“Home delivery” is when a mother-to-be chooses to give birth at home rather than in a hospital. Some mothers-to-be choose to give birth at home for a variety of reasons - for example, it can give the mother the freedom during labor to move, eat and bathe. It will also give the mother a sense of comfort during labor because the situation is very familiar, surrounded by people who love her. However, home births can pose unique challenges and risks, so if you're considering a home birth it's important to know how it goes well in advance of the baby's due date. Learn step 1 to get started.
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Part 1 of 3: Determining If Home Delivery Is the Right Choice
Step 1. Understand the pros and cons of giving birth from home
Until recently in history, the majority of births were carried out in the home. However, since 2009 in the United States, only 0.72% of all births were delivered via home delivery. Statistics from developing countries are also quite low. Despite the rarity of developing nations in the modern world, mothers prefer to give birth at home rather than give birth in a hospital. There are various reasons why mothers choose to give birth at home. But it should also be noted that "several scientific studies have revealed home births are 2-3 times more likely to have complications." Although the complication rate is still quite low in absolute terms (which has complications 1 in 1000) expectant mothers who have not made a choice should understand that home births are "slightly" riskier than hospital deliveries. On the other hand, home delivery has several advantages that cannot be obtained from a hospital, including:
- Prospective mothers are more free to move, bathe and eat according to their wishes.
- Allows the mother-to-be to adjust her position during delivery
- The comfortable feeling gained from familiar surroundings and faces
- The ability to give birth without medical assistance (such as pain medication) if desired.
- Ability to comply with religious or cultural requirements in childbirth
- Lower costs, for certain situations
Step 2. Know when home delivery is a "no" to do
In certain cases, childbirth contains complications with a high risk for the baby, the mother or both. In such a situation the health of the mother and the unborn baby is more important than any small gain from home delivery, so delivery must be carried out in a hospital that provides doctors and high-tech life-saving medical equipment. Here are some situations when a mother-to-be "must" plan her delivery in a hospital:
- If the mother suffers from a chronic disease (diabetes, epilepsy, etc.)
- If in the previous birth the mother had a cesarean section
- If during the obstetrical examination, health problems are found in the prospective baby
- If the mother has health problems during pregnancy
- If the mother smokes, drinks alcohol or uses illegal drugs
- If the mother is carrying twins, triplets and so on or if the baby's head is not ready to be born
- If the birth is earlier or later than the due date. In other words, don't plan to deliver at home before 37 weeks of pregnancy or after 41 weeks.
Step 3. Understand the legal process of home delivery
In general, giving birth from home is not prohibited by most countries or local governments. In the UK, Australia and Canada, it is legal to give birth from home and, depending on the circumstances, the government will assist with the cost of the delivery. However, the legal situation in America regarding midwives is quite complex.
In the United States, in all 50 states it is legal to hire a certified midwife (CNM). CNMs are nurses who work in hospitals - although few of them will come to the home, almost every state has laws that allow them to hire them to assist with home deliveries. In 27 countries, the law allows hiring a regular or certified midwife (CPM). Ordinary midwives are those who become midwives through self-study, apprenticeship and so on and do not have to become nurses or doctors. Those with CPM status are certified by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). These CPMs do not need to have insurance and are not required to take a job evaluation
Part 2 of 3: Planning a Birth at Home
Step 1. Make an appointment with your doctor or midwife
It is highly recommended that you hire a certified midwife or a doctor to assist you when you give birth. Plan for both the doctor and midwife to arrive early - meet and discuss your labor with her before labor begins, and save her phone number so you can call her right away if the contractions are faster than expected.
- The Mayo Clinic also recommends ensuring that the doctor or midwife has easy access to a doctor from the nearest hospital, if possible.
- You may want to consider finding or hiring someone who can provide physical and emotional support during labor.
Step 2. Plan your delivery experience
Childbirth is a grueling experience both physically and emotionally, and it's a very simple revelation. The thing you most don't want to do is when labor is going on and maybe you are in a very critical situation, you have to make a quick decision about how the birth process should be handled. It is better to create and re-learn an approximate plan about the birth process before the birth actually occurs. Try to sequence each stage from start to finish. While you can't follow all of these plans accurately, "having" a plan will give you peace of mind. In the plan, answer questions such as the following:
- Apart from the doctor/midwife, who else, if any, would you like to be present in the delivery process?
- Where do you want to give birth? Remember, in the process of giving birth, you are free to move according to your comfort.
- What supplies will you prepare? Discuss this with the doctor - usually extra towels, sheets, pillows and blankets as well as waterproof bedding and floor mats.
- In what ways will you cope with the pain? Are you going to use painkillers, the Lamaze technique or deal with it in some other way?
Step 3. Prepare the vehicle to go to the hospital
Generally home delivery is successful and uncomplicated. "Nevertheless", as with any labour, there is always a small chance that things could go wrong that would threaten the health of the unborn baby and/or the mother. Therefore, it is very important to prepare transportation that can take the mother to the hospital if an emergency arises. Fill your car with gas and make sure that there are sufficient supplies in the car such as cleaning tools, blankets and towels. Learn the quickest route to the nearest hospital - you can even practice going that route first.
