Having a baby at home can be an empowering experience for parents. During this time, they are giving life to the next generation, giving birth to their child. However, home birth may come with its fair share of risks as well.
For those considering childbirth at home, you should know things before deciding how to give birth and prepare yourself so that the process goes smoothly without any complications or risks involved. This article will cover what birthing at home entails and why it’s a popular choice among many mums in Singapore these days!
Why Many Singaporean Mothers Are Considering Planned Home Birth
More and more new mums in Singapore are delivering at home. From the 1980s to the early 1990s, only 20% of pregnant mothers planned home birth, while over 89% had their babies delivered by obstetricians or midwives.
Most women are really more comfortable delivering at a children’s hospital and birthing centres than at their own homes. But times have changed. Statistics show that In 2023, there were 107 home births out of 42,263 total live births (0.25%). This is an increase from 57 home births in 2006.
More than just giving you control over your own body’s functions during childbirth – which is effective, especially if it is the first child – there are other benefits too! Check on the list below.
Home births have many advantages
– Going home birth gives the parents a more empowering experience.
-Going home birth allows you to have immediate bonding with your child instantly, and you can provide breast milk right away.
-Going for home birth in familiar surroundings helps new babies transition into the world better and more efficiently.
– Going for home birth is often cheaper than hospital deliveries, especially when done without any medical assistance during labour and delivery other than emergencies (e.g., emergency C-section) where obstetricians or midwives step in.
– Going for home birth is giving your child an opportunity to enter this world under less stressful circumstances since it’s happening within a familiar environment away from the noise and busyness of hospitals. This procedure reduces their chances of having severe health issues related to stress later on, like high blood pressure or heart problems such as strokes, etc., associated with giving birth at late stages after giving birth to too many children.
– Going for planned home births makes it cost-effective. Since most Singaporeans get financial assistance from the Singapore Ministry of Health in some way when needing help paying off medical bills during hospital deliveries.
This privilege is especially the case when it comes to more than one or two children since this can be very expensive, sometimes SGD 50k+.
– Mothers who plan on a vaginal delivery without any medical interventions (e.g., midwife) during labour and delivery are likely to experience less pain. That is in comparison to having their baby delivered through a C-section by an obstetrician. Natural birth doesn’t require the use of anaesthetic drugs. This case also means they will have a shorter recovery period after giving birth too!
– Going through natural childbirth without requiring the use of anaesthesia drugs means fewer risks related to side effects such as nausea, vomiting etc., compared to needing surgical procedures that do require (potentially) harmful anaesthesia drugs.
– Midwives who help mothers with this process also get paid by the Singapore Ministry of Health. So, you might want to consider using them instead, especially if giving birth at late stages after giving birth to more than two children, since giving birth naturally, in this case, can be very expensive and complicated due to the risks involved.
-It allows your husband, friends and family to offer support and can be there with you to witness the whole process.
Given that there are quite a few benefits of home birth, it is not without its own set of challenges. After all, having a newborn baby in the comfort and safety of one’s own four walls does sound like a good idea. Especially if you care about your child being born under less stressful circumstances away from the hustle and bustle of hospital life – but natural birth isn’t as easy as it sounds! Just ask any mum who has planned for or experienced childbirth at home to know what we mean here!
For instance, some common issues faced by many mothers planning for a natural delivery (no obstetrician) include:
-Lack of access to emergency medical help when needed. The birth process for home birth is a natural process. Home births do not require doctors or midwives on standby in case of emergencies.
Some mums may choose to call for medical professionals if an emergency occurs during the birthing process (e.g., the umbilical cord wrapped around the baby’s neck). In contrast, others might have to handle the situation themselves instead, even if that means calling their partner and friends over so they can help with whatever needs doing! Of course, natural birth doesn’t mean going through it alone, as many mothers will opt for other traditional techniques like using pain management tools such as hot water bottles.
-Increased risk of complications. Some studies show that home births without any intervention from obstetricians increase chances of various health complications such as giving birth to a child with Down’s syndrome, giving birth prematurely and the need for cesarean section deliveries.
-Limited access to local anaesthesia. Home births without an obstetrician’s help available on standby are risky. Mums in labour can’t receive surgical procedures like epidural anaesthesia injections that would allow them to manage pain relief effectively during labour, so they may have to go through more physical stress than usual during this time.
Should You Opt For A Planned Home Birth Process?
Having read the benefits as well as the challenges of birthing at home, you may now be asking yourself if home birth is for you. In this day and age, it may not be safe to say that home birth is entirely safe for everyone.
As you know, each pregnancy is different, so you need to understand your condition and your baby’s condition before you decide if home birth is actually for you.
Know when it is advisable to have a home birth.
Women with the following conditions are ideally encouraged to give birth at home. First and foremost, the mother should have a healthy, low-risk pregnancy. Additionally, there is the option of hiring a trained and experienced birth attendant.
Another critical factor for successful home birth is proper planning. Lastly, there must be a modern hospital close by, so if an emergency occurs, hospital transfers are more doable.
Know when it is advisable NOT to have a home birth.
First, having diabetes or high blood pressure makes home birth less desirable for mothers who have these conditions. Second, it is not ideal to have a home birth without an experienced home birth attendant. Third, if the mother can’t bear the pain of natural childbirth, it is best not to do home births.
Fourth, if the mother’s condition is risky (preterm labour, pre-eclampsia, or breech position of the baby), do not opt for a home birth. Fifth, if the mother had previous cesarean surgery or uterine surgery, it is risky to do natural home births. Lastly, it is not advisable to do birthing at home if the husband is not supportive; it won’t result in a good birth experience.
How To Prepare For The Birth Process?
If you are deciding or still thinking about birthing at home, you might want to know what you need to prepare before you push through with it.
- Make sure that you have done your research on home births and weigh the pros and cons of this procedure.
- Be sure that you checked with your doctor that you are under the low-risk pregnancy category.
- Get a midwife or a nurse and an obstetrician that has certification and experience with home deliveries. Conduct interviews to learn more information about their skill to assess their know-how in the process.
- Be ready with a backup plan in case any complications arise that include hospital transfer.
- Be ready with the paediatrician of the newborn and schedule a visit within 24 hours after birth.
