What Homebirth REALLY looks Like
In a 2009 study, Boucher et al. interviewed 160 women who had a home birth in the U.S. and asked them why they chose a home birth. Reasons that the woman gave included:
Belief that home birth is safer than the hospital*
Desire to avoid unnecessary interventions*
Previous negative or traumatic hospital birth experience*
Control over birth decisions and choices (want to avoid strict hospital rules)*
Dislike of hospitals, doctors, or medically managed birth*
Desire for privacy and to avoid strangers
Trust in birth as a normal, healthy process
Lack of separation from baby, easier breastfeeding initiation
Preference for midwives as caregivers
Increased options such as delayed cord cutting or water birth
Decreased risk of Cesarean birth
Comfortable atmosphere
Family involvement during the birth (children can be present)
Decreased risk of infection
History of fast (precipitous) labor where it is difficult to get to the hospital in time
* indicates one of the 5 most common reasons stated