Step 4. Choose a place to deliver your baby
While you can adjust your position and even walk around during labor, it's a good plan if you prepare a special place for delivery. A safe, comfortable choice - most mothers choose their own bed, but may also choose to give birth on the couch or on a softer part of the floor. Whatever your choice of venue, make sure that when labor begins, it is cleaned and has complete supplies such as towels, blankets and pillows. And maybe what you also need is a waterproof plastic sheet or cover to prevent bloodstains.
- In case of urgency, a clean, waterproof shower curtain can also be used to avoid spotting.
- Although the doctor or midwife has prepared this, but you can also have a protective gauze and cord ready near you to cut the baby's umbilical cord.
Step 5. Wait for signs of birth
After you have prepared everything, it's time for you to wait for the time of delivery. The average gestational age is 38 weeks, although a healthy labor can begin about a week or two from the 38 week mark. If you start labor before 37 weeks or after 41 weeks, go to the hospital immediately. Otherwise, be prepared for the early signs of birth:
- Broken amniotic fluid
- Cervical opening
- Blood spots (pink or brown mucus discharge)
- Contractions lasting about 30 to 90 seconds
Part 3 of 3: Childbirth
Usual Labor
Step 1. Listen to your doctor or midwife
The medical professional you have selected to help you deliver from home has been trained in how to help deliver a baby safely and is certified to do so. Always listen to your doctor or midwife's instructions and try to follow their advice. Some suggestions may make your pain increase temporarily. However, the goal of having doctors and midwives near you is to help you get through the birth process as quickly and safely as possible, so try to follow their advice as best you can.
The rest of the advice in this section is meant as a rough guide - "always" follow the advice of your doctor or midwife
Step 2. Stay calm and focus
Childbirth can be a protracted, painful ordeal and it is certain to be nervous to some degree. However it is not good to give in to despair. It's best to stay relaxed and positive. This will help you to follow the instructions of your doctor or midwife as best you can, to ensure a fast and safe birth. It will be easier to relax if you are in a comfortable position and take deep breaths.
Step 3. Watch for signs of complications
As stated earlier, generally home deliveries go smoothly. However, the possibility of complications is always there. If you notice any of the following signs, go to the hospital immediately, as this indicates a serious labor complication that requires the technology and expertise available at the hospital:
- Stool spots appear when your water breaks
- The baby's umbilical cord comes out of your vagina before your baby
- Bleeding from the vagina that is not bloodstained "or" bloodstains containing large amounts of blood (usually pink, brown or blood-colored spots)
- If the placenta does not come out after the baby is born "or" the placenta is not intact when it comes out.
- Your baby is breech
- Your baby is showing signs of distress
- Labor does not lead to birth
Step 4. Let the person looking after you examine the opening of your cervix
In the early stages of labor, the cervix opens, thins and widens to prepare for the baby's exit. At first, it will feel a little uncomfortable. With the passage of time the contractions will be more frequent and stronger. You will start to feel pain and in that part your back or stomach will feel like pressure as the cervix dilates. With the cervix open, the person looking after you will carry out regular monitoring of the pelvic cavity to monitor progress. When it is fully open to about 10 cm wide, you are ready to enter the second stage of labour.
- You will have a strong urge to push - usually the person looking after you will forbid you to do that until the cervix has opened by 10 cm.
- At this stage, you can still receive painkillers. If you have planned for this possibility and have prepared any type of painkiller, talk to your doctor or midwife to consider whether or not it is appropriate.
Step 5. Follow the instructions of the person looking after you to push
In the second stage of labor, the contractions you feel are more frequent and increased. You will have a sense of urgency - once the cervix has fully opened, the person attending the delivery will give the signal to do so. Talk to your doctor or midwife about any changes in your condition. They will give instructions on how to push, how to breathe and how to rest. Follow their instructions as best you can. This stage of labor can take as long as 2 hours for a first-time mother while for those who have given birth frequently this stage may be shorter (sometimes it takes only 15 minutes).
- Feel free to try different positions, such as resting on your hands and knees, kneeling, or squatting. Usually the doctor or midwife wants you to be in the most comfortable position possible to help you push.
- When pushing, don't worry if an accident occurs such as urinating or defecating - this is normal and one that helps you understand this very well. Focus your attention on pushing out the baby in the womb.
Step 6. Push the baby through the cervix
The force of your push, coupled with the contractions, will move the baby from the womb to the cervix. At this time it helps you will be able to see the baby's head. This is called "crowning" - you can use a mirror to see the tip of your baby's head. Don't worry if after crowning your baby's head disappears - this is normal. With time, the baby's position will move down towards the cervix. You have to push very hard so that the baby's head pops out. As soon as this happens, the midwife/doctor will clear the nose and mouth of any fluid from any amniotic fluid and help you to push the baby's whole body.
