospital after delivery for stitches, but for her it was brilliant.

My first grandchild was born in hospital. Everything went well but at two weeks old she developed a streptococcal skin infection, the nurse called it burnt baby syndrome. She had to be hospitalised and given intravenous antibiotics. Fortunately she recovered but since it was passed to her at birth by a carrier of the infection it put my daughter off having any other children in hospital.
My next two grandsons were born at home without any trouble at all.

My friend had both her babies at home, not through choice; safely delivered but both times it ruined the mattress.
Is it guaranteed that a partner will be with her? Midwives are frequently delayed, as they were in my friends's case.

There’s so much technology and medical knowledge now that medical staff can foretell if there are going to be any difficulties, so home birth is really very safe. Those 45% that wanted home birth but had hospital births are mostly those who were told towards the end of the pregnancy “I’m sorry, but home birth is not for you.” Not people who were rushed off in an ambulance!

I understand your worry about the 30 minute travel time but again, the midwife will be monitoring the birthing process and will arrange the transfer to hospital before it becomes a dash.

The mortality figures can be frightening but again these will include a high proportion of those who have not received any medical attention during pregnancy, for various reasons, often cultural.

And stories make the tabloids because they are a sensation not a norm.

It’s always a mixture of anxiety and joy ?

I didn’t get a home birth but only due to DH being absolutely terrified.
But I did research. At the first sign of any problems they will summon an ambulance. They won’t wait and see like they would in a hospital. She will have constant midwife care which she wouldn’t have in a hospital so any changes will be seen very quickly and as she will be calmer and more confident at home she is more likely to labour better.
There are home birth support groups on Facebook that your daughter can join with amazing support and advice.
Is she thinking of hiring a pool?

Both my brother and myself were intended to be home births. Complications and whisked to hospital during the birth. Born there.

If it was safe in the 1960s with less medical support, even if there are problems, the transfer to hospital should mean they'd be safe enough.