The safety of home birth

The most up-to-date scientific research supports the safety of homebirth for healthy women whose pregnancies are low-risk, and who are attended by a qualified midwife.

• Receive care from the same caring, kind, understanding midwife from pregnancy right through until your baby is 6 weeks old
  
• Less use of pain medication as natural methods are well used to maintain comfort.  Only 3% women who birth with this service use an epidural for labour.
  
• Less likely to need an episiotomy or to tear.  Of the women who birth with this service, 0% have an episiotomy, 69% have no tears at all and 71% have no stitches after their birth.
  
• Lower chance of needing a caesarean.  Only 5% of the women who use this service have a caesarean.
  
• Highest chance of a normal birth, without the use of forceps, vacuum or caesarean.  89% women who birth with this service have a normal birth. Only 6% have a vacuum, and none have had forceps.  92% women birthing their first baby go on to have a normal birth.
  
• Being in very safe, private, comfortable and familiar surroundings
  
• Women have the choice and control of who is present at the birth
  
• No separation from partner or family such as other children, or the baby
  
• Much less risk of serious infection in your own surroundings
  
• Women have the complete freedom to choose their birthing positions
  
• Babies have uninterrupted bonding with their mother
  
• Increased chance of success with breastfeeding
  
• Receive personalised and convenient pregnancy and postnatal care in your own home

More and more women all over the world are now making the choice to birth at home.

Imagine waking up in the morning on the day you will birth your baby.  You feel alive, rested and content in the comfort and familiarity of your own home.  As the day moves along, you begin to feel the niggle of labour starting, bringing with it the most excitement and anticipation you have ever experienced.  You're looking forward to whatever this amazing experience may bring, because you have prepared your body and your mind, and you have arranged the support of a wonderful midwife who is going to assist you to birth in your own home, in your own way.

Upon birthing your beautiful baby, you have an overwhelming sense of achievement and accomplishment.  You slide into your own cosy bed with your partner and this breath-taking little treasure you have just brought into the world.

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If you desperately want to have a natural, drug-free birth and the thought of birthing in hospital - with policies, protocols and intervention - is keeping you awake at night, then homebirth may just be the answer you're looking for.

if that's the case, this website will assist you to arrange your care quickly and confidently, allowing you to enjoy your pregnancy, instead of having to worry about what might happen to you or your baby if the medical system ends up being in control of your birth.

• You are free to invite anybody you want to be present at your homebirth.
• It's a sure way to have a water birth. Don't let hospital staffing arrangements, bath availability and hospital policies affect your ability to birth in water!  Choose homebirth and waterbirth is a guaranteed option.
• There are no visiting hours.
• At home, you can labour in a safe, familiar and comforting environment.

What can we expect to pay for midwifery care?

Please refer to this page.