A breech birth (the baby's feet come out before the head) is a medical condition that increases the risk for the baby and usually requires hospital assistance. Babies born breech require a cesarean section
Step 7. Take care of the baby after birth
Congratulations - you have had a successful home birth. The doctor or midwife will clamp and cut the umbilical cord using sterile scissors. Wipe the baby with a clean towel and cover her tiny body with a warm clean blanket.
- After delivery, the person assisting the delivery will suggest starting breastfeeding.
- Do not immediately bathe the baby. When your baby is born you will notice his skin is covered with a whitish color. This is normal - this dressing is a material that protects the baby's skin while in the womb (vernix). It is believed that this white bandage protects the baby from infection and as a moisturizer for the baby's skin.
Step 8. Complete the delivery process
After the baby is born, even though the stressful part is over, you are not "completely" done yet. The third and final stage of the labor process is that you have to expel the ari-ari, which is the organ that provides food for the baby while he is in the foetus. Small contractions (very small, even some mothers will not feel it)) separate the placenta from the uterine wall. After that, the placenta will come out through the uterine cavity. This process usually takes about 5-20 minutes and, compared to delivering a baby, is less stressful.
If your placenta is "not" out or out but only partially, go to the hospital - this is a medical condition, which, if ignored, has potentially serious consequences
Step 9. Take your baby to the pediatrician
If your baby looked healthy when he was born, he probably was. "Nevertheless", it is still important to visit the pediatrician for a medical examination within a few days of birth to ensure that your baby does not have any undiagnosed medical conditions. Plan to see a pediatrician after a day or two from the time of his birth. The pediatrician will examine the baby and give instructions on how to care for the baby.
You too need to be examined - labor is a very demanding and intense process, and if you are feeling out of sorts, ask your doctor to examine your condition and see if all is well or not
Water Delivery
Step 1. Learn the pros and cons of water delivery
Water delivery is what it is called - giving birth in water. This method is quite popular these days - some hospitals even offer this type of delivery. However, some doctors don't recommend it because it's safer to give birth the conventional way. While some mothers claim that water delivery is more comfortable, comfortable, painless, and "natural" than the traditional method of delivery, it carries certain risks, including:
- Infection from contaminated water
- Complications arising from the water the baby drinks
- Although very rare, there is also a risk of brain damage or death, due to lack of oxygen when the baby is in the water.
Step 2. Learn when water delivery is not appropriate
As with home births, water delivery should not be performed if the mother and baby are at risk for certain complications. If the conditions listed in the first section match your pregnancy, don't opt for water delivery - instead, plan for a hospital delivery. In addition, you should not attempt to give birth in water if you have herpes or another genital infection, as these can be passed on to the baby through water.
Step 3. Prepare the birthing pool
Within 15 minutes of delivery, ask the doctor/midwife or a friend to fill the pool about 36 cm with water. Special pools designed for water delivery can be rented or purchased - some forms of medical insurance will include the cost. Take off your undergarments (or you can go completely naked) and enter the pool.
Make sure the water inside is clean and not hotter than 37 degrees Celsius
Step 4. Have your partner or birthing partner join you in the pool (optional)
Some mothers choose to be accompanied by their partner (husband, etc.) in the pool when they give birth to provide moral support and intimacy. While others choose a doctor/midwife in the pool. If you are planning to choose your partner to accompany you, you can try leaning your body on your partner to support you to push.
Step 5. Continue the delivery process
Your doctor or midwife will assist you in labor, helping you breathe, push and rest at the right time. When you feel the baby coming out, ask the doctor/midwife to put both hands between your legs so that they are ready to catch the baby when he comes out. You want your hands to be free to hold onto something when you're pushing.
- As with normal births, you can change positions. For example, you try to push the baby down or kneel in the water.
- If your baby shows signs of complications (see Part Three), get out of the pool quickly.
Step 6. Immediately get out of the pool
As soon as the baby is born, hold it above the surface of the water so that it can breathe. After a while of holding the baby, carefully get out of the pool so that the umbilical cord can be cut and the baby can be wiped dry, clothed and wrapped in a blanket.
In some cases, the baby will defecate in the womb. If this is the case, quickly lift the baby's head above the surface of the water and away from contaminated water, because there is a possibility of serious infection if the baby drinks or inhales his own feces. Take your baby to the hospital immediately
Tips
- Accompanied by a friend or registered midwife.
- Never give birth alone - without a doctor or midwife to help you there are many things that could go wrong.
- If possible, clean your genitals before the birth of the baby. This will help ensure the area is as clean as possible.
Warning
- Nurses, friends, and even doctors can sometimes get nervous if the delivery is done at home. In today's society, it is an inconvenient activity. However, try to understand if they are acting reluctant or confused. Don't rebuke them for no reason.
- When delivering twins, if the first baby is born head first, and the second is breech this is a difficult complication (understand that one leg usually comes out first but the other stays in the womb, and the midwife, or nurse or doctor who has training is needed to overcome the breech).
- If the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby's neck, etc., or the two twins' umbilical cords are wrapped around each other or the baby is fused to one part of their body -- or conjoined twins as well, the birth requires a cesarean section. So do not give birth without the help and presence of qualified personnel.
