Unassisted Home Births and Planning in Advance

If you are feeling uncomfortable in a hospital setting or if you are concerned about delivering  your baby in a hospital environment, then an unassisted home birth might make a great alternative. A unassisted home births are not just for new age mums, it is becoming a much more popular form of delivery. As it becomes more widely accepted, so to is the support available for a home birth. Nowadays, it is possible to seek home birth assistance from different practitioners such as family, nurses, physician assistant and chiropractic, as well as the more traditional medical support team, including midwives.

It's still fair to say that most unassisted home births are attended by a mid wife. For many women about to give birth, it is important to have someone there that they are comfortable with, someone that is aware of their pregnancy and them as a person. This means that a home birth is often planned months in advance, with all parties involved spending time bonding and creating the special feeling that makes unassisted home births such wonderful experiences.

Unassisted home births means that there are no hospital staff busying around your birth room, you are not obliged to follow the rules of hospitals and best of all you can feel happy in the knowledge that a home birth is actually cheaper than a traditional hospital delivery. Of course, your hospital bed will also be free up for another patient. If you are fit and healthy and not expected to have any complications during pregnancy or delivery, it is not common for a medical team to appose a home birth.

That said, depending on your location, you may find that you have to fight a little harder to achieve your right to an unassisted home birth. There are still medical teams in some hospitals that do not like the special treatment afforded to people who prefer a home birth over a hospital birth. They will use their concerns about safety or lack of resources to disrupt your decision. If this happens to you, think very carefully about what is important, if there is a very obvious medical concern about a home birth, then you should listen to the concerns. However, if you're sure that you should be having a home birth, it is possible to escalate your request in order to find someone to sponsor your desires.

Before planning your home birth you should ensure the skills and qualifications of the midwife, this is not always necessary if it is a medical sponsored home birth. However, it is important if you have taken your own route and chosen an alternative health practitioner, make sure they have the necessary experience and insurance should something happen. Where possible, have a back up plan in place, such as easy access transport to a hospital should it be required.

You should also be well acquainted with the recent charges to home practitioners guidelines, these seem to be constantly changing, more so in different areas. If you're having an unassisted home birth, make sure you are up to date with local legislation.

Read more of our articles on home birth

Home Birth - The Only Natural Way to Give Birth